Top 5 Photogenic Buildings and Streets in Hokkaido

Hokkaido is home to a wealth of dramatic buildings and streetscapes that will immediately make you reach for your camera. From retro Western-style mansions to scenic locations where grand historic architecture harmonizes with Hokkaido's epic natural landscapes, here are five Instagram-must-visit spots.

01 | Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall (Hakodate City)

A Western-style building constructed in 1910 (Meiji 43), notable for its striking blue-grey and yellow color contrast. The best time is the morning, when soft light falls on the facade. A classic, symmetrical front-on composition is beautiful, and the combination with spring cherry blossoms or winter snowscapes is especially wonderful.

📍 Access: From Hakodate Station, take the city tram to "Suehirocho" stop and walk about 7 minutes (400 m, uphill). Opening hours: April 1 – October 31, 9:00–18:00 (until 19:00 on Sat/Sun/Mon); November 1 – March 31, 9:00–17:00. Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Admission: Adults ¥300, students/pupils/children ¥150, preschoolers free. Closed New Year's period (Dec 31–Jan 3) and building maintenance days.

02 | Goryokaku Tower and Goryokaku Fort (Hakodate City)

The aerial-style shot looking straight down at the star-shaped fortress from the observation deck is spectacular! The cherry blossom season from late April to early May turns the star shape pink — like a painting come to life. Aim for a perfectly overhead angle from the observation deck, making sure all five points of the star are framed evenly.

📍 Access: From Hakodate Station, take the city tram to "Goryokaku-koen-mae" stop and walk about 15 minutes. Hours: 9:00–18:00 (observation ticket sales until 17:50). Observation fees: Adults ¥1,200, junior/senior high school students ¥900, elementary school students ¥600 (revised April 1, 2025). Strolling inside Goryokaku Park is free.

03 | Otaru Canal (Otaru City)

The canal lined with brick warehouses is the ultimate Instagram-worthy spot at dusk through night. The gas-lamp reflections shimmering on the water are fantastical — a vertical composition with the canal's reflection as the main subject works brilliantly on social media. The combination of winter snowscapes and illuminations is especially not to be missed!

📍 Access: About 10 minutes on foot from JR Otaru Station

04 | Preserved Mitsubishi Oyubari Railway Rolling Stock — Former Minami-Oyubari Station Site (Yubari City)

This is where passenger cars, a snowplow car, and coal cars from the Mitsubishi Coal Mining Oyubari Railway Line — discontinued in 1987 — are maintained by a preservation society. The rusting rolling stock and remnants of the platform exude a nostalgic, artistic atmosphere, making it a hidden gem of a photo spot. A cloudy afternoon brings out the muted tones most dramatically for a cinematic shot. Framing the mountain range in the background through the windows of the old carriages is photogenic!

📍 Access: Along National Route 452, about 25 minutes by car from central Yubari City (no public transport; car recommended). Not open to visitors during winter due to snow accumulation. The preserved rolling stock is property maintained by the preservation society — do not cross any "no entry" signs or fences.

05 | Former Hokkaido Government Building "Red Brick Government Building" (Sapporo City)

The celebrated red-brick building known as "the face of Hokkaido." After a lengthy closure for extensive renovation, it reopened on July 25, 2025. On a clear summer morning, shooting from about 45 degrees to the left of the front entrance gives the building a three-dimensional look. Autumn, when the trees in the front garden turn color, is another golden season for the red × orange color contrast. The building is open until 21:00, so you can also enjoy its nighttime appearance (check the official website for the latest illumination schedule).

📍 Access: About 8 minutes on foot from the west exit (south gate) of JR Sapporo Station (about 4 minutes from exit 10 of Sapporo Subway Station). Hours: 8:45–21:00 (last admission 20:30). Closed New Year's period (Dec 29–Jan 3) and facility inspection days. Interior viewing is free; the Octagonal Tower observation balcony costs ¥1,200 (elementary school age and above).

Hokkaido's Instagram-worthy spots show a completely different face depending on the season and time of day. Go find your own perfect shot from your favorite angle.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: The Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall and the Red Brick Office are best shot in the front light of the morning. The cherry blossoms at Goryokaku are at their best from late April to early May, and the Otaru Canal photographs beautifully after sunset, when the gas lamps are lit.
• Opening hours and closing days: The Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall is open 9:00-18:00 from April 1 to October 31 (until 19:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays) and 9:00-17:00 from November 1 to March 31, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It is closed over the New Year period (December 31 to January 3) and on maintenance days. The Former Hokkaido Government Office (the Red Brick Office) is open 8:45-21:00 (last entry 20:30), closed over the New Year period (December 29 to January 3) and on equipment inspection days, and reopened after renovation on July 25, 2025. Goryokaku Tower is open 9:00-18:00 (observation deck tickets are sold until 17:50). The Otaru Canal is outdoors and can be visited at any hour. The preserved rolling stock at the former Minami-Oyubari Station site is open to the public except in winter.
• Fees: The Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall costs 300 yen for adults, 150 yen for students and schoolchildren, and is free for preschool children. Admission to the Goryokaku Tower observation deck is 1,200 yen for adults, 900 yen for junior and senior high school students and 600 yen for elementary school pupils (revised on April 1, 2025). The Red Brick Office is free to enter, with only the observation balcony of the octagonal tower charging 1,200 yen (elementary school age and above). Strolling along the Otaru Canal and around Goryokaku Park is free.
• Access: The Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall is about 7 minutes on foot from the Suehirocho stop on the Hakodate tram (400 m, uphill). Goryokaku Tower is about 15 minutes on foot from the Goryokaku Koen-mae tram stop. The Otaru Canal is about 10 minutes on foot from JR Otaru Station. The Red Brick Office is about 8 minutes on foot from the south exit on the west side of JR Sapporo Station, or about 4 minutes on foot from Exit 10 of the subway's Sapporo Station. The former Minami-Oyubari Station site is on National Route 452 and has no public transport, so you will need a car.
• Parking: The Red Brick Office has parking for large buses. For the other sites, check each official website for whether parking is available and what it costs.
• Photography rules: Whether indoor photography is allowed, whether tripods may be used and how commercial shoots are handled differ from facility to facility. Always follow the notices posted inside and the instructions of staff. The preserved rolling stock at the former Minami-Oyubari Station site is maintained by a preservation society, so do not go beyond the fences or the no-entry signs.
• Safety notes: The road up to the Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall is a slope, and the surface freezes in winter. Along the Otaru Canal, watch your footing and the roadway at night. The former Minami-Oyubari Station site cannot be reached in winter because of the snow, and as it lies in the hills well away from town, finish your visit before sunset.

Note: Fees and opening hours may be revised. Check each facility's official website for the latest information before you set out.

(Sources: Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall (Important Cultural Property) official website, Hakodate Goryokaku Tower official website, Former Hokkaido Government Office (Red Brick Office) official website, Yubari City official website)