Today, the ruins of Hizen-Nagoya Castle are well-developed as a historical park. If you drive to the ruins, you can use the parking lot of Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum beside the park. Visitors usually first visit the ruins by walking on the Main Route. You will see how large the ruins are at first sight. You will also see the large-scale stone walls still surrounding the ruins. However, many of them collapsed like a V letter. In fact, the collapse was done intentionally. If you walk to the Eastern Barbican Enclosure, the route turns back at almost 180 degrees to the Third Enclosure.
The castle ruins seen from around the Main RouteThe Main RouteThe stone walls being destroyed like a V letterThe Eastern Barbican EnclosureThe Main Route seen from the Eastern Barbican EnclosureThe route turns into the Third EnclosureThe Main Route written on the picture of the miniature model of Hizen-Nagoya Castle exhibited by the Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum
Third Enclosure as Pivot of Defense
The Third Enclosure should have been the defense’s pivot because the enclosure is next to the Main Enclosure, and both the Main Route and Back Route gather in it. The entrance to the Back Route is still surrounded by the ruins of a large-scale turret and stone walls using many huge stones. The inside of the enclosure has the ruins of a well which could have been used for a siege.
The Third EnclosureThe Third Enclosure drawn in “The folding screen of Hizen-Nagoya Castle”. from the signboard at the siteThe entrance to the Back RouteThe Back Route seen from the entranceThe ruins of the well
Main Enclosure as Center of Castle
You can walk on stone steps through the alternate Main Gate ruins surrounded by stone walls into the Main Enclosure. The enclosure is very large but empty now except for the monument of the castle. There are some flat exhibitions which indicates what buildings were built, such as the Southwestern Corner Turret and the Hall Turrets, by using stone foundations, gravel, paved areas.
The map around the Main Enclosure
Going to the Main EnclosureThe Main EnclosureThe ruins of the Southwestern Corner TurretThe ruins of the Hall Turrets
The stone wall base for the Main Tower is located in the northwestern corner of the enclosure. Though there are only a few stone walls left, you can enjoy see a great view of Genkai-nada Sea and the castle area around.
The stone wall base for the Main TowerOnly a few stone walls remain on the baseA view from the base
