A trip to sightsee at Goryokaku and eat a *yakitori* bento from Hasegawa Store.
Good morning.
Today is the final day of my trip to Hokkaido.
Since I’ll be taking a ferry to Honshu this afternoon, I only have an hour and a half this morning to go sightseeing in Hakodate.
After checking out of Hotel Resol Hakodate—where I stayed last night—I had a lavish seafood bowl for breakfast at a shop in the Hakodate Morning Market.
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After filling up on a seafood bowl, I’ll move my car to a parking lot near Goryokaku and explore the surrounding area for as long as time permits.
Not viewing Goryokaku from above
When you think of Goryokaku, the distinctive pentagonal star shape of Goryokaku Park—visible from above—immediately comes to mind.
If you visit Goryokaku, you simply have to go up the Goryokaku Tower, which is right next to the park.
This is the tower here.
The weather is nice, so the view from the top should be spectacular.
However, we won’t be going there.
That is because we don’t have the time.
We can picture the full layout of Goryokaku from the shape of the moat beside the entrance.
You can get a glimpse of what it’s like, can’t you?
Then, I hurriedly take a photo at the Goryokaku stone monument.
An impressive stone monument.
You cross a large bridge connecting the moat to the interior of the Goryokaku and enter the site.
Right at the entrance, you pass under an arch of trees.
It feels nice and cool.
After passing through this arch of trees, you come out into a slightly more open area.
The Hakodate Magistrate’s Office, situated on vast grounds
As you look out over the vast grounds, the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office comes into view.
Although it is pronounced “Hakodate,” the kanji characters used to write it differ from those used for the city of Hakodate in Hokkaido.
Following the arrival of the “Black Ships” at the end of the Edo period, the decision was made to open the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate, establishing Hakodate as a northern gateway to Japan.
Against this backdrop, the Edo Shogunate established an administrative office here to serve as a base for defending Japan’s northern frontier.
However, the site became the stage for the Battle of Hakodate—the final conflict of the Boshin War—in 1868, and the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office was ultimately dismantled in 1871, two years after the former shogunate’s rebel forces surrendered.
Indeed, the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office existed for a mere seven years.
Yet, thanks to the efforts of local citizens and many others—a process spanning over twenty years—the office was restored and brought back to life after roughly 140 years.
Great care was taken to faithfully replicate the original construction materials and techniques, resulting in a building that exudes a solemn and robust atmosphere.
In short, it is simply a magnificent structure.
I arrived right when it opened, so there were still very few other visitors.
You remove your shoes at the entrance and pay the admission fee.
Admission is 500 yen for adults and 250 yen for students and children.
JAF members can receive a commemorative original postcard.
Visiting hours are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, though please note that the facility closes at 5:00 PM during the winter season (November through March).
An array of magnificent building materials and interior
The interior has been restored, so it is quite new.
However, the craftsmanship is so magnificent that, at a mere glance, one can easily imagine the exquisite skill of the artisans involved.
A guide inside the facility kindly explains that different materials are used depending on the specific building, so I find myself listening intently.
This is an old-style toilet.
Even the toilet is impressive.
Stepping out into the courtyard, the building’s magnificent roof looms close overhead.
Weapons from that era are also on display, offering a glimpse into those turbulent times.
I finished touring the inside of the building and stepped outside.
Yakitori bento from Hasegawa Store.
To visit the Goryokaku Tower, located right next to the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office, you enter the building and take an elevator up to the observation deck.
It was crowded and my time was limited, so I didn’t go up to the observation deck this time, but I would love to see the view of Goryokaku Park from above on a future visit.
It might be less crowded if you go right after it opens.
I’ll buy a *yakitori* bento at a Hasegawa Store near Goryokaku and eat it inside the shop.
I’ll fill out the order form provided in the store and wait for the *yakitori* to be grilled.
I ordered the yakitori bento with the sauce flavor.
The sweet-and-salty sauce is delicious.
They sell the same bamboo grass tea here that I saw at another roadside station in Hokkaido, so I’m having some with my bento.
It has a rather distinctive flavor, but it might be tasty once you get used to it.
It was a pretty rushed trip, but I managed to take a quick tour of the Goryokaku area and finally try the *yakitori* bento from Hasegawa Store—something I’d always wanted to eat—so I’m really satisfied!
五稜郭跡 ”Goryoukaku”
Quick tip: Parking lots are available next to Goryokaku Park and in the surrounding area. If you arrive early, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a spot.
We parked at the “Hakodate City Goryokaku Tourist Parking Lot.”
The rate is 200 yen for the first hour, with an additional 100 yen charged for each subsequent hour.
はこぶら 函館市公式観光サイトより出典
箱館奉行所 Hakodate Magistrate’s Office
Admission: Adults 500 yen; Students/Children 250 yen
Group discounts are available.
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (April–October); 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (November–March)
Please check the official website, as the facility may be closed during the year-end and New Year holidays.
Official Website：https://hakodate-bugyosho.jp/
TEL:0138-51-2864
ハセガワストア 五稜郭店 Hasegawa Store Goryokaku Branch
My comment: There is an eat-in area available.
