Hakodate Station

Hakodate Station (函館駅 Hakodate-eki) is the main railway station in Hakodate, Hokkaido. It is the terminal station on the Hakodate Main Line operated by JR Hokkaido. It is also a key transport hub in southwest Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island. Rebuilt in 2016, it provides access to the city of Hakodate itself and serves as a gateway to the island as Hokkaido Shinkansen bullet train services from Tokyo and other points south end at nearby Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station.

Outside Hakodate Station, you’ll find streetcar, bus and taxi services to visit sights in the city. Inside the station, there are travel, shopping and dining facilities. This article will introduce the station layout and its features.

General Orientation

Hakodate Station is a two-story structure and is relatively compact and easy to navigate. Entering by the Central Entrance, you will find the ticket gates directly in front of you on the first floor. Beyond the gates is a corridor leading to platforms including Hakodate Main Line services for Sapporo Station, Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, and other destinations in Hokkaido. Shops are located on both the first floor and second floor.

Outside the Central Entrance, there is a plaza with bus stations, a taxi stand, and various hotels. The Hakodate Morning Market is a block away to the southwest.

Japan Rail Tickets and Tourist Information

Ticket machines are located to the right of the ticket gates. To the right of the ticket machines, you will find a JR Ticket Office (Midori no Madoguchi) where you can buy or change tickets and get information about rail services. Opening Hours: 5.30–22.00

Next to the JR Ticket Office is the Twinkle Plaza Travel Service, where you can buy or exchange rail passes including the Japan Rail Pass and Hokkaido Rail Pass. Opening Hours: 10.00–18.00

Beside the Twinkle Plaza Travel Service is the Hakodate Tourist Information Center, which can supply you with maps of the city and sightseeing information. Opening Hours: 9.00–19.00

Shops, Coin Lockers, and Luggage Services

There are restrooms and various souvenir shops on the first floor.

On the second floor, you will find a coin locker room, with small, medium and large lockers, costing 400 yen, 500 yen and 700 yen, respectively. They are operated through touchscreen displays. Opening Hours: 6.00–22.00

The second floor is also home to a ramen noodle restaurant, Tully’s coffee shop and a Yamato Transport Co. courier counter, which can arrange to have your luggage shipped to locations throughout Japan.

Convenience Store & ATM Cash Machines

There is a 7-Eleven convenience store right beside the ticket gates on the first floor. It has a multi-language Seven Bank ATM that accepts foreign cash cards such as Visa, Plus, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club International, China Unionpay and Discover. Opening Hours: 5.45–22.00

Beside the Central Entrance on the first floor, there are two other ATMs. One is a Japan Post Bank ATM with multi-language guidance. It accepts Visa, Visa Electron, Plus, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, American Express, JCB, China Unionpay and Discover cards.

Tram, Bus & Taxi

Just outside the Central Entrance, you can find buses, taxis and trams at or near Hakodate Station Square. Buses including shuttles to Hakodate Airport (20 minutes; adults 450 yen, children 230 yen) depart from the square. There is a Hakodate Bus Ekimae Information Desk near the far side of the square where you can get bus tickets and information.

There is a taxi stand to the south, across the street from the square, in front of the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. Hakodate Tram 5, which goes to Jujigai Station near the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway, stops at Hakodate Ekimae Station, which is at the corner southeast of the square.

Police

The closest police box (koban in Japanese) is the Hakodate Ekimae Police Box, which faces the main intersection on the southeast corner of Hakodate Station Square.

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