HAKODATE ¨C Hakodate occupies a unique place on the Japanese landscape, both literally and gastronomically speaking.
Facing the Tsugaru Strait from its position on the southern shores of Hokkaido¡¯s Oshima Peninsula, the city grew from a small Ainu fishing village to become, in 1854, Japan¡¯s first port open to foreign trade after the Sakoku Edict restricted such commerce in 1635.
The center of town sits on a narrow isthmus between the mainland and Mount Hakodate, which towers over the city and surrounding waters below. Visitors come for a combination of this unique scenery and superb food, as the city¡¯s reputation for some of Japan¡¯s freshest seafood far precedes itself and, as I recently learned, exceeds all expectation.
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