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
Today, Karatsu Castle is open to the public as a modern tourist facility. If you visit the castle site, you will first see the five-layer Imitation Main Tower on the mountain. It is actually a modern building, but its appearance looks like a Main Tower with a popular style when the castle was first built. It is still uncertain if the castle had a Main Tower, however, the tower looks great.
The aerial photo around the castle
If you drive to the castle site, you can park beside the estuary of Matsuura-gawa River. Crossing the road from the parking lot, you will be at the entrance of the castle. You can see the great stone walls of the Second Enclosure on the left, where the government main hall was in the past and a school is now.
A view of the Imitation Main Tower from the parking lotThe stone walls of the Second Enclosure
Climbing on Top, Enjoying great views
Visitors usually go to the center of the castle from the ruins of Sakaguchi-mon Gate. You will climb on the long stone steps to the Secondary Enclosure. The enclosure has the Masugata Entrance which has a square space and is surrounded by stone walls for defense. The enclosure is next to the Main Enclosure where you can look up the stone wall base for the Main Tower including the Imitation Main Tower. You can also enter the Main Enclosure through the restored Main Enclosure Turret Gate.
The long stone steps from the ruins of Sakaguchi-mon GateThe entrance of the Secondary EnclosureLooking up the remaining stone wall base and Imitation Main TowerThe restored Main Enclosure Turret Gate
Alternatively, you can go to the Main Enclosure more easily from the foot of the mountain by using the elevator. This is because the castle is now developed as a modern facility. The Imitation Main Tower is used as a historical museum and observation platform. Inside the tower, you can learn more about the history of the castle and the culture of Karatsu City.
The elevator to the Main EnclosureThe inside of the Main EnclosureThe Imitation Tower used as the historical museum and observation platform
On the top floor, you can enjoy a great 360-degree view of the city. For example, A beautiful pine forest along the beach can be seen over the estuary of Matsuura-gawa River in the east. It is known as Nijino-Matsubara or the Rainbow Pine Forest which Hitotaka Terasawa developed. In fact, the mountain you are standing was connected to the beach before the castle was built. You can also see a view of Genkai-nada Sea in the north, the city area in the south, and the former castle area along the beach to the west.
A view including the Rainbow Pine Forest in the eastGenkai-nada Sea in the northThe Second Enclosure along the beach in the westThe city area and Matsuura-gawa River in the south
Walking around to see what castle was like
If you want to see more about what Karatsu Castle was like in the past, how about walking around the present castle? For example, you can walk along the foot area of the mountain along the coast. This area is called the Belt Enclosure where some turrets on the stone walls were built to prevent attacks from the sea. The stone walls remain and some plaster walls were restored recently on them. You can see these stone walls stand by the shore and they protected the castle strongly.
The Belt Enclosure at foot of the mountainOne of the ruins of the turretsThe stone walls standing by the shore
You can also walk from the mountain to the west along the beach. The area is called the Second Enclosure where many warriors’ houses were built. The area was turned into the city area, but you can see the long stone walls along the enclosure remain. You will also see the water moat dividing the Second and Third Enclosures and the restored Drum Tower at the Second Gate Ruins.
The long stone walls along the Second EnclosureThe moat between the Second and Third EnclosuresThe restored Drum Tower
