Goryokaku 3

　　Crossing the bridge in the first picture, you'll reach the gate in the second picture. Passing through the gate, you'll find the honoring monument for Ayasaburou Takeda, though his achievements were just written on a shabby wooden board in Ozu City in which he had been born and lived in his youth. Going on toward the center of Goryokaku, some posts stood. Each post has a portrait of heroes related to Goryokaku, such as Toshizo Hijikata. I understood how Takeda gets respect from people in Hakodate now.
　　In the grounds of Goryokaku the old Hakodate Magistrate Office was restored faithfully and was used as a museum inside. I wanted to look around the items and I'll show you some of them in the next entry.
　　Incidentally, why does the face of Ayasaburou Takeda on the monument shine? I wanted to know the reason of the shining, and sneaked up to a group tour from overseas with a guide and listened to the explanation. Local students seemed to stroke the head and face of his relief wishing their success in academic achievements. Ayasaburou Takeda was also a hero for kids in Hakodate. I was so surprised and happy to know that.
　　My high school was established by the Dominican Order and the bust of the founder is set at the main entrance. There was a legend that the guy who rubbed his nose on the day of the graduation would be sure to succeed in the entrance exam of universities. Not to mention, I rubbed his nose. I chuckled at the similar situation.

http://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2014/09/school-festival.html

(Vocabulary)
honoring monument 顕彰碑
magistrate 治安判事
magistrate office 奉行所（の英語訳としてどうだろう？）
faithfully
1 忠実に, 誠実に, 固く
She promised faithfully never to tell. 彼女は決して口外しないと固く約束した．
2 (原本・原物に) 忠実に, 正確に; 3 規則正しく, きちんと
incidentally 《文修飾》ちなみに, ついでに言うと, ところで; (フォーマル) 偶然に, 付随的に
sneak up 〈人が〉忍び寄る, こっそり近づく
stroke〈体・物など〉をなでる
Dominican 聖ドミニコ会の
Dominican Order　聖ドミニコ会
bust 胸像

　１枚目の写真に写っている橋を渡ると五稜郭の入り口がある。入ってすぐのところに顕彰碑があった。武田斐三郎を讃えたものだった。彼のふるさと大洲では安っぽい看板一枚。大洲市の関係者にはこの顕彰碑を見てもらいたい。そして更に歩いて行くと土方歳三などとと並んで彼の写真、経歴を書いたポストが立っていた。彼が箱館で如何に尊敬を集めているのか実感した。五稜郭内部には、旧箱館奉行所が再建されており、内部は資料館になっている。
　たまたまプロのガイドが案内をしているグループがいたので、紛れ込んだ。武田斐三郎のレリーフの顔が光っているのはどうしてなのか？地元の子供達が頭が良くなるようにと祈って顔をなでているらしい。武田斐三郎の顔をなでると頭が良くなるらしいのだ。僕の卒業した高校に母体となっている聖ドミニコ会の創立者の胸像が有り、卒業時にはその高い鼻をなでた。大学に合格するという言い伝えがあるのだ。どこにでも似たような話があるのだなと苦笑。