🗺️ Hakodate Old British Consulate函館市旧イギリス領事館

Built in 1859, the former British Consulate in Hakodate was established when the city opened as an international trading port. After several fires and renovations, the current building was completed in 1913 and is now open to the public. In 2009, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Hakodate's opening as a port city, the exhibition content was updated, making it a symbol of Hakodate as a port city. Inside, the focus is on exhibition rooms and the Port Opening Museum. The exhibition rooms recreate the scene of the consulate's office at that time and introduce the beloved Consul Richard Eusden, along with experiential items like a time-travel mirror that allows visitors to observe scenes from that era. Additionally, the family activity room recreates the scene of British afternoon tea. The Port Opening Museum not only presents the history of Hakodate's port opening through display panels but also features many engaging experiential items, such as barrels that make sounds. Other attractions include a stained glass-style world map depicting Hakodate at the time of its port opening in the Port Opening Memorial Hall, as well as cut-out boards introducing Western visitors to Hakodate after the port opened, and the Hakodate High Collar Square.

Utilize the British consulate, which was established at the time to develop Hakodate as an international trading port, as a historical museum. Visitors can explore and interact with exhibits related to the history of the port's opening. The Hakodate Museum introduces the history of Hakodate's port opening and features facilities where visitors can experience the scenes of Hakodate from that era.