It was time to say good-bye to Honshu, a quick trip on the Hokkaido Shinkansen got me through the Saikan Tunnel and on to Shin-Hakodate and then – via local train – to the port town of Hakodate. After getting organized (picking up my Hokkaido rail pass, arranging other tickets, etc.) I made my way to Goryokaku Fort – a star-shaped fort, completed in 1866 that played in important role in the Battle of Hakodate towards the end of the Boshin War in June 1869. As part of my visit I also had a visit to the reconstructed Office of the Magistrate (destroyed in 1871, re-construction completed in 2010) for another trip back in time.

From the fort it was on to the nearby Goryokaku Tower for a view from top – to a) confirm the fort is indeed star-shaped and b) get a view of town, Mt. Hakodate and the surrounding higher mountains.