Hakodate’s summer festival lights up the night sky over the harbor and the streets with dance
Hakodate Port Festival
The 2026 edition of Hakodate Port Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/01 〜 2026/08/05Ended
- Season / frequency
- August 1–5 / Every year
- Location
- Midorinoshima, Toyokawacho, Hakodate Station area, Matsukazecho, Chiyodaicho, Honcho, Goryokakucho
- Area
- Hokkaido・Hakodate City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A summer tradition that fills Hakodate’s port town with fireworks and dances featuring local residents.
About Hakodate Port Festival
The Hakodate Port Festival is one of Hakodate’s signature summer festivals. It began to commemorate the opening of Hakodate Port and to express hopes for recovery from the Great Hakodate Fire.
A variety of events take place in the port town’s urban area, centered on the fireworks display and the participatory parade “Wasshoi Hakodate.”
Dances and music rooted in the local community, such as Hakodate Port Odori and Hakodate Ika Odori, are a defining feature of the festival.
Source: 函館港まつり｜イベント｜【公式】北海道の観光・旅行情報サイト HOKKAIDO LOVE! / 函館港まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
Highlights include the fireworks display, which illuminates the night view of Hakodate Port and the sea, and Wasshoi Hakodate, which moves through the city streets with participants dancing.
The parade features Hakodate Port Odori, Children’s Ika Odori, and Hakodate Ika Odori. and also appear on some routes.
During the festival, you can also enjoy the stalls along Hakodate Green Plaza and the fireworks against the distinctive backdrop of a port town.
Hakodate’s summer festival lights up the night sky over the harbor and the streets with dance
What to expect
The festival opens with a fireworks display, followed by the Wasshoi Hakodate parade along the Jujigai-Matsukaze and Chiyodai-Goryokaku routes.
The parade has 3 parts: Hakodate Port Odori, Children’s Ika Odori and Summer Carnival, and Hakodate Ika Odori.
Stalls operate along the route, where visitors can enjoy the dancing, music, and dashi as they walk.
Source: 函館港まつり （パレードなど） | イベント一覧 | はこぶら / 函館港まつりオフィシャルサイト＊HAKODATE MINATOMATSURI
How to take part
In addition to general viewing, WASSHOI HAKODATE’s Hakodate Ika Odori has an open-participation section available on the day.
If you wish to take part as a dancer, check the designated parade section and participation method, then register.
Viewing is listed as free, and you can enjoy the festival atmosphere from along the route.
There is information that the open-participation section of the Hakodate Ika Odori is available to join on the day.
If you are taking part in the parade as a group or otherwise, check the participation procedures and application guidelines for WASSHOI HAKODATE on the official website.
The sections open to participants and the registration method may vary by year, so follow that year’s information.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Venues throughout Hakodate City include Midori no Shima, Toyokawacho, Hakodate Ekimae, Matsukazecho, Chiyodaicho, Honcho, and Goryokakucho.
- Train and bus
About 5 minutes from the Omachi tram stop.
The parade venue is right by the Hakodate Ekimae tram stop; the yatai venue is a 3-minute walk from the Matsukazecho tram stop.
- By car
About 5 minutes from JR Hakodate Station.
Traffic congestion and restrictions are expected on nearby roads during the festival.
Visitors are asked to avoid parking on the street and use public transportation.
Address Hakodate, Hokkaido
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, it was held from August 1 (Sat) through August 5 (Wed).
The fireworks display takes place on August 1, and the Wasshoi Hakodate parade is held on August 2 and the 3rd.
Conditions for postponing or canceling the fireworks display and parade in the event of rain were in place.
Source: 交通規制＊函館港まつりオフィシャルサイト
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Hokkaido / Hakodate City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Traffic restrictions will be in place during the parade and fireworks display, and congestion is expected on nearby roads.
Saving places on the road, setting up chairs on the sidewalk, and selling goods are prohibited.
Drone use is also prohibited to ensure safety, so use public transportation and follow the directions and instructions of security staff.
Nearby attractions
Attractions near the festival venues include the Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples, Hakodate City Museum of Literature, the Old British Consulate of Hakodate, and Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse.
You can plan an itinerary that combines the harbor and city venues with visits to facilities where you can experience Hakodate’s history and distinctive international atmosphere.
Check each facility’s information for opening hours and admission requirements.
五稜郭
北海道函館市にある国の特別史跡
写真：Keihin nike / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
五稜郭タワー
北海道函館市にある展望塔
写真：663highland / CC BY 2.5(resized and reformatted)
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函館市北方民族資料館
Museums
写真：663highland / CC BY 2.5(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
函館市文学館
日本の北海道函館市にある文学館
写真：663highland / CC BY 2.5(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
函館市縄文文化交流センター
北海道函館市にある博物館
写真：アラツク / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
函館市青函連絡船記念館摩周丸
北海道函館市にある、かつて連絡船として活躍していた博物館船
写真：Saigen Jiro / CC0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
市立函館博物館
北海道函館市の博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Hakodate Port Festival
The Hakodate Port Festival began in 1935 as an event to encourage recovery from the 1934 Great Hakodate Fire and to mark the 77th anniversary of the opening of Hakodate Port.
The first festival ran from July 1 through the 3rd. It has continued every summer since the following year, except for interruptions such as during wartime.
The parade began in 1960, moved to nighttime in 1972, and eventually developed into today’s Wasshoi Hakodate.
Official information
Official information about the Hakodate Port Festival is available on the Hakodate Port Festival Official Website.
Information is available on the 2026 event, the fireworks display and parade, traffic restrictions, and tram and bus services during the festival.
For inquiries, contact the Hakodate Port Festival Executive Committee.
Hakodate Port Festival at a Glance
The Hakodate Port Festival is a summer festival where you can enjoy fireworks, dancing, parades, and stalls around the harbor.
The festival has a history rooted in hopes for recovery, and Hakodate Port Odori and Hakodate Ika Odori bring the local festival to life.
You can do more than watch: you can also join in as a dancer in the open-participation section of Hakodate Ika Odori.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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