Over 3,000 tropical plants of 300 varieties grow at the Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden, creating a sense of everlasting summer. The Monkey Onsen, reminiscent of winter in Hakodate, is also quite popular. The monkeys that use the hot spring water to warm up and escape the wind, snow, and cold of winter are famed for being humorous and cute. Those who want to interact with the monkeys can buy monkey food (JPY 100) at the information desk and try feeding the monkeys from behind a fence. There are also special events where visitors can give them apples and other food presents. Even when it gets cold, visitors can rest and warm up in the greenhouses and footbaths within the garden. Growing inside the greenhouses are rare plants from the south of the country, a complete change from the northern winter landscape.
To get to the garden, take Hakodate Bus No. 95 or 96 and get off at the Nettai Shokubutsuen-mae stop. Walk about one minute, take the streetcar to the Yunokawa Onsen stop, and walk for about 15 minutes. There is also a shuttle bus from Hakodate Airport, and the garden is about a 5-minute walk from the Yunokawa Onsen stop.