Goryokaku Tower is a 107-meter-high observation tower standing next to Goryokaku, a Special Historic Site and one of Hakodate’s most important landmarks. The current tower was completed in 2006. Its structure incorporates a star-shaped design inspired by Goryokaku, while the observation floors are pentagonal.
From the observation deck approximately 90 meters above the ground, visitors can look directly down upon the complete star-shaped outline of Goryokaku and enjoy panoramic views across Hakodate.
Goryokaku was one of the few Western-style fortresses built in Japan during the final years of the Edo period. Its distinctive five-pointed shape was designed according to Western military principles, making it especially impressive when viewed from above.
The observation floors at Goryokaku Tower provide 360-degree views of Hakodate, including Goryokaku Park, Mount Hakodate, Hakodate Bay, and the Tsugaru Strait. On clear days, the distant horizon opens toward the surrounding sea and mountains.
The glass walls allow visitors to enjoy unobstructed views, while information panels explain the history, geography, and development of Goryokaku and Hakodate.
Goryokaku was constructed by the Tokugawa shogunate during the late Edo period as a defensive stronghold for Ezo, the region now known as Hokkaido. It was built in a Western-style star-shaped design and surrounded by a water-filled moat, with government buildings including the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office located inside the fortress.
The fortress later became an important stage in the turbulent events surrounding the end of the shogunate and the Hakodate War. Looking down from the tower provides an especially clear understanding of the fortress’s unusual design and strategic layout.
The second observation floor features the permanent Goryokaku History Corridor, where dioramas illustrate important episodes connected with the fortress, including the arrival of Commodore Perry and the Hakodate War.
One of the highlights is a 1:250-scale reconstruction model of Goryokaku, showing how the fortress appeared around the time of its construction. The exhibition also features a bronze seated statue of Hijikata Toshizo, the famous vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, who played a major role in the final stages of the Hakodate War.
The architectural design of Goryokaku Tower reflects the fortress itself. The tower rises 107 meters into the sky, while its observation floors have a distinctive pentagonal form.
From this elevated viewpoint, the geometric precision of Goryokaku becomes immediately apparent. The green parkland surrounding the fortress changes dramatically with the seasons, creating beautiful scenery in spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Goryokaku Tower combines a spectacular aerial view with an accessible introduction to Hakodate’s history. Rather than simply observing the city from above, visitors can use the tower to understand the remarkable relationship between Goryokaku’s star-shaped fortress, Hakodate’s urban landscape, and the surrounding natural environment.
For visitors exploring Hakodate, a visit to the tower followed by a walk through Goryokaku Park offers two contrasting perspectives: the precise geometric form of the fortress from above and the scale of its historic grounds at street level.
Goryokaku Tower has become one of Hakodate’s defining landmarks. Its panoramic observation floors, historical exhibitions, and direct view of the extraordinary star-shaped fortress make it an ideal place to begin discovering the city’s history.
Whether you visit during the day to appreciate the landscape or simply want to understand why Goryokaku is one of Japan’s most unusual historic fortifications, Goryokaku Tower offers a memorable perspective on Hakodate’s past and present.
April 21-October 20 8:00-19:00
October 21 - April 20: 9:00 - 18:00
Open all year round
Adults: 840 yen
High school students: 630 yen
Junior high school students: 630 yen
Elementary school students: 420 yen
*Free for children under elementary school age
20 minutes by bus from Hakodate Station