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Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle: The Symbol of Kumamoto Watching Over the Castle Town
Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier castles in Japan, built over seven years starting in 1601. While the castle was seriously damaged by the Kumamoto earthquakes in 2016, reconstruction is in progress, and it remains a must-see site when visiting Kumamoto as a symbolic landmark watching over the castle town.
Photo by: Kumamoto Castle Tourist Information Center
Photo by: Kumamoto Castle Tourist Information Center
Photo by: Kumamoto Castle Tourist Information Center
Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier castles in Japan and was built by Kato Kiyomasa, a great commander during the Sengoku period. It took seven years to complete, starting in 1601. The castle was equipped with various schemes to ensure it remained unconquerable. During the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, government troops numbering over 3,000 withstood the siege for more than 50 days. Amazed by the solidity of Kumamoto Castle that Kiyomasa built 270 years before the Satsuma Rebellion, Saigo Takamori reportedly said, "I was defeated not by government troops, but by Kiyomasa."
While the castle was seriously damaged by the Kumamoto earthquakes in 2016, with the aid of numerous supporters, the castle tower was restored in March 2021. It is still a long journey to complete restoration, but the castle rises as a symbol of Kumamoto's steadfast progress toward reconstruction.
Location
| Name | Kumamoto Castle |
|---|---|
| Website | http://kumamoto-guide.jp/kumamoto-castle/en/admission/ |
| Address | 1-1 Honmaru, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto |
| Access | Approximately 10 minutes' walk from the Kumamoto City Tram's Kumamoto Castle/City Hall Station Approximately 10 minutes' walk from Route Bus and Limousine Bus's Sakuramachi Bus Terminal Approximately 30 minutes from Kumamoto Station by Kumamoto Castle Bus Tour Shiromegurin |
| Business Hours | 9:00 to 17:00 |