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🌟 Step into Goryokaku, the only Western-style star fort in Japan, built in the closing years of the Edo period. Located in Hakodate, Hokkaido, this striking five-pointed fortress was designed not just for defense—but for symbolic modernity and political control.

Constructed between 1857 and 1866, Goryokaku stands at the crossroads of tradition and transformation, reflecting Japan’s urgent adaptation to Western military strategies in the face of growing foreign influence.

The influence of Vauban-style European fortifications on Japanese design

How Goryokaku was used by the Tokugawa Shogunate to defend against foreign threats

The fort’s pivotal role in the Boshin War and the Battle of Hakodate—the final stand of the samurai

The unique double-moat system, star-shaped layout, and panoramic defense strategy

The central government building and its later transformation into a public park

Cherry blossoms, history trails, and views from the Goryokaku Tower

⚔️ Goryokaku is not just a military fort—it is a symbol of Japan’s struggle between tradition and modernization, and the final battlefield of an age-old way of life.

📷 With aerial views, historic reenactments, and expert narration, this film uncovers the military genius, cultural meaning, and timeless beauty of one of Japan’s most unique historic sites.

🎌 Join us as we trace the rise, fall, and legacy of the last samurai stronghold.

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