Hakodate is one of Japan’s great seafood cities, and its morning market is the place to taste why. Set beside the station, the bustling stalls overflow with crab, squid, salmon roe and uni, much of it landed only hours before in the cold waters of southern Hokkaido.

The Hakodate Morning Market

The Asaichi market opens early and is at its liveliest before mid-morning. Beyond the produce stalls, small restaurants serve kaisen-don, bowls of rice piled with fresh seafood, the classic Hakodate breakfast. Some stalls even let you catch your own squid to eat on the spot.

Local Specialities

Hakodate is famous for its squid, served as sashimi or grilled, and its rich, briny sea urchin. The city also claims a distinctive salt-based ramen, lighter than the miso style elsewhere in Hokkaido, perfect for a quick, warming meal.

Getting There

The market is a two-minute walk from Hakodate Station, making it an easy first stop of the day. Come hungry and early, as many stalls wind down by lunchtime.

The market is Hakodate at its most delicious. For a different side of the city, the star-shaped Goryokaku fort tells its dramatic history.

More Hakodate Travel Guides

• Mount Hakodate: One of the World’s Great Night Views
• Motomachi and the Bay: Historic Hakodate
• Goryokaku: Hakodate’s Star-Shaped Fort

See our Hakodate Travel Guide for the full overview. Planning the whole trip? Visit The Complete Hakodate Guide for every guide and hotel in one place.