Hakodate sits on a narrow peninsula flanked by the sea on three sides, which makes the seafood here some of the freshest in all of Japan. The city is also the birthplace of Hakodate-style shio ramen — a clear, golden broth with a clean, delicate flavour unlike the rich miso soups you find in Sapporo. Then there's the local burger that Nikkei newspaper ranked the No. 1 regional burger in Japan. Every meal in Hakodate is worth the trip.
#1 Hakodate Shio Ramen
Hakodate shio ramen traces its origins to 1884, when a Chinese restaurant called Yowaken first served Cantonese-style salt-broth noodles in the city. The clear golden soup is simmered from pork bones, chicken, and kombu seaweed, producing a light, rounded flavour that stands apart from the thick miso soups of Sapporo. Straight, thin noodles fit the broth perfectly; toppings run to chashu, pickled bamboo shoots, and spring onions. It is recognised as one of three distinct Hokkaido ramen styles known across Japan.
- The most celebrated shops include Aji no Ichiban and Marukami Ramen near the station district.
- Taste the broth before reaching for any seasoning — a well-made shio broth needs nothing added.
- Some shops fold in seawater or simmered seafood; ask the staff what makes their broth different.
#2 Kaisendon
Hakodate's kaisendon — a bowl of hot rice topped with fresh seafood — is famous throughout Japan. The Donburi Yokocho alley inside the Morning Market concentrates around 20 stalls competing to pile steamed rice with snow crab, uni, ikura, scallops, and squid. Prices range from about 550 yen for a simple bowl up to considerably more for a premium uni-topped version. Every ingredient comes from fishing boats that dock at the pier before dawn.
- Arrive when the market opens (5–6 a.m.) — some items, particularly uni and crab, sell out fast.
- Try buri-don (yellowtail rice bowl) or ika odori-don (dancing squid bowl), both hard to find elsewhere.
- The market closes at 2 p.m. — don't leave it too late.
#3 Ika Sashimi and Ikasomen
Hakodate has earned the nickname Japan's "squid capital" because the Tsugaru Strait surrounding the city teems with two species of squid year-round. The squid is so fresh that the flesh is still translucent — and still moving — when it arrives at the table. Ikasomen (squid sliced into somen-noodle-thin strips) has a sweet, faintly crunchy texture you simply cannot find anywhere else. The highlight is the live-squid fishing pond Katsu-ika Tsuribori inside the Morning Market, where you catch your own squid from a tank and have it sliced into sashimi on the spot.
- Try the live-catch squid pond at the Morning Market — the fee of roughly 1,500–2,000 yen covers the catch and the sashimi preparation.
- Eat ikasomen with ginger and a little soy sauce; don't overdo the soy — the natural sweetness of the squid is the point.
- Summer squid (June–December) is ma-ika, which is softer; winter squid (January–May) is yari-ika, firmer and springier.
#4 Hakodate Crab
The cold waters of the Tsugaru Strait and the Sea of Okhotsk around Hokkaido produce some of Japan's finest crab. Hakodate Morning Market carries several varieties fresh daily — king crab (taraba), snow crab (zuwai), and hairy crab (kegani) — at prices noticeably lower than in big cities, because the catch comes straight from local fishermen. Stalls in the market and restaurants around the harbour serve crab boiled or grilled Japanese-style; the sweet, delicate flavour comes through clearly in the cold-water flesh.
- You can negotiate prices at the market stalls, particularly later in the morning when vendors are looking to move stock.
- Peak crab season runs from winter through early spring (December–April).
- To take crab home, buy pre-cooked frozen crab in foam boxes from the market stalls — they can arrange takuhai delivery service.
#5 Lucky Pierrot Chinese Chicken Burger
Lucky Pierrot is a local burger chain that exists exclusively in Hakodate. Its signature item is the Chinese Chicken Burger — three pieces of fried chicken in a sweet-and-sour Chinese-style sauce, tucked into a soft bun — which Nikkei newspaper named the best regional burger in Japan. Each branch is decorated in a vivid circus theme; the interior design varies enough between locations that each has become a neighbourhood landmark in its own right.
- The main branch is near the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse and is open daily from midday until late.
- Beyond the Chinese Chicken, the Lucky Potato (fries with a special sauce) is a staple order among regulars.
- Prices are very reasonable — burgers start from around 500 yen, making it a solid light bite between sights.
#6 Hakodate Milk Soft Serve
Hakodate Milk was founded in 1973 by a cooperative of dairy farmers in the Oshima district, pooling milk from 38 quality farms in the area to produce milk, cheese, yoghurt, and premium soft serve. The plain soft serve at Ice 118 — which sits right next to the factory — is intensely creamy and sweet. Hakodate also offers more adventurous flavours including squid ink, seaweed, and melon, which draw curious visitors eager to try something different.
- Ice 118 is at the Hakodate Milk factory in the Yunokawa district, open daily 10:00–17:00.
- The classic plain milk flavour is the best one — don't skip it thinking it sounds boring; the quality of the dairy makes it exceptional.
- Hakodate Milk cartons are sold at convenience stores and supermarkets across Hakodate at prices lower than in Tokyo.
Where to stay in Hakodate for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Hakodate — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Hakodate Danshaku Club Hotel & Resorts
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Route Inn Grantia Hakodate Ekimae
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Comfort Hotel Hakodate
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Hotel Sharoum Inn 2
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Tours, tickets & activities in Hakodate
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Before You Pack
Hakodate is a food lover's destination and one of the best places in southern Hokkaido to taste the region on a plate. From the early-morning market to the late-night ramen shops, every meal here explains why the city draws serious eaters from across Japan.