Mt. Esan Like Different World and Blue Sea -Misaki Lookout in Hakodate-

Misaki Lookout (岬展望台) is located around Mt. Esan (恵山) in the eastern part of Hakodate. Mt. Esan is an active volcano with 618 m in height and the whole area around the Mt. Esan has designed as Esan Prefectural Natural Park (恵山道立自然公園). The end point of Esan-Tozan Road (恵山登山道) beside Esan Onsen Ryokan (恵山温泉旅館) is Esan Kakogen Parking Lot (恵山火口原駐車場). Probably Mt. Esan from back side is the genuine Mt. Esan. The surafce of the mountain are rough, and it emits smoke. The color of the mountain is like Jigokudani (地獄谷 * Hell Valley) in Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉). There is a place called Sai-no-Kawara (賽の河原 * Children's Limbo), and early peoples wanted to name around volcanoes dread names for some reason. Those might be catchy names. The Esan-Tozan Road under traffic control is available from 06:00 to 18:00. Do not be left behind ! There are a restroom and a resting station around the Esan Kakogen Parking Lot. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge, too.

Mt. Esan Brochure (Japanese)

5 trail courses, Gongendo Tozan Course (権現堂登山コース) with 1979m in length, Todohokke Course (椴法華コース) with 2283 m in length, Esan-Tenbodai Course (恵山展望台コース) with 1337 m in length, Kaikozan Tozan Course (海向山登山コース) with 2500 m in height and Misaki Chobo Course (岬眺望コース) with 600 m in height, are built around the Esan Kakogen Parking Lot. The Gongendo Tozan Course and the Kaikozan Tozan Course are mountain trails, so hiking rules stocks are provided at each trailheads. I visited here in June 20 2017, and want to hike the Gongendo Tozan Course in an autumn next time because of good fall foliage.

I walked a trail toward the Misaki Lookout while seeing the Mt. Esan with emiting smoke. Alpine plants such as Rhododendron (シャクナゲ) were coverd with along the trail, and Redvein Enkianthus (サラサドウダン) were in full bloom, too. I forgot daily life very much after seeing the Sai-no-Kawara. It is said that the Mt. Esan is as miraculous efficacy as Mt. Osorezan opposite the Tsugaru Channel (津軽海峡), so some small statues of Buddha are built here and there. Yezo rhododendron kaempferi are full in bloom from late May to early June, and it seems to be beautiful fall foliage in the autumn. It took about 30 minutes from the parking lot to the Misaki Lookout. Only a bench is provided on the site. Todohokke area (椴法華の町) and the Pacific Ocean can be seen if it is fine weather.

Atmosphere of Misaki Lookout Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Misaki Lookout

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations around Misaki Lookout.

Ishida Onsen Ryokan(石田温泉旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Esan Onsen Ryokan(恵山温泉旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

A page of Hakodate is here