Hakodate, Hokkaidō

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**Hakodate City**
**函館市**
Hakodate City's location in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Hokkaidō
Prefecture	Hokkaido Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area	677.77 km²
Population (as of 2004)
Total	299,737
Density	442.24/km²
Location	41°46′25″N, 140°43′35″E
Symbols
Tree	Onko (Japanese Yew)
Flower	Azalea
Bird	Varied Tit
Hakodate City City Hall
Address	〒040-8666 Hokkaido, Hakodate-shi, Shinonome-cho, 4-13
Phone number	0138-21-3111
Official website: Hakodate City

Coordinates: 41°46′25″N, 140°43′35″E

Hakodate City Hall

Hakodate (函館市; -shi) is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture and the sister city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and Lake Macquarie, a part of greater Newcastle, Australia.

As of 2004, the city has an estimated population of 299,737 and the density of 442.24 persons per km². The total area is 677.77 km². Hakodate's size nearly doubled on December 1, 2004 when the neighboring municipalities of Toi, Esan, Todohokke and Minamikayabe were merged into it.

1 History
2 Situation
3 Culture
4 Famous people
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] History

Hakodate was founded in 1454, when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi, constructed a palace at the foot of Mount Hakodate.

The port of Hakodate was opened to American trade on March 31, 1853 under the conditions of the Treaty of Kanagawa, as negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry. A mariner of his fleet died during cruising and his body was buried in Hakodate cemetery for foreigners. He was the first U.S. citizen to be buried in Japan. Hakodate was later awarded city status on August 1, 1922.

Soon several countries settled their consulates in Hakodate. One of them, the Russian one, had a chapel, from where Eastern Orthodoxy arrived in Japan, now the Japanese Orthodox Church. The Orthodox church is neighbored by several other churches, including Anglican and Catholic.

Hakodate is home to the famous European-style Goryokaku fort, which was built in the shape of a five-pointed star in 1866. During the last phase of the Meiji Restoration, the shogunate loyalists occupied the fort, declaring the establishment of the Republic of Ezo. A handful of French soldiers led by Jules Brunet,who had served as military advisers for the shogunate army, joined the rebellion led by Enomoto Takeaki. After battles with the government forces, the secessionists surrendered the fort in 1869. It is now used as a public park. The park is a popular spot in Hokkaidō for hanami (cherry blossom viewing).

The small but bustling city is also famous as the site of Hijikata Toshizo's last stand.

[edit] Situation

The city is overlooked by Hakodateyama (Mount Hakodate), a lumpy, totally forested mountain. The summit of the mountain is easily reached by either hiking trail, cable car, or car. The nighttime view from the summit is renowned all over Japan as one of the loveliest sights in the country. An obscure local nickname of the bumpy mountain is Gagyuzan ("Mount Cow's-back"), which alludes to the way the mountain's shape resembles that of a resting bovine.

Near Hakodate, Hokkaidō there is the static inverter plant of the HVDC Hokkaido-Honshu.

[edit] Culture

The city is also known for Hakodate Shio Ramen, where instead of having a pork cutlet placed inside the soup, sliced squid is used. On a similar note, Hakodate's city fish is the squid. Every year (August) the city gets together for the Hakodate Port Festival. Hordes of citizens gather in the streets to dance a wiggly dance known as the Ika-odori (Squid Dance), the name of which describes the dance appropriately. The glowing lights of squid-catching boats can be seen in the waters surrounding the city.