Goryōkaku
Goryōkaku is a star fort in the Japanese city of Hakodate on the island of Hokkaido. It was the main fortress of the short-lived Republic of Ezo.History
Goryōkaku was designed in 1855 by Takeda Ayasaburō. His plan was based on the work of the French architect Vauban. It is shaped like a five-pointed star. This allowed for greater numbers of gun emplacements on its walls than a traditional Japanese fortress, and reduced the number of blind spots where a cannon could not fire.
The fort was built by the Tokugawa shogunate to protect the Tsugaru Strait against a possible invasion by the Russian fleet.
Goryōkaku is famous as the site of the last battle of the Boshin War. The fighting lasted for a week.Park
Today, Goryōkaku is a park declared as a Special Historical Site, being a part of the Hakodate city museum and a citizens' favorite spot for cherry-blossom viewing in spring.
