The Former Soma Residence is located in Motomachi, adjacent to Motomachi Park and uphill from the Former British Consulate.
Teppei Soma (相馬哲平), the founder of the residence, originally hailed from Echigo (modern-day Niigata Prefecture) towards the end of the Edo era. He arrived in Hakodate in 1861 at the age of 28, during the tumultuous Hakodate War, where figures like Takeaki Enomoto and Toshizo Hijikata were leading resistance against the Meiji government. Witnessing the chaos and economic upheaval, Soma astutely speculated on rice prices post-war, accumulating substantial wealth from his successful bets. He further increased his fortune through investments in herring fishing, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest individuals in Hokkaido.
Teppei Soma contributed significantly to the community by financing the construction of public facilities such as the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward and the Hakodate Library. He remains one of Hakodate’s most renowned figures. The Former Soma Residence, completed between 1908 and 1911, commands a prominent position overlooking the British Consulate. It is a rare instance in Japan where a foreign consulate is situated lower on the slope than a citizen’s residence.
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Access
- Tram: Take an tram to Suehiro-cho-dentei(末広町電停) via Hakodate Doc mae (函館ドック前行) and 5min walk.
- Bus: Take a No.1 bus to Kokaido-mae (公会堂前) via Koryu-ji-mae (高竜寺前行) and 3min walk.
Admission Fee
- Adults: 900 yen
- University students: 800 yen
- High school students: 500 yen
- Under Junior high school students: ¥300
- 75 years old and above: 700 yen
- handicapped person: 700 yen
- repeaters: 700 yen
- free coffee and maccha tea for visitors at cafeteria which have you a nice view of Hakodate city.
Open
- 9:30 – 17:00
Closed
- every Wednesday and Thursday
- 4th November – 25th Spring
Contact
- TEL: 0138-26-1560
- FAX: 0138-26-1646
- E-mail: info@soumatei.com
Facilities
- cafe
- rental rooms for tea ceremony and other events
- Paintings, documents and antiques
Neighborhood
- Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward
- Old Branch Office of Hokkaido Government
- Motomachi Roman Catholic Church
- Hakodate Orthodox Church
- Hakodate Episcopal Church of Japan
- Foreigners’ Cemetery
- Old Russian Consulate
Related Article
- A Million Dollar Night View From Mt.Hakodate-yama
- Hakodate Orthodox Church(函館ハリストス正教会)
- Hakodate Episcopal Church of Japan (函館聖ヨハネ教会)
- The Former British Consulate(旧英国領事館)
- Foreigners’ Cemetery in Hakodate (外人墓地)
- Hakodate Bay Area: Kanamori Soko(金森倉庫/Kanamori Warehouse)
- Hakodate Magistrate’s Office (函館奉行所/Hakodate Bugyosho)
- Market in Early Morning: Hakodate Asaichi(函館朝市)
- Hakodate Goryokaku(函館五稜郭): Historical place and Outstanding Shape
- Mt.Hakodate-yama
- The Most Northan Castle in Japan, Matsumae-jo/Matsumae Castle(松前城)
