Former Russian Consulate of Hakodate

The Former Russian Consulate of Hakodate is a handsome red-brick and white-plaster building standing on the steep western hillside above the harbour, a lasting monument to the close and complicated relationship between Hakodate and its large northern neighbour. Russia was one of the earliest and most active foreign presences in the city after it opened to international trade, and the consulate is one of the most distinctive pieces of Western architecture in a district full of them.

Russia's interest in Hakodate was natural given its proximity to the Russian Far East. A consulate was established soon after the port opened in 1859, making it among the first foreign missions in Japan, and the country maintained a significant community of merchants, sailors and clergy here. The nearby Hakodate Orthodox Church, one of the city's most photographed landmarks, grew directly out of this Russian connection and remains an active reminder of it. The present consulate building dates from 1908, replacing earlier premises destroyed by fire, and was designed in a solid European style well suited to Hokkaido's harsh winters.

The consulate functioned until the upheavals of the early 20th century changed relations between the two countries, after which the building served various civic purposes, including a period as a hostel, before falling out of regular use. Its bold colour scheme, symmetrical facade and elevated position make it instantly recognisable, and it has become a favourite subject for photographers exploring the historic slopes, particularly when framed against the blue of the Tsugaru Strait below.

At present the building is appreciated from the outside, with access to the interior restricted, so a visit is essentially an architectural and scenic one rather than a museum experience. What it offers is atmosphere: the sense of standing among the physical traces of the era when Hakodate was a genuinely international port, with Russian, British, American and other flags flying over the same steep streets. The walk up to it, through quiet residential lanes with sudden sea views, is part of the appeal.

The consulate pairs well with the nearby Foreign Cemetery, where merchants and sailors of several nations are buried on a bluff overlooking the water, and with the wider Motomachi district a little to the east, home to the Orthodox church, the former British consulate and the Old Public Hall. Together these sites map out the foreign quarter of old Hakodate.

Because it sits high on the slope, reaching the Russian consulate involves a moderate uphill walk of around 20 minutes from the tram, and there are few facilities on site. Allow half an hour to admire the exterior and take in the views, and treat it as one evocative stop on a longer wander through Hakodate's remarkable legacy of international history.