Traveling the World #345 - Goryokaku Tower @ Hakodate, Japan

Hi Everyone,

The place to get the best view of Hakodate Goryokaku is from the Goryokaku Tower. Located next to the fort, Goryokaku Tower has an observation deck which is over 100m tall so you will get a perfect view of the star shaped fort. The entrance to the tower was very impressive, and I could see that a lot of effort had gone into making the tower a visually appealing structure. It has glass windows all over allowing natural light to flow through. The entry floor also has a small museum, which showcases the history of the Goryokaku Fort and its significance in Japanese history. After getting our tickets, we walked towards the lifts with an attendant ready to check our temperature and tickets.

The elevator ride was smooth and fast which the kids loved. Once we reached the top, all of us was struck by the stunning panoramic view in front of us. The view was simply breathtaking, and we could see the Goryokaku Fort and beyond. The fort was surrounded by the gardens unfortunately with no leaves as it was in winter months. In Spring and Autumn, the fort will be full of cherry blossoms or autumn leaves would be a grand view for sure. In colder winter days, the fort will be snowed under.

On the other side of the tower, you can see the city view of Hakodate. Although the view is very different from the mountain view which we will visit another day, the tower view is another angle of what you can see of this beautiful city. We can also see Hakodate Bay, the Mount Hakodate Ropeway, and the city's famous red-brick warehouses from afar which we will visit on another occasion as we have a few days here in the city.

After going around the deck, we went to check out the gift store to see if we could buy a magnet to take up. We have a habit of buying a magnet of the place we visited so it reminds us of all the places we have set foot on. The store wasn’t very big but enough to get what we wanted. Before going down, we also saw a place where the see-through glass was on the floor so we could look down from above. Pretty scary as I’m scared of heights but it was fun to take a picture with all our feet on that plate.

It is a must visit if you are in Hakodate not to only see the beautiful forte from above but able to get another view of Hakodate city. Try to pick a clear day to visit the tower so you can see a clearer view from above. If possible, try to visit during Spring or Autumn when the garden below will be at full snow of beautiful leaves and flowers.

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