Southern Hokkaido

Southern Hokkaido (道南 Dōnan) covers the western and central parts of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

• 41.766667140.7333331 Hakodate (函館市 Hakodate-shi) – domestic tourists come in droves for the food, culture and history
• 41.816667140.652 Hokuto (北斗市 Hokuto-shi) – adjacent to Hakodate, terminus of the Hokkaido Shinkansen's first phase; it is a bedroom community for Hakodate
• 41.433333140.1166673 Matsumae (松前町 Matsumae-chō) — the former base of the Matsumae clan, it has the only traditional-style castle in Hokkaido, and an Edo village
• 42.508056140.3730564 Oshamambe (長万部町 Oshamambe-chō) — known for Kanimeshi bento (crabmeat on rice)

• 42.149167139.4672221 Okushiri Island (奥尻島) - remote island famous for its seafood and clear blue waters
• 42.0121140.6712 Onuma Quasi-National Park (大沼国定公園 Ōnuma Kokutei Kōen) - placid lakes and a steaming volcano

The Oshima Peninsula of southern Hokkaido was the first part of Hokkaido settled by the Japanese, leading to conflict with the native Ainu people. Under chieftain Koshamain, the Ainu pushed back in 1457, taking over 10 out of 12 Japanese forts, but the tide turned in 1458 with a counteroffensive led by Takeda Nobuhiro, who killed Koshamain and established the Matsumae Domain that would rule these parts all the way up to 1806, when the Tokugawa shogunate took direct control.

In the dying days of the Edo era, a group of fleeing Tokugawa loyalists established the short-lived "Republic of Ezo" with their capital at Hakodate. After their surrender in 1869, the new Meiji government embarked on an aggressive colonization program and moved the capital to the more centrally located Sapporo, but Hakodate remains Hokkaido's second-largest city to this day.

Hakodate is the main gateway, with trains north to Sapporo and south to Honshu, as well as ferry connections to Tohoku.

The JR Hokkaido Shinkansen bullet train line from Tokyo (4 hours, ¥26,490) terminates at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto station, 16 min from Hakodate station. The station offers transfers to Hokuto limited expresses to Sapporo (3 hr 40 min). The Shinkansen is being extended to Sapporo but is not expected to open until 2038.

Hakodate Airport (HKD ^IATA) has flights to major Japanese cities and a few regional destinations like Seoul and Taipei. Flights can be faster and cheaper than the train if booked well in advance.

Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry has services from Aomori and Oma at the tip of the Shimokita Peninsula to Hakodate. The ferries are utilitarian but useful particularly if you have a car.

South Hokkaido Railways operates the Dōnan Isaribi Line (formerly JR Esashi Line) between Hakodate and Kikonai. The extension to Esashi closed in 2014.

You can reach Okushiri Island by plane from Hakodate or ferry from Esashi.

• The star-shaped fort, cherry blossoms and famous night view of Hakodate
• The lakes, volcano and hot springs of the Onuma Quasi-National Park

• Sample the famous uni (sea urchin) of Okushiri