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See, touch, and learn about Hakodate’s history and international character, shaped by Commodore Perry’s arrival and the subsequent opening of the port.
The former British Consulate was established in 1859, when Hakodate opened as an international trading port. After several fires and reconstructions, the building completed in 1913 is now open to the public as the Port Opening Memorial Hall. The exhibits were completely renovated in 2009 to mark the 150th anniversary of Hakodate’s opening, and the museum became a symbol of the city’s history as an international port.
The main attractions inside are the exhibition rooms and the Open Port Museum. The exhibition rooms recreate scenes from the consulate at the time. In the consul’s office, visitors can learn about Consul Richard Eusden, who was beloved by Hakodate residents, and try interactive exhibits such as the Time-Slip Scope, which offers a glimpse of the city in his day. The family living quarters also recreate scenes such as a traditional British teatime.
The Open Port Museum introduces the history of Hakodate’s opening through display panels and features several interactive exhibits, including barrels that produce sounds. Other attractions include the Opening Memorial Hall, where a world map depicting Hakodate at the time its port opened is presented through stained-glass-style graphics, as well as Hakodate Modern Street and Hakodate Haikara Square, where life-size cutout panels portray Westerners who visited Hakodate after the port opened.
The museum occupies the former British Consulate building, which was designed by the British government
The exhibition rooms also feature Consul Richard Eusden, who was beloved by local residents
Hakodate Haikara Square features the “Hakodate Haikara Emaki,” an ukiyo-e-style depiction of the cityscape when the port opened, as well as face-in-hole panels for commemorative photos
Some reviews are AI-translated.
It's a building where you can feel the history. You can put on a cape, sit in an elegant chair, and take a commemorative photo. There was also a shop and a cafe inside. They also offer a discounted combination admission ticket for nearby tourist attractions, so I recommend it if you're visiting several places.
The Former British Consulate of Hakodate is also located around Motomachi Park, so you can easily visit it after touring the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward. The nearby attractions are clustered together, making it very convenient to get around on foot. The historical museums in the Motomachi area also offer a combination ticket that lets you visit several attractions and is a better value. The first thing you'll see when you enter is the gift shop, which has many cute British-style items featuring flowers and plants from the countryside. These are not often seen in Japan.
The exhibits inside introduce the history of Hakodate and the British Consulate, including the consulate's former offices, scenes of daily life, and related artifacts. The furnishings in the different rooms give you a more tangible sense of what life was like back then. It was more interesting than I expected〜
It's about a 1-minute walk from Motomachi Park, on the right side of Motoi-zaka Slope heading toward Hakodate Port. This consulate experienced two fires and was later rebuilt during the Showa era. It is now a Tangible Cultural Property of Hakodate City.
I originally expected the consulate to feel like a very formal government building, but up close, it actually looked more like a large European-style estate. There are double gates at the front, and a simple landscaped garden in the courtyard, giving the whole place a distinctive look. What caught my attention most was the roof. It uses traditional Japanese roof tiles paired with a blue-and-white color scheme, which unexpectedly gives it a Mediterranean feel and makes it very different from the typical image of an old Japanese building.
We stopped here briefly to take some photos, then continued walking toward the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse〜As you stroll through Hakodate's Motomachi area, every building has its own character, making it a nice place to explore and take photos along the way.
There's a café inside the British Consulate where you can enjoy afternoon tea and try some British tea. It really feels like being in Europe! Before you leave, check out the shop for some tea sets or souvenirs.
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