南部坂（なんぶざか）

幕府は，外国船の蝦夷地（北海道）近海への出没や，ロシアの南下など多難になってきたため，寛政１１年（１７９９年）蝦夷地を直轄し，防衛のため奥羽諸藩に警備を命じた。日高海岸以東の警備にあたった南部藩の元陣屋がこの坂上にあったので「南部坂」と呼ばれた。

NAMBU ZAKA SLOPE

As foreign affairs became difficult, for example, unknown vessels often came and went off the coast of Hokkaido, and Russia tried to expand its sphere of influence by heading south, the Tokugawa Shogunate decided to take direct control of Hokkaido in 1799 and ordered several clans in the northern districts of Honshu (mainland Japan) to defend the area. One such clan, the Nambu clan, was made responsible to protect the eastern areas beyond the Hidaka coast I ine. They set up their headquarters at the top of this slope. This is why it is called 'Nambuzaka slope. ' CITY OF HAKODATE