Hakodate Magistrate's Office

Ava 6 months ago

Cash only to buy tickets!!! The service is wonderful here and the attendants helped us use the ticket machine and even gave us origami! I recommend wearing socks when you visit as you will be taking off your shoes and carrying them in a provided plastic bag as you explore the house.

Ezra Bae 4 years ago

It's 500 yen to get in. I think it was totally worth it. This is a reproduction of the previous magistrate's office which was torn down. It's a beautiful piece of architecture reminiscent of the buildings you see in samurai movies. You'll learn about Japanese design as well as the process they used to build the reproduction. It turns out they stayed as faithful as they could to the original building, including the masonry, the woods used, etc. The courtyard is also beautiful and the view of the outside gardens can't be beat. It's a nice break from walking around the park.

Lluís Diago 5 years ago

Price: 500¥ (4€/4$/3'5£)/ half for students Visit time: 20min/40min (with a video) There are not a lot of objects in display, the most interesting part is a video (only japanese; ~17min) and the info explaning the construction of the building. The rest of the exposition is information about the history of the Goryokaku citadel, Hakodatecity Hakodate's battle but is not really extense. If you are not interested in the history of the city and Hokkaido is something you can skip.

Andrea Lam 6 years ago

Good to know history of Hakodate (though it costs). Design and the smell of this building is full of traditional Japanese flavor.

Tara 6 years ago

This former magistrate's office is a good small museum for the history buff, especially those who are interested in the Boshin War. It's nice that this is right in the middle of Goryokaku Park, a former fort.