• Write a Review
  • Boards
  • Deals
  • Find a Cruise
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Cruise Tips

Cruises to Hakodate

24 Reviews
Hakodate, Japan (Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com)

About Hakodate

Hakodate is a city of about 280,000, located on the southern tip of Japan's northernmost major island, Hokkaido. The city was Japan's first modern international trading port, opening in 1859. Today, it is known for its morning market, with more than 250 shops, including many selling local seafood. Hakodate is particularly famous as a squid-fishing port, and you can even find squid-ink ice cream cones here.

In addition, you can see interesting evidence of outside influence around town, including houses that combine Japanese and Western elements, foreign churches, brick warehouses, a Trapistine convent, a star fort -- and even yoshoku, the Japanese take on Western food, including items like deep-fried hamburgers or omu rice, an omelet stuffed with ketchup-seasoned rice.

Outside of the city are mountains and parks, including Shikotsu-Toya National Park, which has a lake, hot spring and smoking volcano.

  • More about Hakodate

  • Why go to Hakodate?

  • Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

Loading...

We found you 102 cruises

Loading...
Loading...
Silver Shadow
Silver Shadow (Photo: Silversea)

132 Night
132 Night Expedition Cruise

274 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Westerdam
Westerdam

13 Night
Japan Discovery

1,087 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Norwegian Jewel
Norwegian Jewel

16 Night
Transpacific

2,323 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Royal Princess
Royal Princess

22 Night
Far East Cruise

1,731 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

14 Night
Japan Discovery

1,087 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

16 Night
Transpacific

2,108 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

14 Night
Circle Japan

800 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

15 Night
Far East Cruise

1,731 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

150 Night
150 Night World Cruise

378 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

10 Night
Far East Cruise

218 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

26 Night
North Pacific Crossing & Japan Collector

1,087 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Cruise Critic Favorite

8 Night
Southeast Asia Cruise

908 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Cruise Critic Favorite

30 Night
Southeast Asia Cruise

240 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

12 Night
Best Of Japan Cruise

1,702 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

27 Night
North Pacific Crossing & Circle Japan Collector

800 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

More about Hakodate

Why go to Hakodate?

Pros:

Interesting history of early Japanese interaction with international traders

Cons:

Beside the bustling morning market, there are not a lot of sights in the city

Bottom Line:

Best visited when the cherry blossoms are in bloom at Fort Goryokaku

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

Currency in Hakodate is the Japanese yen. For up-to-date currency conversion figures, visit www.xe.com. The best way to get cash is to use an ATM at a convenience store. Look for a 7-Eleven, Lawson's or Family Mart. You'll find plenty of them in the city center, about 15 minutes from the port.

Language?

Japanese is Hakodate's official language. Some younger people and those at tourist attractions will likely know some English, but there are fewer English speakers here than in other major Japanese cities.


Hakodate Cruise Reviews
Loved the fact that you can tour Hakodate on your own. The Unlimited Use Day bus pass was very reasonable. So many interesting places to explore. It was raining a lot so we could not go to the Tower but just staying Read More
User Avatar
gellybeans59
we arrived at 9am. Sunny and pleasant. It took 20 minutes on the free shuttle to town. We headed for morning market, helped by local school girls happy to practice some English conversation with the visitors. We gRead More
User Avatar
onyourmark
Best to get a Taxi from the ship to Goryokaku Fort good views from the top of Tower and information about the Fort, Cherry blossom was almost out here still enjoyable, taxi back to port, 10,000 yen each way, Then weRead More
User Avatar
Lily George
We did Hakodate on our own, we caught the ship shuttle into the town centre (JR Hakodate Station), where we bought an all day transport ticket (Y1000) and caught the bus to the Goryokaku Park and Tower. Best thing wRead More
User Avatar
Shamrocker

Related Cruises

Cruises to Ocho Rios

Cruises to Ocho Rios

1,206 Reviews
Cruises to Newport

Cruises to Newport

250 Reviews
Cruises to Puerto Limon

Cruises to Puerto Limon

390 Reviews
Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

435 Reviews
Cruises to St. Vincent

Cruises to St. Vincent

133 Reviews
Cruises to Santiago (Valparaiso)

Cruises to Santiago (Valparaiso)

124 Reviews
Cruises to Berlin

Cruises to Berlin

230 Reviews
Cruises to Portland (Maine)

Cruises to Portland (Maine)

382 Reviews
Cruises to Punta Arenas

Cruises to Punta Arenas

187 Reviews
Cruises to Salalah

Cruises to Salalah

34 Reviews
Cruises to Falmouth

Cruises to Falmouth

1,556 Reviews
Cruises to Saint-Malo

Cruises to Saint-Malo

14 Reviews
Cruises to Manila

Cruises to Manila

85 Reviews
Cruises to Suva

Cruises to Suva

125 Reviews
Cruises to Apia, Samoa (formerly Western Samoa)

Cruises to Apia, Samoa (formerly Western Samoa)

1 Review
Cruises to Gothenburg

Cruises to Gothenburg

87 Reviews
Cruises to Hvar

Cruises to Hvar

36 Reviews
Cruises to Tournon

Cruises to Tournon

35 Reviews
Cruises to Skagen

Cruises to Skagen

95 Reviews
Cruises to Pinhao

Cruises to Pinhao

38 Reviews
Want to cruise smarter?
Get expert advice, insider tips and more.
By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critic’s Privacy and Cookies Statement and Terms of Use.
About UsCruise DestinationsFirst Time CruisersFind A Cruise

International Sites

© 1995—2023, The Independent Traveler, Inc.

  • Privacy and Cookies Statement

  • Terms of Use

  • Site Map