Northern enclosure – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

181.Kokura Castle Part3

In the morning of the 9th August of 1945, a US B-29 bomber, called Bockscar, was carrying the second atomic bomb to Japan. In fact, its first target was the arms factory of Kokura (in the third enclosure of Kokura Castle).

Features

Other Enclosures of Castle

The park still has other enclosures. Kita-no-maru (meaning the northern enclosure) was used as the lord’s family residence or retreat and is used as Kokura-Gion-Yasaka Shrine. It is connected to the main enclosure via Tamon-guchi-mon Gate where you can see the oldest stone walls in the castle around. The walls had been built by Katsunari Mori before Tadaoki Hosokawa came. There are also well-maintained stone walls and water moats around the Kita-no-maru Enclosure, so this is a good walking spot.

The aerial photo around the castle

The Kita-no-maru enclosure (the current Kokura-Gion-Yasaka Shrine)

The Tamonguchi-mon Gate, quoted from Kokura Castle Website

The stone walls and water moats surrounding the Kita-no-maru Enclosure

Matsu-no-maru (meaning the pine enclosure) is in the south of the main enclosure. It was used as Tadaoki’s father’s residence or warehouses when the castle was active; it is currently an event square. It was once used as the headquarters of the 12th Brigade like the main enclosure.

Third Enclosure including Monument for Atomic Bomb Victims

If you go further to the south, there is a modern park area which was the third enclosure used as the senior vassals’ residences. During World War II, there was a large arms factory, but now there is a monument for atomic bomb victims. The reason for it will be written in the next section.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, the main portion of Kokura Castle was turned into military facilities and the other area became the city area of Kokura. It changed from a Samurai city to a military city. In the morning of the 9th August of 1945, a US B-29 bomber, called Bockscar, was carrying the second atomic bomb to Japan. In fact, its first target was the arms factory of Kokura. However, it could not focus on the target because of thick cloud and finally dropped the bomb into Nagasaki. As a result, people in Kokura were lucky, but they should not be pleased about it. That’s why the former factory site has the monument. After the the war, the occupation army used the castle site until 1957. The current Main Tower was rebuilt in 1959.

Bockscar, exhibited by National Museum of the United States Air Force *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The monument for the atomic bomb victims in the third enclosure

My Impression

I think that if the current Main Tower of Kokura Castle had kept the original design of the Western style, it would be more popular than now. This is because the design is very unique which would attract more current visitors. However, the people who wanted to rebuild the tower chose another direction. That was probably because they wanted a tower which was competitive with other castles. I don’t think the tower ever needs to be replaced with a new one with an original design because it would cost a lot and the current tower is also a historical item.

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about a 5-minute drive away from Katsuyama Exit on the Kitakyushu Expressway.
There is a parking lot in the park.
By public transportation, it takes about 15 minutes on foot from JR Kokura Station.
From Tokyo or Osaka to the station: take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express.

Links and References

・Kokura Castle Official Website

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194.Saiki Castle Part3

People can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area.

Features

Northen Enclosure and Two Reservoirs

Let us visit the Northern Enclosure on the northern ridge of the mountain, which spreads from the Main Enclosure as well. Its top area is also surrounded by low stone walls being lined up neatly. It is separated from the Main Enclosure by an altered gate with stone walls and has the exit to the Back Route (also called Wakamiya Route) nearby.

The mountain part of the castle

The long Northen Enclosure on the northern ridge

The stone walls surrounding the top of the Northern Enclosure

If you get out of the exit and climb down the trail on the route, you will eventually reach the two major reservoirs on the back valley, the upper Male Pond and the lower Female Pond. They are also surrounded by stone walls, which were probably considered the lifeline of the castle.

If you go up the trail a little, you can walk around the mid slope of the northern ridge where you can see some base stone walls beside the trail. The Northern Enclosure is supported by both of the stone walls around the top and the base. As you walk around, you will also see the great four-tiered stone walls supporting the Main Enclosure, which were recently discovered in 2009.

The path around the mid slope of the northern ridge

The stone walls supporting the base of the northern ridge

Defensive spot of Castle

There is also the Western Enclosure on the western ridge, which is next to the Second Enclosure, opposite the Main Enclosure. It is separated from the Second Enclosure by a narrow gate with stone walls and has the end point of the Suimei Route from the foot of the mountain. This was the defensive spot of the castle’s western side which is another viewing spot of the city area. You can also see round-shaped stone foundations there, which do not belong to the castle, but are the ruins of an anti-aircraft gun position during WWII.

The gate between the Second and Western Enclosures

The turret ruins at the Western Enclosure

The ruins of the anti-aircraft gun position

Remaining Main Hall Gate

The bottom part has the Third Enclosure Turret Gate, the only remaining building of the castle. This gate was the one for the Main Hall for the lord in the enclosure. The inside of it behind the gate is an empty space now. Saiki City Historical Museum is another attraction of the castle where you can learn about the history of the castle and city, including Takamasa Mori, the founder of the castle. You can also enjoy a view of the mountain with great stone walls on the top, from the front of the museum.

The map around the castle

The remaining Third Enclosure Turret Gate

The inside of the Third Enclosure is empty

The entrance of Saiki City Historical Museum

A view of the castle ruins from the front of the museum

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Saiki Castle was abandoned and all the buildings on the mountain were demolished. The mountain part was eventually used as a park and Mori Shrine. Saiki City started to excavate the mountain in 2009. The excavation team found that the castle was a newly built mountain castle in the Edo Period which was very rare in Japan. As a result, the castle ruins on the mountain were just designated as a National Historic Site in 2022. The bottom part had part of the Main Hall with its gate as an official building or a school for a long time, however the final remaining entrance of the hall was move to another place in 1969 for the construction of the Saiki Cultural Hall. The only remaining gate has been designated as a tangible cultural property of the city.

The photo of the entrance of the hall before being moved, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

My Impression

I think people in Saiki City are proud of their home town and its history. For example, in their daily life, if they have time and the weather is not bad, they can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area. As a result, they can enjoy beautiful scenery, get good health, and learn their local history. I wish I could live in an area like Saiki City.

A full view of the castle ruins (the mountain and foot)

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 15 minute drive away from Saiki IC on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the castle ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Oita bus from JR Saiki Station and get off at the Ote-mae bus stop. It takes a few minutes on foot to get there.
For visitors from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the express bus to Oita Station from Oita Airport after using a plane, and get the train on the Nippo Line from the station.

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190.Yatsushiro Castle Part3

The more I learn about the castle, the more I want to go back and visit again.

Features

Other Attractions than Main Enclosure

Other than the Main Enclosure, the others were turned into the city area. However, some traces of the castle can be seen in several places. For example, the former Second Enclosure, located in the east of the Main Enclosure, is used for modern buildings such as the city hall. The area is surrounded by low stone walls, which were probably re-piled using excavated stones. Some of them look new and very white!. It could be because they had been buried for a long time before they were found.

The map around the castle

Yatsushiro City Hall and the stone walls surrounding it

The Northern Enclosure, located in the north of the Main Enclosure, was used as the retreat residence of Sansai Hosokawa and the home of the Matsui Clan later. There are still some stone walls surrounding it, which look original. The inside of it is used as Matsui Srine which worships the clan’s ancestors.

The stone walls surrounding the Northern Enclosure

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Yatsushiro Castle was abandoned and all the castle buildings were demolished. Few of them were moved and remain in other places. Most of the castle land was turned into the city area with its moats being filled, while Yatsushiro Shrine was built in the Main Enclosure in 1884. As a result, the group of the three castles, which were called Yatsushiro Castle in each period, as Furufumoto, Mugishima, and present time Yatsushiro Castle, have been designated as a National Historic Site together since 2014.

The entrance of Yatsushiro Shrine, built in the Meiji Era

My Impression

I didn’t know about Yatsushiro Castle at all before my visit. I was first surprised to see the good combination of white stone walls and green water. Then, I understood the elaborate defense system, contributed by the Masugata space. Finally, I enjoyed the great view of the Main Tower stone wall base. After visiting, I learned the two other castles, called Yatsushiro Castle earlier on, and the history of land reclamation in Yatsushiro. In the Edo Period, white stone walls like the castle were built for embankments. I would like to visit the area again some day to see the three Yatsushiro Castles and the white stone walls somewhere.

The stone walls and the Inner Moat at the northern side of the Main Enclosure

Ruins of the land reclamation in Edo Period in Yatsushiro, called Kochuhi

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about a 6km drive away from Yatsushiro IC on the Kyushu Expressway. There is a parking lot beside the northeastern corner of the Main Enclosure.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Sanko Bus bound for Yatsushiro-Sanko from Yatsushiro Station and get off at the Yatsushirogu-mae bus stop to get there.
From Fukuoka to Yatsushiro Station: Take the Kyushu Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Kagoshima Line at Shin-Yatsushiro Station.

The parking lot of the castle ruins for visitors

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