[Sumiyoshi Shrine in Hakodate] Beautiful Tunnel of Cherry Blossoms

Sumiyoshi Shrine

Sumiyoshi Shrine (住三吉神社) is a shrine at Sumiyoshi-cho, the foot of Mt. Hakodate (函館山) in the south part of Hakodate city, and is close to Cape Tachimachi (立待岬), Yachigashira Onsen (谷地頭温泉) and Hakodate Park (函館公園). The shrine has been reported Sumiyoshi Shrine founded in the Kamakura period. I think that Sumiyoshi(住三吉) Shrine is odd name, and Sumiyoshi(住三吉) Shrine merged Sumiyoshi(住吉) Shrine with Miyoshi(三吉) Shrine. The name of Sumiyoshi(住三吉) Shrine is a good combination. It is famous as a good place to see cherry blossoms, and the best time to see is from late April to early May. Admission free. A parking lot and a restroom are not provided.

Express Hakodate-go (高速はこだて号) and Hakodate Limited Express New Star-go (函館特急ニュースター号), express buses, run between Sapporo and the Hakodate. Unfortunately, the express bus does not run between New Chitose Airport and the Hakodate.

List of Highway Bus

Refer to following a company for the highway bus service between the Hakodate and the Sapporo.

Chuo Bus(中央バス)	From Sapporo to Hakodate	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Chuo Bus(中央バス)	From Hakodate to Sapporo	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Hokkaido Bus(北海道バス)	From Sapporo to Hakodate	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Hokkaido Bus(北海道バス)	From Hakodate to Sapporo	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

Mt. Hakodate

Mt. Hakodate (函館山) is a range of mountains with 334 m in height in the west side of Hakodate city, and is general term of 13 mountains. Another name is Mt. Gagyu (臥牛山). The Mt. Hakodate used to be an island originally, but a sandbar grew on the sea, and the downtown of the Hakodate was built on the sandbar. A view of the Hakodate downtown has been famous since old days, and is one of the 3 best night views in the world together with Hongkong in China and Napoli in Italy. "A View from Mt. Hakodate" was given 3 stars in Michelin Green Guide Japon 2011. It features that world people rate "The View from the Mt. Hakodate" highly. In addition, it is also well-known as one of the 3 best night views in Hokkaido together with Mt. Tengu in Otaru and Mt. Moiwa in Sapporo. After all, the night view is most popular. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Cape Tachimachi

Cape Tachimachi (立待岬) is a scenic spot at the foot of Mt. Hakodate (函館山) in the south part of Hakodate city, and visitors can view the Pacific on cliffs. Tachimachi was called "Yokoushi (ヨコウシ)" by Ainu people, and means "A place that the Ainu people wait to watch fishes while standing" in Ainu language. * Tachi (立) means standing and machi (待) means waiting in Japanese. Because the cliffs with about 30 m in height are steep, I think they imperiled themselves lay their life on the line put their life before fishing, and maybe men of other days were very tough. The cliffs have a good view, so the cape is sometimes used as a shooting place for suspense dramas. A song of "Cape Tachimachi" sung by Ms. Masako Mori (森昌子), a Japanese famous enka singer, uses here as a motif. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Hakodate Park

Hakodate Park (函館公園) is the first park in Hokkaido built in 1879 at the foot of Mt. Hakodate (函館山) in the south part of Hakodate city, and has been chosen as one of 100 Best Historical Park in Japan, and has an exotic atmosphere such as the Meiji period. Hakodate Museum (函館博物館), Hakodate Park Kodomonokuni (函館公園こどものくに), Hakodate Park Visitor Center (函館公園ビジターセンター), Mini Zoo, Central Large Fountain (中央大噴水) and Mt. Meiji (明治山) are built at the site, and it is well-known as a place for Hakodate citizen's relaxation and refreshment, and is also famous as a famous place to see cherry blossoms. The best season to see is from late April to early May. Admission free. A parking lot is not provided, but free temporary parking lots are provided during the best season. Article is here

Yachigashira Onsen

Yachigashira Onsen (谷地頭温泉) is a hot spring place in Hakodate city. Yachigashira Onsen (谷地頭温泉) and Ikenohata Onsen Ryokan (池の端温泉旅館) are built in the residential area at the foot of Mt. Hakodate. There are some shrines and temples such as Sumiyoshi Shrine (住三吉神社), restaurants and convenience stores around here. Famous tourist attractions around here are Mt. Hakodate (函館山), Hakodate Park (函館公園), Cape Tachimasci (立待岬) and Hekketsu Monument (碧血碑). Article is here

HAKODATE

Hakodate (函館) that about 260,000 people live is the 3rd largest port city in Hokkaido, and is a regional hub city of the Southern Hokkaido area. The Hakodate became incorporated with Toi town (戸井), Esan town (恵山), Todohokke village (椴法華) and Minami-kayabe town (南茅部) in 2004, and most of Kameda Peninsula (亀田半島) has changed to the Hakodate. It is one of most popular tourist cities in the Hokkaido, and about 5 million people visit here. The downtown of the Hakodate from Mt. Hakodate toward former Goryokaku fort is developed on a large sandbar between the seas, and a unique seashore landscape is very popular. Although a lot of tourists think the center town of the Hakodate is around Hakodate Station and the Mt. Hakodate, it is around Hakodate Streetcar Goryokaku Koen-mae Stop (函館市電五稜郭公園前駅). The Hakodate is also well-known as a city with a lot of slopes, and there are 19 slopes with its name such as Hachiman-zaka slope (八幡坂), Daisan-zaka slope (大三坂) and Motoi-zaka slope (基坂), so around the Mt. Hakodate has a lot of slope lands, and the Hakodate has a lot of narrow roads. As for a climate, the Hakodate is wamer than other cities in the Hokkaido because it is located of the Southern Hokkaido, and it does not snow hard. Article is here

Cherry Blossoms of Hokkaido

Cherry blossoms begin to bloom from late April in Hokkaido. The cherry blossoms in the Southern Hokkaido including Hakodate begin to bloom from late April, and in case of late blooming, the cherry blossoms in the Eastern Hokkaido and the Northern Hokkaido seem to bloom in early June. The cherry blossoms in Honshu (the main island of Japan) begin to bloom from mid March, and tourists can enjoy the cherry blossoms until too late season. If everybody forget to see the cherry blossoms in the Honshu, please visit the Hokkaido to savor the cherry blossoms. Article is here