Goryokaku Park

The basics

Goryokaku Park provides a relaxing oasis in the heart of Hakodate. The remnants of the fort are preserved as a National Special Historic Site. At its center, the Former Magistrate Office is a reconstruction of the building where Shogunate officers administered the island of Hokkaido. Just outside the park, the 351-foot (107-meter) Goryokaku Tower has two observation decks that provide 360-degree views of the city toward Mt. Hakodate, Tsugaru Strait, and the Yokotsu mountains. Sightseeing tours of Hakodate typically visit Goryokaku Park.

Things to know before you go

• Entrance to the park is free, but you need to buy tickets for the Goryokaku Tower observation deck.
• Goryokaku Park and Goryokaku Tower are wheelchair-accessible.
• You can store your belongings in coin lockers.
• Public restrooms are available in the park.

How to get there

JR Hakodate train station is a 10-20-minute bus or tram ride to Goryokaku Koenmae. From there, it’s less than a 10-minute walk to Goryokaku Park. If you are driving, you will find paid parking at the nearby Hakodate City Goryokaku Tourist Parking Lot.

When to get there

Goryokaku Park is open 24 hours a day but its facilities and inner enclosure (inside the moat) are open only from early morning until early evening. The park is known as one of the best places in Hakodate to see cherry blossoms in the spring. During cherry blossom season, the park is illuminated with red and white lanterns.

What to do at Goryokaku Tower

Goryokaku Tower is well worth a visit for its views and historical insights. As well as two observation decks, the tower houses the Goryokaku Historic Corridor exhibition space, which provides information on the history of the fort, and the See-Through Floor, through which you can look down at the city below.