Goryokaku is Hakodate’s other great landmark, a star-shaped fortress unlike anything else in Japan. Built in the final years of the shogunate as a Western-style citadel, it later became the site of the last battle of the Boshin War, and today its moats and ramparts form a beloved city park.

The Star Fort and Tower

The fort’s distinctive five-pointed shape is best appreciated from the adjacent Goryokaku Tower, whose observation deck reveals the whole geometric design from above. Inside the walls, the reconstructed magistrate’s office recreates the building that once governed the region.

A Park for All Seasons

Goryokaku is one of Hokkaido’s finest cherry-blossom spots, when over a thousand trees line the moats in pink. In winter, the “Goryokaku no Hoshi” illumination traces the star in lights across the snow, a magical sight worth braving the cold for.

Getting There

A tram from the station reaches Goryokaku-koen-mae, from which it is a short walk to the park and tower. It pairs well with the nearby restaurants and the Goryokaku district’s hotels.

Goryokaku rounds out Hakodate’s story of trade, war and reinvention. Together with the night view, history and seafood, it makes the city one of Hokkaido’s most rewarding stops.

More Hakodate Travel Guides

• Mount Hakodate: One of the World’s Great Night Views
• Motomachi and the Bay: Historic Hakodate
• Hakodate Morning Market and Seafood

See our Hakodate Travel Guide for the full overview. Planning the whole trip? Visit The Complete Hakodate Guide for every guide and hotel in one place.