Hakodate revealed itself to us from the heights of  Mount Hakodate. From this vantage point, we could see the Kameda Peninsula the entire city and laid at our feet. From this vantage point, the port with its tankers, and Midori No-shima Island was on the northwestern side, and the beaches with its Sumiyoshi Fishing Boat Harbor were on southeastern ocean side. This island, the northernmost territory in Japan, was founded in 1454  when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi constructed a large manor house in the Ainu fishing village of Usukeshi meaning “bay” in the Ainu language. After his death, his son was driven out of Hakadote to nearby Kameda during the Ainu rebellion in 1512. The Kono family were armed merchants who controlled trade in the region, and low-level conflicts culminated between 1669 and 1772 with an uprising led by the Ainu warrior, Shakushain, whose people were then suppressed. During the 18th century’s Hoie Period, Hakadote flourished and many temples were built. In 1779, the Takayama shogunate took direct control of Hakadote, triggering development in the area. The city was was opened as a port by a 28-year old shipping agent, Kahei Takadaya, who first sailed into the port in 1797, on the ship Shinetsumaru, a “kitamae-bune” ship. Using Hakodate as his base, Takadaya developed the northern sea fishing industries. He is credited with changing Hakakote from a  trading outpost into a thriving city, and was commended by the Edo Period Takagawa Shogunate (of Osaka Castle fame) who bestowed high rank upon him,  allowing him to carry a sword and to use the surname, Takadaya. The American naval officer, Commodore Perry, sailed into the harbor of Hakadote on June 2, 1859 with five ships, under of the Treaty of Kanagawa negotiated by Perry in 1854. The treaty allowed foreign ships to be provisioned in one of three Japanese ports designated in the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed with the United States. These treaties and Perry’s arrival opened up Japan to the west after its self-isolation that spanned two and a half centuries.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1.View of Hakadote Harbor and the and the whole city of Hakadote on the Kameda Peninsula as seen from the top of Mount Hakadote. 2. & 3. Working vessels in the harbor . Center, Bottom: The flags of Japan and France grace the Baccarat boutique in the shopping district of Hakadote. Right: View of Hakadote Harbor from the Shopping District in the center of the city. A stepped sidewalk paved in stone provided easy access to the harbor.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                            BACK TO MAP PAGE