“Goryokaku” is the symbol of Hakodate. It is rare star-shaped western castle, and length of a side is about 300m. It is opened free now as a park.
From the adjacent “Goryokaku” tower, the star shape is to be clear and well understood.
In September when I came, the green tree-tops were beautiful. In spring the cherry trees are beautiful. In winter, you also seem to be able to look down “Goryokaku” covered with white snow from the tower.
“Goryokaku” is a place of recreation and relaxation for Hakodate citizen and tourist now. But it was the last fierce battlefield in the late Tokugawa period (most time of the turbulence in Japan). There are a lot of traces of the fight such as the cannon.
You can visit inside of the Hakodate magistrate’s office (“Hakodate-Bugyou”) which restored a building of the Edo era.
In “Goryokaku” tower, there is the bright glassed atrium, and you can meet the figure of the late Tokugawa period. A lot of the special souvenir of Hakodate is sold too.
Hakodate’s winter is very cold, but value to go is enough!
■Open:
8am-7pm（10/21～4/20 9am-6pm）
Open throughout the year
■Address:
〒040-0001
43-9 Goryoukakutyou, Hakodate-city, Hokkaido
■TEL: +81-138-51-4785
■URL: http://www.goryokaku-tower.co.jp/html/index/en.html
■Access:
Hakodate bus: 7 minute walk from the “Goryokaku-Koen Iriguchi” bus stop.
(You can ride the bus from JR “Goryokaku” Station or JR “Hakodate” Station )
Streetcar: 15 minute walk from the “Goryokaku koen mae” bus stop.
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