Popular Weekend Events in Hakodate (October Updated)

Hakodate, the gateway to Hokkaido. In the summer of 2025, this historic and exotic city will be ablaze with new light. It's called the "Hakodate New Fireworks Festival." Don't mistake it for just any other fireworks display! This is a one-night-only special event, filled with the passion for Hakodate and a variety of content to enjoy all day long.

Foods associated with Hakodate from across Japan will converge at Hakodate (Daimon) Green Square and Taiyo Parking Lot near JR Hakodate Station. This is one of Hakodate's largest food events, with numerous local food tents lined up. Long known as the "Hakodate Food Circus," the event will be renamed the "Hakodate Food Fantasy Park" in 2025. In addition to fare from popular Hakodate restaurants, a dedicated section for the southern Hokkaido region will offer local specialties, fresh seafood, delicacies from the mountains and sea, beer, desserts, and more. Specialties from across Tohoku, as well as from air-connected destinations like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, will be showcased, along with food stalls offering authentic flavors from around the world. Long lines form at popular shops, and some items may even sell out early.

The Hakodate Winter Fireworks Display will illuminate the winter nights of Hakodate. As part of the Hakodate Winter Festival, the fireworks display will be held every Friday and Saturday in February 2026. The fireworks will be launched from a green island in Hakodate Bay, starting at approximately 6:00 PM and lasting about 10 minutes. The dazzling fireworks will create a breathtaking spectacle on clear winter nights. You'll even have the chance to witness the fireworks reflected against the snow-covered landscape—a unique winter experience. Key viewing locations are situated in various locations in the western part of the city, such as the pier near the Mashu Maru, in front of the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, the Suehiro Green Space (Hakodate West Pier Plaza) bay area in Hakodate Port, Yawata-zaka, and Motomachi Park below the former Hakodate Ward Public Hall (where access to the fireworks display is prohibited).

The Hakodate Fireworks Festival in Hokkaido celebrates its approximately 360-year history of hot springs. Held after the Obon Festival (Obon Festival in August), amidst the gentle autumn breeze, it's a beloved summer festival in Hakodate. Fireworks are set off at the mouth of the Matsukura River, where it flows into the sea, allowing you to watch the sea, river, and hot spring town all bathed in a vibrant array of colors. Yukura Shrine also holds a "Hot Water Festival" ceremony, offering hot water drawn from the springs to the shrine. Fireworks launched from the lower reaches of the Matsukura River, along with the lanterns of squid fishing boats along the Tsugaru Strait, illuminate the late summer night sky.