Goryōkaku
Goryōkaku (五稜郭) is a star fort in the Japanese city of Hakodate on the island of Hokkaido. It was the main fortress of the short-lived Republic of Ezo.
History
Goryōkaku was designed in 1855 by Takeda Hisaburō. His plan was based on the work of the French architect Vauban. It is shaped like a five-pointed star. This allowed for greater numbers of gun emplacements on its walls than a traditional Japanese fortress, and reduced the number of blind spots where a cannon could not fire.
The fort was built by the Tokugawa shogunate to protect the Tsugaru Strait against a possible invasion by the Russian fleet.
Goryōkaku is famous as the site of the last battle of the Boshin War (Goryōkaku no Tatakai). The fighting lasted for a week (June 20–27, 1869).
Park
Today, Goryōkaku is a park. It has been declared a Special Historical Site and is home to the Hakodate city museum. The grounds are a favorite spot for cherry-blossom viewing in spring.
See also
Podcasts:
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by Gary Cao Ge
The Change
by: Crack JawMidnight bright full moon shines the street is cold and quiet
An open window a naked room a creature's lonely cry
All your prayers they're useless now a man will turn to beast
Tonight until the morning comes he's ruled by evil greed
The ruler of the night the devil in disguise
He'll trap you all the way the victim of the change
In his cell the beast is kept but no chains can hold him back
Inside his blood is boiling hot his order is attack
If he hits you no use to run he fetches you to your doom