Goryokaku Park & Hakodate Magistrate's Office
五稜郭公園・箱館奉行所
Japan's first Western-style star-shaped castle and the site where the Battle of Hakodate ended. About 1,600 cherry trees bloom along its moat in spring, and the Hakodate Magistrate's Office has been reconstructed inside.
Goryokaku was built in 1864 on the design of European bastion fortresses, taking the form of a five-pointed star. It served as the administrative center of the Tokugawa shogunate in Hakodate. In 1869, forces of the former shogunate surrendered to the new government here, ending the Boshin War. The park is free to enter, and a stroll along the moat and earthen ramparts takes about an hour. The Hakodate Magistrate's Office, rebuilt in its original form in 2010, can be visited inside the fort. Admission is about ¥500, and it is open from 9:00 to 18:00, or until 17:00 in winter. Late April to early May is one of Hokkaido's most famous cherry-blossom seasons, and in winter the star-shaped light display known as the “Dream of the Five-Pointed Star” lights up the fort. From the Goryokaku-Koen-mae streetcar stop, it is about a 15-minute walk.
Opening hours
Park open all day; Hakodate Magistrate's Office 09:00–18:00 (until 17:00 Nov–Mar)
Nearby sights
- Goryokaku Tower
- Yunokawa Onsen
- Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden
- Hakodate Morning Market
- Mashu Maru Seikan Ferry Memorial Ship
- Hakodate Meiji-kan
- Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
- Lucky Pierrot Bay Area Main Store