About Kumamoto Castle

If you are thinking of taking a tour or trip to Kumamoto Castle, we recommend Club Tourism 's Kumamoto Castle tour or trip! We will introduce you to Highlights and columns of Kumamoto Castle. You can easily search and book tours on Club Tourism website.

Touring famous castles in Japan

Kumamoto Castle Special Feature

Himeji Castle Special

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Kumamoto Castle

The famous general Kato Kiyomasa poured his heart and soul into constructing the castle over a period of seven years, beginning in 1601, making use of his many years of battle experience.
The castle is a terraced flatland castle. It has large and small castle towers, 49 yagura (turrets), 18 turret gates, and 29 castle gates. The castle covers an area of approximately 98 hectares (the size of 21 Tokyo Domes) and has a circumference of approximately 5.3 km. It is a magnificent structure, known for its elegant stone walls known as Kiyomasa-ryu stone walls and advanced castle construction techniques that skillfully utilize the natural terrain. The stone walls make extensive use of a type of stone called "musha-gaeshi" that starts off gently sloping but becomes nearly vertical as it goes up.

Although it was partially burned down during the Seinan War in 1877, the entire Kumamoto Castle was designated a historic site and its buildings a national treasure in 1933. In 1960, Kumamoto Castle tower was restored and it is now known as Kumamoto Castle.

Famous Castle Column

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[A high-class samurai residence where you can get a glimpse into life at that time]

The Former Hosokawa Gyobu Residence, located in Sannomaru within the castle grounds, was the residence of the Hosokawa Gyobu family, established by Gyobu Shoyu Okitaka, the younger brother of Tadatoshi, the third generation of the Hosokawa family and the first lord of the Higo domain, and was relocated over a period of four years from 1990. Equipped with the two-storey Shunshokaku in the Omote Goshoin study, a teahouse and a treasure house, it has the prestigious status of being one of the most prestigious samurai residences in the country and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture. Inside the residence, you can see valuable items such as everyday items from that time, and the well-maintained gardens are also wonderful.