Goryōkaku facts for kids
Goryōkaku (五稜郭) is a famous star fort in the city of Hakodate in Japan. You can find it on the island of Hokkaidō. This fort was once the main base for a short-lived government called the Republic of Ezo.
History of Goryōkaku
Goryōkaku was designed in 1855 by a Japanese engineer named Takeda Hisaburō. He got his ideas from the designs of a famous French architect named Vauban.
Why a Star Shape?
The fort is shaped like a five-pointed star. This special design was very clever! It allowed many more cannons to be placed along its walls. It also helped reduce "blind spots" where cannons couldn't shoot. This made the fort much harder to attack.
Building the Fort
The fort was built by the Tokugawa shogunate. The shogunate was the military government that ruled Japan for many years. They built Goryōkaku to protect the Tsugaru Strait. This was a very important waterway. They wanted to guard against a possible invasion by the Russian navy.
The Last Battle
Goryōkaku is most famous for being the site of the last battle of the Boshin War. This war was a civil war in Japan. It happened between the old shogunate government and supporters of the Emperor. The battle at Goryōkaku was called Goryōkaku no Tatakai. It lasted for about a week, from June 20 to June 27, 1869.
