Hakodate City Info
Tourists are drawn to Hakodate for its historic, western architecture and the beautiful night view available from Mt. Hakodate. August 13 has been designated the Day of Night Views. During the bubble economy, many of Hakodate's old buildings were demolished to make way for condominiums. Largely funded with investment capital from Honshu, these buildings are now creating an unseemly spectacle. The year 1992 was particularly difficult for Hakodate as a succession of problems and controversies erupted. The dismantling of the old Yachigashira Elementary School building and contention over the erection of the Hakodate-no-Hito and Squid Monuments were typical of the year.