The Japanese government, through the Treaty of Shimoda in 1855, pledged to supply land and housing for the Russian Consulate. By the 1858 treaty, Russia's diplomatic representatives were granted the right to permanent residency in Japan, leading to the establishment of the first Russian Empire Consulate in Hakodate.

In late 1858, the inaugural mission of the Russian Consulate, headed by Iosif Antonovich Goshkevich, arrived in Hakodate, Japan. Initially, the Russian mission was accommodated in local Buddhist temples. Goshkevich, serving as the Consul, promptly initiated discussions with Japanese authorities to secure a land allocation for the mission. Ultimately, an agreement was reached to assign land in the coastal area at the base of Mt. Hakodate, which remains the current location.