Higashihonganji Temple Hakodate Branch (東本願寺函館別院) is located in the Motomachi area at the foot of Mt. Hakodate. If you look down from Hakodate Orthodox Church towards the Bay Area, you’ll spot its distinctive tiled roof. It sits alongside the Nijyukkenn-zaka slope, the widest in Hakodate’s Motomachi area. Designated as a National Important Cultural Asset, Higashihonganji Hakodate Branch stands out for being one of Japan’s oldest temples constructed with reinforced concrete. Historically, Hakodate suffered several major fires from the late Meiji era into the early Showa era (late 19th to early 20th century), prompting a shift from wooden structures to fire-resistant … Continue reading Higashi-honganji-Temple Hakodate Branch（東本願寺函館別院）