If you are interested in the Yamaga military style, you can find the loopholes through stones near the Raccoon Dog Turret. Loopholes for guns were usually built through only mud or plaster walls in other castles. However, in Hirado Castle, they were built through the stone walls as well, which is a very rare feature in Japanese castles. It is thought that they were built using the Yamaga style.
An example of normal loopholes for guns from Himeji Castlea loophole through Stones of Hirado Castle, exhibited by Hirado Castle
Later History
After the Meiji Restoration, Hirado Castle was abandoned, and most of the castle buildings were demolished. The ruins became Kameoka Park. In 1962, the Imitation Main Tower and four turrets were rebuilt and opened to the public as the new Hirado Castle. Hirado City recently started a new and unique promotion with private companies offering visitors one of the turrets, called Kaiju-Yagura, to be remodeled and operate as a hotel.
The Imitation TowerThe Kenso Turret, one of the rebuilt turrets in the castleThe Kaiju Turret which is also used as a hotel
My Impression
The present Hirado Castle is not what I had expected before my visit because I thought the castle still kept its old style from the 16th Century. I was convinced of that after learning the history of the castle prior to my visit. I think the castle has a unique atmosphere which probably originates from the Yamaga military style. If you want to learn more about its history, I recommend visiting the restored Dutch Trading House or Matsura Historical Museum near Hirado Port.
The unique shape of the Main Enclosure of Hirado CastleThe restored Dutch Trading House seen from the Main Tower
How to get There
I recommend the use of a car when you visit the castle. It is about 30 minutes away from Matsuura IC or Saza IC on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway. You can park at the parking lots at Kameoka Park. If you go there from Tokyo or Osaka, I recommend going to either Fukuoka or Nagasaki Airports by plane. After that, it’s better to rent a car as it takes a lot more time to visit the castle by using public transportation to get there.
Today, if you are close to the present Hirado Castle and look at the Imitation Main Tower and some rebuilt turrets on the hill, you may feel that the arrangement of how they are placed is odd. In other castles in general, the Main Tower and turrets are placed along the natural terrain. However, those of Hirado Castle look like they are facing their own directions. This is probably because these buildings were built along the complex line of the stone walls surrounding the castle, based on the Yamaga style.
The Imitation Tower and rebuilt turrets on the hill
The aerial photo around the castle
If you drive to the castle, you can easily go up to the parking lot in the northern part of the hill near the top. After parking, you can walk on the path to the Main Enclosure on the top. The trail reaches the only remaining castle buildings, which are the North Entrance Gate and the Raccoon Dog Turret. The stone walls beside the gate rise with an acute angle to the neighboring turret called Jizozaka Yagura. This interesting feature may have come from the Yamaga style as well. After passing the gate, you will go on the zigzagged route surrounded by stone walls to the Main Enclosure.
The path from the parking lot to the topThe North Entrance GateThe Raccoon Dog TurretThe stone walls rising to the Jizozaka TurretGoing to the Main Enclosure
Main Route to Kameoka Shrine as Approach
You can also access the castle from the south by walking on the Main Route. The route is also the approach to the Kameoka Shrine which is located in the Second Enclosure. The ruins of the Main Gate are on the route. These ruins still have a square space surrounded by strong stone walls, called Masugata, which were built for defense. If you go on to the Second Enclosure Gate’s wide stone steps of the ruins, you will be in the Second Enclosure. There was the Second Enclosure Main Hall where the lord of the Hirado Domain lived. The three-story Inui Turret was rebuilt in the present time as a souvenir shop. The Kameoka Shrine is at the back of the enclosure below the Main Enclosure.
The Main RouteThe ruins of the Main GateThe square space of the Main GateThe ruins of the Second Enclosure GateThe rebuilt Inui TurretThe Kameoka Shrine
Castle, Town and Sea seen from Main Tower
The Main Enclosure has the Imitation Main Tower and two rebuilt turrets. The Main Tower was originally another turret called Okimi-Yagura. It is actually a modern building used as a historical museum and observation platform. From the top floor, you can enjoy a great view of the area around the castle, seeing Hirado Port in the north and Hirado Strait in the east both connect to the Genkai-nada Sea, and there is the interesting shape of the enclosure below.
The Imitation TowerA north view seen from the Main TowerA east view seen from the Main TowerA view of the Main Enclosure seen from the Main Tower
The castle built with the Yamaga style military ingenuity
Location and History
Matsura Clan builds Former Castle
Hirado Castle is located in Hirado Island in the northwestern part of the Kyushu Region. The area around the island faces the Genkai-nada Sea between Japan and Korea. Because of this reason, the area prospered with sea transportation including overseas trade from the Ancient Times. A warriors’ group, known as the Matsuura Group, was very active using naval forces and sometimes pirates in the Middle Ages. In the 16th Century, one lord of the group, Takanobu Matsura, attained power and became a great warlord. He also supported the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and succeeded in maintaining his territory around the island.
The location of the castle
The portrait of Takanobu Matsura, owned by Matsura Historical Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Takanobu’s son, Shigenobu became the founder of the Hirado Domain in 1600 by supporting the Tokugawa Shogunate. He also began construction of a new castle in 1599, known as Hinodake Castle, the former Hirado Castle, on Kameoka Hill at the edge of Hirado Island. Many of the details of Hinodake Castle are not known, but only an illustration of the castle, drawn by a Dutch missionary, is known to exist. According to the illustration, the castle had a spectacular tall Main Tower. However, the castle was burned down in 1613, probably just after its completion. The cause of the fire is unclear. One theory indicates Shigenobu himself burned the castle to avoid the shogunate’s doubt to Shigenobu that he might still have supported the Toyotomi Clan against the shogunate
The portrait of Shigenobu Matsura, owned by Matsura Historical Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The illustration of Hinodake Castle, in the 17th Century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Rise and Fall of Hirado International Port
On the other hand, the area of Hirado Domain had been prospering as an international trading port since the arrival of Portuguese ships in 1550. When the domain was established, there were both the Dutch and English trading houses beside Hirado Port. In particular, the Dutch merchants brought silk products from Taiwan in exchange for silver in Japan. They made huge profits with this trade, and the Hirado Domain could also maintain their power without the need of the castle to support it. However, the Tokugawa Shogunate ordered the merchants to destroy the trading house and move to Nagasaki in 1641. This was probably because the shogunate aimed to monopolize the trade with foreign countries. It is also thought that the shogunate feared the spreading of Christianity after the Shimabara Rebellion being started by some Christians in Japan in 1637. Anyway, the power of the Hirado Domain declined due to the shogunate’s decision.
The restored Dutch trading house in Hirado (licensed by Hkusano via Wikimedia Commons)Part of the folding screens of Shimabara Rebellion, owned by Asakura City Akizuki Museum, from the exhibition of Arima Christian Heritage Museum
5th Lord, Takashi Matsura rebuilds Hirado Castle
Takashi Matsura, the 5th lord of the Hirado Domain, wanted to be an influencer in the Japanese political world. The Matsura Clan was one of the non-hereditary feudal lord families who were basically not able to have important roles in the central government. However, Takashi became the first commissioner of temples and shrines from the non-hereditary feudal lords in 1691. This was due to a harmonious relationship between the 5th Shogun, Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, and him. Then, his next objective was to rebuild his clan’s own castle again. Constructions of castles were basically not allowed by the shogunate to be against it. Nevertheless, the re-building of the castle was approved probably because of the good relationship with the shogun as well.
The portrait of Takashi Matsura, owned by Chojuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The portrait of Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, attributed to Mitsuoki Tosa, owned by Tokugawa Art Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Takashi rebuilt the castle named Hirado Castle at the same place as Hinodake Castle between 1703 and 1707. It was built using an advanced military ingenuity known as Yamaga style. One of the features of the castle from this style was the use of complex formed perimeters. The castle had three enclosures from the top of the structure to the foot of the hill; the Main, Second and Third Enclosures. Each enclosure was surrounded by stone walls which bended elaborately. The reason for it is thought to eliminate blind spots for the defenders in the event of an attack. The sea facing the north, east and west sides of the castle presented a natural hazard. The Main Gate was open to the south, where there was a deep dry moat in front of the gate to prevent attacks from this direction. The rebuilt castle had no Main Tower, but instead there was the three-story turret called Inui-Yagura as the symbol of the castle in the Second Enclosure. The Matsura Clan governed the castle and the Hirado Domain until the end of the Edo Period.
The illustration of Hirado Castle in Hizen Province, in 1703, owned by Matsura Historical Museum, The copy of the one submitted to the Tokugawa Shogunate, exhibited by Hirado CastleThe zoomed part of the Main Enclosure on the illustration aboveThe restored Inui-Yagura Turret
