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Fort Goryokaku (the name translates as "pentagram fort") was built in 1866 in the city of Hakodate on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, in order to oversee commerce taking place in Hakodate Harbor and serve as a base for the government of Hakodate.
Japan's ruling body at the time of the fort's construction, the Tokugawa Shogunate, came to an end on November 9, 1867. This marked the restoration of imperial rule, although the ex-Shogun still retained much influence over Japan. The Boshin War ("War of the Year of the Dragon") began in January 1868, in which forces aligned with Emporer Meiji eventually defeated the ex-Shogun's army. Some 3000 followers of the Shogun retreated to Hakodate, holed up in Fort Gorykaku and resisted the Meiji government: a seige of six months' duration eventually caused the holdouts' surrender.
After the war Fort Gorykaku lay in ruins, but in 1913 it was somewhat refurbished and opened as a park, which is how it exists today: it also houses a city of Hakodate museum. The Fort is supposedly known for its cherry blossoms, for which I was under the impression that all of Japan is known, but the park at Goryokaku is used for the purpose of "hanami," which pretty much translates as "looking at flowers." Nice. |
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