The Southern Circuit (道南 Dōnan) covers the western and central parts of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Cities

• 1 Hakodate (函館市 Hakodate-shi) – the seat of the short-lived Ezo Republic
• 2 Hokuto (北斗市 Hokuto-shi) – adjacent to Hakodate, terminus of the Hokkaido Shinkansen's first phase

Towns and villages

Cherry Blossoms at Matsumae Castle

• 3 Matsumae (松前町 Matsumae-chō)
• 4 Oshamambe (長万部町 Oshamambe-chō)
• Shimamaki
• Imakane
• Setana
• Yakumo
• Otobe
• Esashi
• Mori
• Shikabe
• Nanae
• Assabu
• Shiriuchi
• Fukushima
• Kaminokuni
• Okushiri

Other destinations

• 1 Onuma Quasi-National Park (大沼国定公園 Ōnuma Kokutei Kōen) - placid lakes and a steaming volcano

Get in

Hakodate is the main gateway, with trains north to Sapporo and south to Honshu, as well as ferry connections to Tohoku.

By train

• JR Hokkaido Esashi line

By plane

Hakodate Airport (HKD ^IATA)