Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses 金森赤ンガー倉庫

The Port and Historic Waterfront in Hakodate also contains a high concentration of historic buildings from the city’s Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras, and is well-worth a walk. The highlight of the historic Waterfront is the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses – which have been transformed into a lifestyle / F & B shopping precinct today. But there are many more historic landmarks – former residences, civic/government buildings, museums and even an erstwhile Grand Hotel – the Hotel New Hakodate, shuttered permanently and of which there is very little information.  Here also, are many instances of historic East-West commercial architecture.

The best way to take in this architecture is to stroll along the street just parallel to the waterfront.  Start at the Tachikawa Family Residence 太刀川家住宅 just off Tokiwa-zaka 常盤坂 road and head southeast till you reach a quaint little shop called Joe’s Cafe, turn right and take the street just parallel to the one you were just on.  The street-car goes along this street. Follow the street till you reach Nijikkenzaka-dori 二十軒坂取り. Head east on the latter till you reach the final landmark, which is the former Meiji-era Post Office.

This gallery presents the chief landmarks along the way, and concludes my sojourn in Hakodate (and this postscript to The Grand Tour II).

The Tachikawa Family Residence (1901). note the very cute Japanese-Western style building that stands just to the left.

East-West Architecture.

Former Port Offices.

Old Nishi Police Station Headquarters

Historic Kobayashi Photostudio.

Joe’s Cafe.

Former Customs House.

Museum of Northern Peoples.

Museum of Literature

Police Station

Documentary Museum of Northern History.

Hotel New Hakodate – possibly the city’s grand hotel (thought there is very little information on it.)

Close-up of Hotel New Hakodate Logo.

Hotel New Hakodate.

Annex to the Museum of the City.

Commercial Architecture.

Commercial Architecture.

Commercial Architecture.

The historic (original) Pier.

Commercial Architecture near the Red Brick Warehouses.

Commercial Architecture near the Red Brick Warehouses.

Red Brick Warehouses again…

…and finally, the former General Post Office, built in the Meiji-era (1911).