There are plenty of history to see even in the museum.
Features
Main Enclosure still looks like Castle
Today, the ruins of Kagoshima Castle are used like that the Main Enclosure as the Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical Material called Reimeikan, the Second Enclosure as other public facilities, and Shiroyama Mountain as the Shiroyama Park. In particular, the Main Enclosure still looks like a castle today because its stone walls are still intact and its front gate was recently restored. If you stand in front of the enclosure, you may feel its pride as the home base of the Shimazu Clan.
The aerial photo around the castle
The Main Enclosure of Kagoshima Castle
The stone walls, which are still surrounded by the water moat, are piled precisely by using well processed stones in a method called Kirikomi-hagi. An interesting thing about them is that their one corner has an internal angle of two walls, called Irisumi. This is because the corner faces the northeastern side which was thought to be an unlucky direction, called Kimon or the Devil’s Gate. People who built the castle considered that the specially built corner could prevent misfortunes from the direction.
The stone walls of the Main EnclosureThe Irisumi part at the northeastern corner
The front gate called Goro-mon stands out between the stone walls. It has been said it is one of the largest castle gates in Japan, with its height and width of about 20m. it was restored using wood in April 2020, after 147 years since it had been burned down in 1873, based on its old photos and the remaining stone foundations.
The restored Goro-mon GateThe gate uses thick woods
You can enter the gate by going across the original stone bridge over the moat in front of it. Other stone walls stand inside the gate and you will need to turn right and walk on the zigzagged steps or slopes to reach the center of the enclosure. You can see an uncountable number of dents on the stone walls, which were traces of gun shot by the government army in Seinan War. They make us understand how severe the attack of the army was.
Going across the original stone bridge to enter the gateThe inside of the gateSome of the dents on the stone walls caused by Seinan War
Wonderful exhibitions in Reimeikan Museum
The Reimeikan is an excellent historical museum, which has huge amounts of historical, folk and art items regarding the Kagoshima Prefecture. You can learn about the history including the castle and culture of the prefecture inside. There may be too many items to see in one day. I also recommend seeing very well designed miniature models of historical buildings such as Kagoshima Castle, Shibushi Castle (a local castle in the prefecture) and Izumi Outer Castle.
The Reimeikan MuseumThe miniature model of Kagoshima CastleThe miniature model of Izumi Outer Castle
There are also many dioramas of historical events which helps visitors understand more easily. I hope these good activities of the museum will continue to become more popular.
The diorama of the Tenmonkan street in Taisho EraThe diorama of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi where the Satsuma Domain defeated the Tokugawa Shogunate troops
Shiroyama Mountain like natural park
The Shiroyama Park on Shiroyama Mountain behind the Main Enclosure is easy to go to because the mountain is not so high at only 107m above sea level. You can go up a trail like walking to the top which look like a natural park rather than a historical site. This could be because the Satsuma Domain rarely used the mountain as part of the castle and banned people from entering it during the Edo Period. You can only see the trace of enclosures, which are surrounded by earthen walls, coming from the Kamiyama Clan’s mountain castle before the Shimazu Clan.
The trail to the top of the mountainThe place which is surrounded the earthen walls
Anyway, the top is a very popular view spot of Sakurajima (an active volcano island) and Kagoshima city area, where you can also enjoy the view.
The observation platform near the topA view from the platform, but Sakurajima Island hides behind the cloud
The home base of the Shimazu Clan and the final place of Seinan War
Location and History
Castle is built after Battle of Sekigahara
Kagoshima Castle was the home base of the Shimazu Clan during the Edo Period and is also known as the final battlefield of Seinan War which was the last civil war in Japan in 1877. The Shimazu Clan had been a great warlord in the southern part of the Kyushu Region during the Sengoku Period between the middle 15th and the late 16th Centuries. However, in the fateful Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the West Squad including the clan was completely defeated by the East Squad, led by Ieyasu Tokugawa who would be the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Shimazu troops with about 1500 soldiers somehow escaped from the battlefield in the Chubu Region (central Japan) to their home base of Satsuma Province in the Kyushu Region. However, only 80 clan members survived.
The location of the castle
The folding screens of the Sekigahara Battle, owned by Sekigahara Town History and Folklore Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The Shimazu Clan was worried that the shogunate would attack Satsuma Province directly. Therefore, the clan decided to build a new castle as their home base, which was stronger than their previous one like a simple hall. It was built at the foot of the Shiroyama Mountain on the west, which would be used as the final place for emergencies. It had the Main and Second Enclosures which were surrounded by stone walls and water moats from the north, the east and the south. The Main Enclosure had the Main Hall for the lord inside and one of the largest castle gates in Japan, called Goro-mon. However, the defense system of the castle was still not as complex as those of other major castles in Japan, such as the Main Tower, several-level turrets, and high, elaborately bent stone walls. This was because the Satsuma Domain led by the Shimazu Clan also had a unique defense system called Tojo or the Outer Castles. It refers to the domain sending many of its retainers to their local sites and letting them govern and protect it by themselves, which was different from other domains bringing their retainers together in their home base.
The miniature model of Kagoshima Castle, viewed from the northeastern direction, exhibited by the Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical MaterialThw part of Goro-mon Gate from the miniature model aboveThe miniature model of Izumi Outer Castle, a representative one in the Satsuma Domain, exhibited by the Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical Material
Luckily, the shogunate allowed the Satsuma Domain to continue to govern Satsuma Province until the end of the Edo Period. Even in Anglo-Satsuma War in 1863 when the English Navy battleships shot the Kagoshima city area, the castle was not targeted because it didn’t have tall buildings. After the Meiji Restoration, the castle was used as the prefectural office and as a Japanese Army base, but the buildings of the Main Enclosures were unfortunately burned down by an accidental fire in 1874.
The old photo of Kagoshima Castle, taken just before burning down, exhibited by the Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical Material
Outbreak of Seinan War
The climax event for the castle finally happened in 1877. Takamori Saigo, one of the Three Greatest Heroes of the Restoration, quit all his government posts, being against the other two, Toshimichi Okubo and Takayoshi Kido, and returned to his home of Kagoshima in 1873. He established his private school called Shigakko in the Second Enclosure of Kagoshima Castle in 1874 to educate young warriors. He tried to control the young people gently, however, as a result, he became the head of the rebellion against the government led by Okubo, which eliminated the privileges of warriors, such as having a sword, and it cut their hereditary salaries in 1876. Several rebellions happened in the same year, followed by the largest Seinan War led by Saigo, which occurred in February of 1877.
The portrait of Takamori Saigo by Edoardo Chiossone (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The portrait of Toshimichi Okubo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Saigo with his troops decided to go north and capture Kumamoto Castle. He and his crew were at first optimistic as they were professional warriors and accommodated supporters from other areas in the Kyushu Region, with the total of 30,000 at maximum. While the number of the defenders in the castle was only over 3,000 and many of them were drafted farmers. The Saigo troops even expected that the defenders would soon surrender because some of their leaders had come from Satsuma. However, the defenders, led by General Tani, never surrendered and Okubo sent the reinforcement to the castle. It also had many drafted soldiers, but was more well trained than Saigo expected and more equipped and supplied than the Saigo troops. The government even used advanced information technologies such as telegraph the Saigo troops never had. Saigo had to withdraw from Kumamoto Castle in April and tried to stay in other areas in the Kyushu Region, such as Hitoyoshi Castle, but all failed. He finally declared the dissolution of his troops in August. He and his close warriors of only nearly 400 wanted to have their last and desperate battle in their original home base, Kagoshima Castle.
Kumamoto CastleThe commanders of Chinzei Chindai led by General Tateki Tani, from Asahi encyclopedia (licensed under Public Domain via Wikipedia Commons)
Last moment of Saigo and Castle
They somehow reached there in the first of September and allocated themselves to the foot area and Shiroyama Mountain. Of course, they were too few to prevent the government troops of as many as 50 thousands from attacking. If it had been in the Sengoku Period, Saigo would have set his stronghold on the mountain, but it was impossible because it could be targeted by cannons. Therefore, he had to stay in the caves in a valley between the mountain and the foot, which would be called the Saigo Caves later on. The government troops completely besieged the Satsuma rebels so that no one could escape. Their full scale attack was done on 24th of September. Saigo was assaulted from his cave, but was shot, and finally killed himself by performing the Harakiri.
The Saigo CavesThe government army fortification around Shiroyama Mountain (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
次の地震に備えるためにはどうすればよいのでしょうか？ What should be the plan to be prepared for the next earthquake?
熊本城の天守（The Tenshu keep of Kumamoto Castle）taken by さてらいと from photoAC
何が起こったか～What happened?
２０１６年に熊本地震が起きてから３年以上経過しました。この地震により熊本県には甚大な被害が発生し、熊本城も同様でした。城にとって最も深刻だったのが、５０か所に渡り石垣が崩壊したことでした。石垣の崩壊により、多くの建物が倒壊したり、破損または深刻な状態に陥りました。現存する日本の城壁の中では一番長く、重要文化財に指定されている長塀は、全長２４２ｍのうち８０ｍが崩壊しました。
Over 3 years have passed since the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes. They caused great damage to the area in Kumamoto Prefecture including Kumamoto Castle. For the castle, the most serious factor could be the collapse of stone walls in 50 points. With the collapse, many buildings were either torn down, were broken or are in critical condition. The Long Wall, the longest among the remaining castle walls in Japan, designated as an important cultural property, collapsed over 80m out of 242m in total.
地震前の長塀（The Long Wall before the earthquakes）licensed by DryPot via Wikimedia Commons修理中の長塀、２０１９年６月時点（The Long Wall under repair in June, 2019）
もう一つの重要文化財である東十八間櫓は、石垣とともに完全に倒壊しました。
Another important cultural property, Higashi-Juhakken Turret also torn down completely with stone walls.
地震前の東十八間櫓（Higashi-Juhakken Turret before the earthquakes）lisencesd by Reggaeman via Wikimedia Commons東十八間櫓は跡形もありません、２０１７年１２月時点（Higashi-Juhakken Turret disappeared without trace, taken in December,2017）
最近復元された建物もまた被害を受けました。特に飯田丸五階櫓は、わずかに片隅の石垣によって支えられている「奇跡の一本石垣」として注目されました。 Recently restored building also suffered, in particular, Iidamaru-five-layer-turret was focused on for being supported by only one corner stone to survive, known as “the miracle lone stone walls”.
飯田丸五階櫓と一本石垣、２０１６年７月時点、現在は再建のため一旦撤去されている（Iidamaru-five-layer-turret and the miracle lone stone walls in July,2016. They were once demolished to reconstruct in the future.）産経フォトより引用
乾櫓も同じような状況でした。 Inui-turret has had a similar situation.
乾櫓、２０１７年１２月時点（Inui Turret in December, 2017）乾櫓石垣の状態、２０１７年１２月時点（The state of Inui Turret’s stone walls）
１９６０年に現代の工法で外観復元された天守も被害を免れませんでした。ほとんどの屋根瓦が地震で剝げ落ちてしまったのです。
The Tenshu keep, which was apparently restored in the modern way in 1960, was not without suffering. Almost all of its roof tiles were peeled off by the earthquakes.
修理中の天守、２０１７年１２月時点（The Tenshu keep under repair in December, 2017）
城の現存建物の中で最大の宇土櫓は、比較的少ない被害で済みました。この櫓の頑丈さが改めて認識されるとともに、地震の被害者をも勇気づけているとのことです。
Udo-turret, the largest remaining building in the castle had relatively small damage. People say that it has shown its strength and has encouraged victims of the earthquakes.
宇土櫓、２０１７年１２月時点（Udo Turret in December, 2017）
熊本市長は、天守を修理するのに３年、城全体を元通りにするのに２０年かかると言っていました。その通りに天守の復元はなされており、２０１９年１０月から部分的に公開されています。
The mayor of Kumamoto City stated that it would take 3 years to fix the Tenshu, and 20 years would be needed to restore the castle completely. As he said, the restoration of Tenshu has been done, it has partly open since October 2019.
２０１９年９月時点の天守（The Tenshu keep in September, 2019）産経フォトより引用
立地と歴史～Location and History
熊本城は、現在の熊本市の丘陵地帯の端に位置する茶臼山の上にあります。この城は加藤清正が１５８８年に肥後（現在の熊本県）の国主として着任してきてから有名になりました。清正は、薩摩国（現在の鹿児島県）の島津氏の幕府への反逆を防ぐため、この城を強大に作り込みました。加藤氏が改易となった後、その後を継いだ細川氏も江戸時代を通じて大変な労力を投じて城を維持、拡張してきました。 Kumamoto Castle has been located on a mountain called Chausu-yama on the edge of the hilly area which is now Kumamoto City. The castle became famous since Kiyomasa Kato was placed as the lord of Higo Province (what is now called Kumamoto Pref.) in 1588. Kiyomasa built the castle so large and strong that it could avoid The Shimadu’s invasion from Satsuma Province (Kagoshima Pref.) against the Shogunate. The Hosokawa clan following kato’s position after they quit, continued to keep and develop the castle making great efforts all through the Edo Period.
城周辺の起伏地図（The relief map around the castle）
加藤清正像、本妙寺蔵、江戸時代（The portrait of Kiyomasa Kato in Edo Period, owned by Honmyoji Temple）licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
明治維新後、この城は日本陸軍の九州地方の根拠地となり、「鎮西鎮台」と呼ばれました。１８７７年に予期もしていなかった戦いが政府軍と西郷隆盛率いる薩摩反乱軍との間で起こりました。この戦いは「西南戦争」と呼ばれ、日本最後の内戦であるとともに、政府による徴兵と西郷指揮下の元武士との戦いであるとも見なされました。
After the Meiji Restoration, the castle was turned to into a Japanese Army base in Kyushu region called “Chinzei Chindai”. An unexpected battle happened between the Government Army and the Satusma Rebel Army led by Takamori Saigo in 1877. It was called “the Seinan War”, which was the last civil war in Japan, and also regarded as a battle between drafted soldiers under the Government and former warriors under Saigo.
西郷隆盛像、エドアルド・キヨッソーネ作（The portrait of Takamori Saigo by Edoardo Chiossone）licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
熊本城が実際の戦いに使われたのはこれが最初だったのです。西郷は城を包囲したのですが、この間天守を含む多くの建物が失火により焼けてしまいました。しかし城の中の兵隊たちは、政府からの援軍が到着するまで耐え忍び、ついに西郷は撤退しました。武士の世が終わってからの近代戦においてさえ、この城が強力であることが証明されたのです。城跡は最終的には１９３１年に国の史跡に指定されました。
That was the first time that Kumamoto Castle was used for actual fighting. Saigo surrounded the castle while many of the buildings including the Tenshu keep were burned accidentally. But the soldiers in the castle survived until the reinforcements from the Government arrived before Saigo withdrew. Even the modern war prove the strength of the castle after warriors’ governance ended. The ruins was finally designated as a National Historic Site in 1931.
谷干城少将に率いられた鎮西鎮台の指揮官たち、朝日百科より（The commanders of Chinzei Chindai led by General Tateki Tani, from Asahi encyclopedia）licensed under Public Domain via Wikipedia Commons
これからどうなる？～What will happen?
なぜ復元にそんなに時間がかかるかというと、熊本城が文化財だからです。例えば、崩壊した石垣の場合では、一つ一つの石は元の場所に戻されなければなりません。それぞれの石の３次元データを登録し、以前の写真と照合し、位置を確定するのです。更には、石垣を復元するのは元の伝統的工法でなければなりません。それができる企業や職人は限られています。またそれには莫大な予算も必要です。
The reason why the restoration takes so long time is mainly the castle being a cultural property. For example. In case of collapsing stone walls, each stone must be returned to the original position. Its 3-dimensional shapes are registered and checked with old pictures to match the position. In addition, restoring stone walls is required to build in the original traditional way. There are also few companies and craftsmen who can do it. it will also require huge funds.
復元を待つ石たち、２０１７年１２月時点（Stones waitng for being restored in December, 2017）
私の意見～My Opinion
私は最近現場を見て回りましたが、復元にそんなにも時間がかかることは理解できました。しかし、もしまた地震が起こったらどうするのでしょうか？清正は、あの有名な「武者返し」と呼ばれる石垣のカーブを地震による崩壊を防ぐために作ったのだと言う科学者がいます。
I looked around the site recently and also realized that the restoration would take such a long time. But what should be the plan if another earthquake happens? Some scientists say that Kiyomasa might have created the famous curve of the stone walls called “Musha-Gaeshi” to prevent it from collapse by an earthquake.
熊本城の「武者返し」の石垣と天守（The stone walls called “Musha-Gaeshi” with Tenshu）taken by ichico from photoAC
江戸時代初期のこの城の城主だった細川忠利は、余分な建物を撤去し、次来る地震に備えて「地震屋」と呼ばれる避難所を建てました。 Tadatoshi Hosokawa, a lord of the castle in the early Edo Period, removed extra buildings and built a refuge shelter called “jishinya” to be prepared for the next earthquake.
細川忠利肖像画、矢野吉重筆、永青文庫蔵（The portrait of Tadatoshi Hosokawa, attributed to Yoshishige Yano, owned by Eisei Bunko Musemu）licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
たとえ今は文化財であっても、元々のやり方が常にベストとは限りません。熊本市は、大きな地震が発生したときにも安全であるよう、長期的に城の新しい復元手法を開発するとのことです。それが早く実現するよう願ってやみません。
Even if the castle is now a cultural property, the original way is not always the best. Kumamoto City says that they will develop new methods for restoring the castle in the long term to be safe when a large earthquake happens. I really hope it will work in practice soon.
宇土櫓と修理中の天守、２０１７年１２月時点（Udo Turret, and Tenshu under repair in December, 2017）
ここに行くには～How to get There
熊本駅から：
熊本市電を使うときは、熊本駅前電停から熊本城・市役所前電停まで乗ります。約１７分かかります。
バスを使うときは、熊本駅前バス停から桜町バスターミナルまで乗ります。約１０分かかります。
From Kumamoto Station:
When using Kumamoto City Tram, take the tram from Kumamoto-Eki-Mae tram stop to Kumamotojo-Shiyakusho-Mae tram stop. It takes about 17 minutes.
When using Bus, take it from Kumamoto-Eki-Mae bus stop to Sakuramachi bus terminal. It takes about 10 minutes.
リンク、参考情報～Links and Rererences
・熊本城公式サイト（Kumamoto Castle Official Website） ・「復興熊本城Vol.２ 天守復興編Ⅰ 平成30年度上半期まで」熊本日日新聞社（Japanese Book） ・「熊本城の被災修復と細川忠利」後藤典子著、熊日新書（Japanese Book） ・「歴史群像２０１６年８月号／壮烈！熊本城攻防戦」学研プラス（Japanese Magazine） ・「ＢＳ１スペシャルよみがえれ熊本城 サムライの英知を未来へ」ＮＨＫ、２０１７年（Japanese TV Program）
