Is Goryokaku Worth Visiting? How to Make the Most of Your Trip to Hakodate

Last Updated on October 24, 2025 by Audrey

Not sure if Goryokaku is worth visiting? Here's why you should include the star-shaped fort in your Hakodate trip!

When I visited Hokkaido last May, I decided to take a 4-hour train ride from Sapporo to Hakodate in hopes of seeing the cherry blossoms and the star-shaped fort at Goryokaku Tower.

On the way there, I worried that the long commute wouldn't be worth it. I didn't know much about Goryokaku and Hakodate and wasn't sure if going all this way for a park was the right choice, rather than spending another day in Sapporo, which has tons of things to do.

Spoiler alert: yes, Goryokaku is awesome and is worth visiting!

We went boating, took photos of the cherry blossoms and amazing fort, had delicious seafood, and learned about Hakodate’s history as the last place to witness the end of Japan's feudal era.

In this post, I’ll cover why Goryokaku is worth a visit and the top 15 things to do there, and answer any burning questions to help you plan the perfect trip to Hakodate and Goryokaku Tower.

Is Goryokaku Worth Visiting in 2025?

If you’re considering visiting Goryokaku Tower and Park, you definitely should make the trip! Both the fort and the city are wonderful to explore, and there are plenty of things to do, see, and eat while you’re there.

Goryokaku is worth visiting because it has the huge Goryokaku Park where you can rent boats, walk around blossoming cherry blossom and wisteria trees, and even have picnics on the grass fields.

In addition to Goryokaku Park, there is also Goryokaku Tower, where you can ascend to the top to see the iconic star-shaped fort from above.

There are delicious restaurants and shops inside the tower and an all-weather atrium that has a calm, relaxing atmosphere with lush plants. If you want to try seasonal cherry blossom ice cream, you can try it here!

Nearby are the Hakodate Museum of Art, Hakodateshi Hokuyo Museum, and Lucky Pierrot Burger, a local burger chain exclusive to Hakodate. The city of Hakodate itself also has a myriad of fun things to explore that you won't find in a big city like Sapporo or Tokyo.

You can check out my post for more info on why Hakodate is worth a day or two on your Japan trip.

What is Goryokaku Known For?

Goryokaku (五稜郭公園, Goryoukaku Kouen) is a unique public park that is also a fort built in the shape of a 6-pointed star.

The fort was originally built by the Tokugawa shogunate to protect Hakodate's magistrates (high-ranking political officials) when Hakodate was designated as a trade port open to foreign commerce.

It was (nearly) completed in 1864, and served as a center for politics, foreign diplomacy, and defense in Hokkaido. Its unique star-shaped design draws its inspiration from 16th-century star-shaped castles and fortified cities in Europe. Despite being made for protection, it's very pleasing to look at from above!

5 years later in 1869, Hakodate was unfortunately the site of Japan's last civil war battle. In the Battle of Hakodate, the fort became the last place to experience Japan's feudal system, where the Tokugawa shogunate fell and the Meiji government took over.

In 1914, the site officially opened as a public park and was later designated a Special Historic Site in 1952, to signify when the administration changed from Tokugawa shogunate to the Meiji era. Today, it remains a fantastic space where visitors can stroll around the trees, learn all about the historic battle, and see the fort's unique design by heading up to the top of Goryokaku Tower.

By visiting Goryokaku and Hakodate, you're visiting a battle site with an insane amount of history!

Best 15 Things To Do in Goryokaku

1. See the falling cherry blossoms at Goryokaku Park

Hands down, my favorite part about Goryokaku was getting to see the cherry blossoms bloom at Goryokaku Park.

Japan is famous for its cherry blossom season, but my trip to Japan was scheduled for May, when cherry blossom season in the Kanto region was already over. Luckily, the cherry blossoms bloom later in Hokkaido because of the colder temperatures, so we made our way to Hakodate to enjoy the flowers!

Goryokaku Park has 1,500 cherry blossom trees, and it's incredibly relaxing to walk amongst the falling petals with Goryokaku Tower in the background.

Lots of locals have hanami (花見), the Japanese custom of enjoying the ephemeral beauty of these seasonal blooms.

You can have a picnic on the grassy fields, or visit at night when lights illuminate the trees and enjoy the Hokkaido specialty jingisukan (lamb barbecue) under the flowers. Vendors sell a "Goryokaku Ohanami Plan" that gives you everything you need to have your own barbecue at the park!

2. Rent a boat and see the tower from the water

When I was planning my trip to Hakodate, I already knew that I wanted to rent a boat and see the cherry blossoms from the water (and take some awesome pictures, of course)!

My partner and I rented a boat for 50 minutes for ¥2,500 ($16 USD). The prices are very affordable, you'll pay around ¥2,500-3,000 for 50 minutes and can pay extra for additional time. The boats can hold up to 1-4 people.

I got some incredible pictures of him, but mine didn't turn out so well because I had all our backpacks on my side. It's okay, he had to row the boat...

Seeing the petals fall around you and land in the water is so beautiful to watch, and it really calms you. We stayed in the boat for around 40 minutes and got out early because it actually got pretty hot sitting in the sun.

3. admire the blossoming wisteria trellis

If you don't make it for cherry blossom season, don't worry, Goryokaku Park is still worth visiting. The park also has blooming wisteria that flourish in late May to early June.

Soon after you enter the main gate of the park, you'll spot the wisteria trellis right away. Make sure to walk around the entire fort though, because there are multiple wisteria areas and even a beautiful wisteria tunnel.

💡 Pro tip: Check Goryokaku Tower's official Facebook page for up-to-date information on seasonal blooms like cherry blossoms, wisteria, and azaleas. That's how I knew that we'd make it in time to see the flowers!

4. Visit the former Magistrate's Office

As you know, when Hakodate was forced to give up its national isolation policy and open Hakodate port, Goryokaku Fort was created to provide protection and establish a base for diplomacy interactions.

That's why the Hakodate Magistrate's Office was created, until it was dismantled by the new government after the old shogunate was defeated in 1871.

However, Hakodate decided to restore the Magistrate's Office in 1985 to restore how Goryokaku Fort used to look. The restoration was completed in 2010, and now everyone can visit and step into an important piece of Japan's history!

It costs 500 yen to enter, and I think it's well worth it. You get to learn about the history of the restoration process, how artisans from all over the country came to help, and how the materials were selected to stay as close to the original building as possible. The architecture is wonderful, and it felt like I was entering the samurai era.

💡 Pro tip: It's cash only to enter, so I suggest bringing some cash with you when you visit Hakodate.

5. Grab a star-shaped stamp

Did you know that when you visit a landmark or temple in Japan, you can collect a piece of it and bring it home with you?

Goshuin are temple stamps that you can collect in shrines around Japan, while gojoin are castle seals that are found in popular landmarks such as Goryokaku Park. Every place has its own unique design, and extra details are inscribed in black ink. It's a wonderful way to store memories of the places you visited in Japan with you forever.

My brother and his girlfriend collected these stamps the last time they went to Japan, and Goryokaku Park gave an awesome stamp in the shape of... you guessed it, the star-shaped fort!

In addition, goshuincho, the stamp books, are also unique to each shrine as well! I saw a few that were so beautiful, I was almost compelled to start collecting them too.

6. See the bronze statue of Toshizo Hijikata

As soon as you wander into Goryokaku Tower after visiting the park, you'll see the bronze statue of Toshizo Hijikata standing in the middle of the green atrium. He can't be missed!

Tisguzi was the vice chief of the Shinsengumi, the samurai who protected the Shogunate. He was killed in the Hakodate War in 1869. The statue was built in commemoration to symbolize his deep relation to Goryokaku, where he passed away, and also to celebrate his faithful spirit.

Today, he is known as one of the last brave samurai and is referenced in many movies, shows, and anime/manga like Gintama and Golden Kamuy! Maybe I'll reread Golden Kamuy and see what other historical figures I've seen during my trips to Japan.

There's also a sitting statue of him on the 2nd floor, see if you can find it!

7. Have seafood skewers in the all-weather atrium

When you head into Goryokaku Tower, there are lots of fun food stalls on the atrium and first floor that serve desserts and snacks.

We grabbed a fried squid skewer after wandering around the park as a pre-lunch snack, and it was delicious!

There's tons of seating in the glass atrium with trees and flowers. It's clean and has a relaxing vibe, even though it was pretty crowded with other visitors. We rested here a while as our feet were pretty dead after wandering around the park.

8. Head up Goryokaku Tower and see the star-shaped fort

One of the best parts of visiting Goryokaku is getting to ascend Goryokaku Tower and see the star-shaped fort in all it's glory!

It costs about 1,000 yen to go to the top of the tower. You can also purchase tickets in advance if you want to skip the line. There was a long queue when I went at 15:00, but it moves pretty quick so I don't think you need to purchase ahead of time.

The elevator plays a nice tune and has a special effect with lights as you head to the top. Once you get to the top, it's really cool to look at the fort's unique design. I've never seen a fort designed as cool as Goryokaku Fort.

If you visit during spring, the cherry blossoms give it a pretty pink color, and in the winter the entire star is lit up. It really is special!

9. learn about Goryokaku's history

When you go to the top floor of Goryokaku Tower, you'll also find really cool displays called the Goryokaku Historical Corridor that walk you through the creation of Goryokaku and the Battle of Hakodate.

The displays are great for informing why Goryokaku is so historically important and how Hakodate was the last place to witness the Tokugawa Shogunate fall during the Boshin War.

Essentially, Japan's feudal system was brought to an end here, in Goryokaku. It's really cool to be standing on a site of history!

The displays are pretty small but are packed with information in both Japanese and English. I found myself having to wait a little bit for the person in front of me to finish reading.

You should definitely take some time to read it, as it talks about several important figures behind Goryokaku's history like Ayasaburo Takeda, Takeaki Enomoto, and Toshizo Hijikata.

10. peer down 86 meters from the See-through Floor

On the first floor of the observation deck, there's a portion of the floor that's completely made of glass. You can stand on it and look down 86 meters below to ground level!

I'll be honest with you, I'm scared of heights, so I hate looking down see-through floors... they make me dizzy and queasy. But hey, you might like it!

11. Have fresh seafood bowls at Seasonal Seafood Shunka

In the tower there are two sit-down restaurants that are both located on the second floor, Seasonal Seafood Shunka and Gotoken, a curry restaurant. There are also tons of restaurants located outside the park near the entrances of the park.

A hidden gem we stumbled upon at Goryokaku Tower is undoubtedly Seasonal Seafood Shunka!

Since we were starving after walking around the park, we just kind of stumbled into Seafood Shunka. I hadn't researched either of the restaurants beforehand.

Seasonal Seafood Shunka is a sit down restaurant that offers fresh, high-quality seafood that Hokkaido is well known for in the form of seasonal set meals.

They serve seafood donburi, with special fresh squid sashimi and uni (sea urchin) fresh from Hakodate Morning Market, as well as grilled fish and beef dishes.

The seafood is incredibly fresh and delicious. I got an uni-ikura don with uni and salmon roe for 1,850 ($12 USD), and we also ordered a seasonal seafood platter that serves 3-4 people and contains an assortment of 6-7 seasonal fish for 5,000 ($31 USD).

One of the best features of this restaurant is that you get a private room for your group with traditional tatami seating. It was really cool to try tatami-style dining, and we loved having an exclusive room!

12. Try cherry blossom Ice cream at gelato milkissimo

You need to try Gelato Milkissimo, a gelato stall on the second floor of Goryokaku Tower that serves delicious gelato made with milk from Hakodate and seasonal fruits from Hokkaido.

The flavors are so good, and it tastes so creamy! I've had gelato in Italy as well, and the gelato at Milkissimo tastes creamier and has that distinct Hokkaido milk flavor.

There are a ton of different flavors you can try. I got the cherry blossom flavor, and it was such an interesting floral flavor. It's probably not my favorite, but I would definitely eat it again.

There are a lot of cheese and milk flavors like Milkissimo milk or yogurt, rare cheese, as well as interesting flavors like sweet potato and pineapple basil. You can check out the full menu here!

13. Visit the Ueko Soetsu Gallery

Located on the second floor next to Milkissimo and Seasonal Seafood Shunka is the Ueki Soetsu Gallery, featuring artwork by local Hakodate artist Ueki Soetsu.

It's a pretty small gallery, and I didn't get a chance to see it for myself. However, the overarching motif of his works is the kappa, a legendary creature that appears from the water.

I encourage you to check it out if you have time at Goryokaku Tower! The museum is free to enter.

14. Shop for souvenirs on the 1st floor gift shop

There's a pretty large gift shop on the first floor of the tower that you can visit after heading down from the observation deck.

Tons of cute souvenirs and collectibles are here. We got gold cherry blossom bookmarks and bandanas as memorabilia to take home! You'll also see Jin-kun here, Hokkaido's mascot of jingisukan (lamb barbecue)! I thought he was Pikachu, but he's a little Australian lamb representing Hokkaido's traditional barbecue! He's so cute.

Make sure you allot some time for the gift shop. I feel like I spent at least 45 minutes browsing through everything. Or maybe it was an hour, who's counting?

15. Stop by the Lucky Pierrot Burger

If you're not staying in Hakodate for long, I recommend stopping by the Lucky Pierrot Burger right next to Goryokaku Park before you leave.

The first time I visited Hakodate, I wondered why there were so many people queueing up for this burger restaurant with a clown on it. Turns out this burger chain is exclusive to only Hakodate!

Every restaurant has different themes and burger selections, but their most popular dishes are the Chinese chicken burger, lucky egg burger, and the pork cutlet burger according to the website. I suggest checking them out before you depart Hakodate, since you can't get it anywhere else.

When is the best time to visit Goryokaku?

I definitely think the best time to visit Goryokaku is cherry blossom season from late April to early May.

The whole park just blooms, and the weather is sunny and beautiful. It's the perfect time to enjoy the flowers and walk around the moat.

While I'm partial towards spring, I still think Goryokaku is worth visiting during other seasons too. The wisteria and azalea bloom in summer, and you can see the trees change color into golds and reds in autumn.

During winter, the water in the fort freezes and becomes snow. It would still be fun to visit Goryokaku Tower in the winter as the atrium and star-shaped fort become illuminated with bright lights, so it's still a picturesque view.

seasonal events in Goryokaku

Spring Events

• Cherry blossom bloom: late April-early May
• The Hakodate Goryokaku Festival in mid-May. The Hijikata Toshizo impersonation contest is really popular!
• Wisteria bloom: late May-early June

Summer Events

• Goryokaku Tower Tanabata Festival: first week of July

Winter Events

• Hoshi no Yume illumination: 2000 lights illuminate the star-shaped fort as well as the atrium. Starts beginning of December - end of February
• First sunrise on New Year's Day: Witness the first sunrise of the New Year from Goryokaku Tower! The tower opens at 6 am.

Check for updates on the official website!

where to stay in Hakodate

There are a couple of areas where you can stay in Hakodate.

The main areas are near Motomachi, where there are many restaurants and shops as well as popular landmarks like Motomachi and the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, or the onsen resort area near Hakodate airport.

I'm not sure if it's worth staying around the Goryokaku area, because there isn't many other attractions nearby aside from Goryokaku.

I opted to stay at the Yunokawa hot spring area right next to Hakodate Airport because we planned to fly to Tokyo from Hakodate and there were so many amazing ryokan. We chose the Yunokawa Prince Hotel, which had a private outdoor onsen overlooking the beach. It was amazing, and I loved it! You can read my full review here.

Is Goryokaku Worth Visiting: FAQs

Conclusion: Is Goryokaku Worth Visiting?

Think Goryokaku is worth visiting yet?

I absolutely loved my time spent in Hakodate, and visiting Goryokaku was one of the highlights of my trip.

Not only are the trees beautiful to look at and stroll through, but there are tons of other activities you can do when you visit, like boating, picnicking, and learning about Goryokaku's past as the last stronghold of the shogunate.

Goryokaku can easily take up half a day or a full day of your time in Hakodate, so make sure to allot your time correctly. Here's my personal Hakodate itinerary for ideas.

If you need any assistance with your trip, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email at audrey@getlostinjapan.com. Always here to help!

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