The original building was demolished in 1871, just seven years after its completion, to prevent it from being used by rebel forces.
Construction of the replica began in 2006 using historical blueprints and archaeological surveys, and it opened to the public in 2010.
The project employed traditional 'Miyadaiku' master carpenters who utilized historical building techniques without using modern adhesives.
The office features a 72-tatami-mat central room, which is one of the largest single rooms found in a Japanese historical government structure.
The site includes remnants of the original foundation stones discovered during excavations beneath the current structure.
During the Goryokaku conflict, the office served as the last stand for the short-lived Republic of Ezo.
The Hakodate Magistrate's Office is a faithful reconstruction of the original 1864 administrative headquarters of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Hokkaido. Located at the center of the star-shaped Goryokaku Fort, the wooden building features traditional architectural techniques including original shoji screens and tatami flooring. The office served as a critical base for diplomatic, military, and judicial affairs during the Bakumatsu period and the subsequent Boshin War. Visitors walk through reconstructed government rooms, including the high-status reception chambers used by magistrates. The facility utilizes traditional cedar and cypress wood, meticulously sourced to replicate the Edo-period design. Interactive displays explain the building's role in the defense of Ezo, the historical name for Hokkaido. It is the only place in Japan where a magistrate's office from this era has been reconstructed on its original foundation.
The front entrance gate and the exterior facade from the courtyard gardens.
Remove your shoes before entering, as you will be walking on original-style tatami mats; wearing socks is required.
Walk the perimeter of the surrounding Goryokaku moat after visiting to see the star-shaped earthworks from the ground level.
Visit the second-floor viewing platform in the nearby Goryokaku Tower before entering the office to understand the site's unique layout.
Do not attempt to walk on the grassy mounds of the fortress walls, as they are protected historical earthworks.
Open year-round except for a few days during the New Year holiday period; check for occasional maintenance closures in winter.
No photography allowed inside the interior rooms; socks must be worn at all times.
