Goryokaku is one of the most famous places in Hokkaido, but it’s not just beautiful — it’s also connected to one of the most dramatic moments in Japanese history.
This star-shaped fort is closely linked to Hijikata Toshizo, a samurai often called “the last samurai.”
At first glance, Goryokaku just looks like a peaceful park surrounded by trees and water. But the unusual star shape actually had a military purpose. During the late Edo period, the Tokugawa government built the fort to defend northern Japan against possible Russian attacks. The star design allowed soldiers to place more guns around the fort and reduce blind spots during battles.
As you walk around the area today, you’ll notice pictures and souvenirs of Hijikata Toshizo almost everywhere. You’ll also often see the kanji character “誠” (makoto), meaning sincerity.
“Makoto” was the motto of the Shinsengumi, a famous samurai police force active in Kyoto during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate.
The Shinsengumi were fiercely loyal to the Tokugawa government even as Japan was changing during the Meiji Restoration. Hijikata served as vice commander alongside leader Kondo Isami and swordsman Okita Soji.
After Kondo was executed in 1868 by forces supporting the Emperor, Hijikata continued fighting. Refusing to surrender, he led his remaining troops north to Hokkaido.
In Hakodate, his forces occupied Goryokaku and established the short-lived Republic of Ezo. But the new Meiji government continued attacking, and in 1869 Hijikata was killed during the Battle of Hakodate.
Just one week later, the remaining forces surrendered, marking the final end of the old samurai government in Japan.
Because of his loyalty and dramatic final stand, Hijikata is often remembered as “the last samurai.”
Today, though, Goryokaku feels peaceful rather than tragic. The fort changes colour with the seasons: pink with cherry blossoms in spring, green in summer, orange and red leaves in autumn, and white snow in winter.
It’s strange to think that such a calm and beautiful place was once the site of one of Japan’s final samurai battles.
That contrast is probably what makes Goryokaku so memorable. It’s both a scenic park and a place where an important chapter of Japanese history came to an end.
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