Hakodate is a city located in the southern part of the Island of Hokkaido, the second largest island of Japan. There is a unique pentagonal 19th-century fortification. The fortress with impressive ramparts and the shape resembling a star is a historic monument from the times of the Republic of Ezo. The Goryōkaku fortress was built by order of the Tokugawa shogunate in accordance with the design of Ayasaburō Takeda. The fortress witnessed the battles fought during the civil war in Japan (the Boshin War) in the years 1868-1869. Today Goryōkaku is made available for tourists and is one of the most important tourist attractions of Hokkaido. The bird’s-eye view of the fortress in the most impressive. The fortress is moated, which additionally emphasizes its pentagonal shape. What is more, it is surrounded by cherry trees, which blossom beautifully in spring.
