Sapporo to Hakodate Road Trip: Lake Toya, Ōnuma, the Night View and the Pork "Yakitori"

Sapporo and Hakodate are the two cities every Hokkaido itinerary wants, and the 300 km between them are the island's classic road trip: a volcanic lake, a quasi-national park of ponds and islands, a harbour city with brick warehouses, church spires on the hillside and one of Japan's famous night views. By train it is about four hours; by car it is four and a half to five with stops, and the stops are the point. Here is how a Sapporo local would drive it, what to do in Hakodate with a car, and the two things that trip up visiting drivers — Mt Hakodate's evening car ban and the pork "yakitori".

1. The route: expressway south, then the coast

Take the Dōō Expressway south from Sapporo. The expressway now runs most of the way to Hakodate, with a break around Lake Toya and the Yakumo stretch along the Uchiura Bay coast; the remainder is Route 5. Plan on about 310 km and 4.5–5 hours with two stops; tolls are several thousand yen one way for a standard car (the Japanese article quoted roughly ¥6,000 on the full expressway route), which is exactly the kind of trip the foreigner-only Hokkaido Expressway Pass is for.

Two stops that make the drive:

• Lake Toya (about 2 hours from Sapporo): a caldera lake with hot springs on the shore and the volcano Usu beside it. Thirty minutes at the lakefront or a longer stop for the Usu ropeway.
• Ōnuma Quasi-National Park (about 30 minutes before Hakodate): ponds dotted with small islands under the volcano Komagatake; a flat walking loop, rental bikes and boats in summer, and dango (rice dumplings) that locals always buy here. A good leg-stretch before the city.

In winter, the Uchiura Bay coast and the pass sections get wind and snow; allow six hours, go in daylight, and read our winter driving guide.

2. Hakodate with a car: what to see

• Mt Hakodate night view. The city sits on a narrow neck of land with sea on both sides, and from the summit at dusk the lights form an hourglass. There is a ropeway from the Motomachi side. Important for drivers: private cars are banned on the summit road in the evenings (roughly 17:00–22:00 in spring to autumn, earlier in October–November, and the road closes entirely in winter). Do not plan to drive up for the night view — park in town and take the ropeway, a bus or a taxi. Check the current regulation on the city's tourism site before you go.
• Motomachi. The old foreign quarter on the slope below the mountain: the Russian Orthodox church, the former British consulate, the steep "zaka" streets that frame the sea. Park once at the bottom and walk; the streets are narrow and mostly no-parking.
• Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses on the bayfront: shops, cafés, beer hall. Paid parking beside them.
• Goryōkaku. The star-shaped fort, best seen from the tower beside it; cherry blossom in early May, autumn colour in late October. Large paid car parks.
• Hakodate Morning Market near the station: seafood rice bowls for breakfast, squid tanks, crab. Early is better; parking is paid and tight.
• Yunokawa Onsen, the hot-spring district by the airport: the natural place to sleep with a car, and home to the hot-spring-bathing monkeys at the botanical garden in winter.

3. The food you drive for

• Shio ramen. Hakodate's ramen is clear salt broth, the opposite of Sapporo's miso. Every local has a favourite shop; any busy one near the station is a safe bet.
• Yakitori bento — which is pork. In southern Hokkaido "yakitori" means grilled pork skewers, and the local convenience chain Hasegawa Store has sold them on rice as a bento since 1978. Grilled to order; allow ten minutes; tare (sweet soy) is the classic. The whole story in English is in our road-trip food guide; the Japanese deep dive is here.
• Lucky Pierrot. Hakodate's own burger chain, famous for the Chinese-chicken burger and for interiors that look like a carnival. Branches all over the city, several with parking. Japanese article: ラッキーピエロ.
• Zangi — Hakodate is one of the two cities claiming to have invented Hokkaido's fried chicken. The argument is in our zangi guide.

4. A two-day plan

1. Day 1: leave Sapporo 08:00 → Lake Toya (10:00, stop an hour) → Ōnuma (13:30, lunch and a walk) → Hakodate by 15:00. Check in (Yunokawa or the bayfront), park the car. Walk Motomachi at dusk, ropeway up Mt Hakodate for the night view, shio ramen on the way back.
2. Day 2: Morning market breakfast → Goryōkaku → yakitori bento for the road → drive back via Route 5 and the expressway, or continue to Matsumae or Esashi if you have a third day.

One-way rentals (pick up Sapporo, drop Hakodate and fly or take the train back) are common; check the one-way fee at booking.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Is it worth driving rather than taking the train?

If Lake Toya, Ōnuma and the freedom to stop matter, yes. If you only want the city, the train is quicker and Hakodate itself is walkable plus a tram line.

Q. Can I drive up Mt Hakodate for the night view?

Not in the evening: private cars are banned on the summit road during the peak viewing hours in spring to autumn, and the road is closed in winter. Use the ropeway or a bus. Check the current restriction on the Hakodate tourism site.

Q. Where should I stay with a car?

Yunokawa Onsen has the easiest parking and is an onsen district; bayfront hotels are more central but parking is paid and sometimes off-site.

Q. How long is the drive in winter?

Plan six hours and daylight. Coastal wind and snow on the Uchiura Bay stretch are the usual delays.

Before you go: Road regulations (including the Mt Hakodate car ban), tolls, opening hours and prices change. Please check Travel Hakodate (official) and your rental company before you set out.

Hokudora (ホクドラ) is a Hokkaido driving and travel site based in Sapporo. More English guides · 日本語版の札幌・函館ガイド