1588 Kato Kiyomasa becomes the lord of the northern part of Higo Province (present-day Kumamoto Prefecture) and keeper of ◎Hilltop-Style Castle Higashi-Takenomaru Kumamoto Castle - 400 Years of History A Sukiyamaru Two-Story Hall the original Kumamoto Castle. Special Historical Site, Former Residence of ◎Main Keep: 3-tiered roof, 6 floors, and 1 basement E Compound’s Turrets Hosokawa Gyobu Sannomaru Parking No. 2 Shimbori Bridge Small Keep: 2-tiered roof, 4 floors, and 1 basement 1590 Renovations of the original Kumamoto Castle begin. (closed temporarily) (standard-sized cars) *The keeps were reconstructed from steel-reinforced concrete in 1960. Kenmotsu Turret Hakubutsukan/ ◎Important Cultural Properties Kumamoto Castle during the Kato Era Kumamoto Castle MAP Kyu Hosokawa Gyobutei-mae Uzumi Gate (Shimbori Turret) Iwane Bridge (Disassembled) <National Important Cultural Properties> 13 structures: 1599 Construction of a new castle (present-day Kumamoto Castle) Ruins of Ninomaru Gate Built by Kato Kiyomasa, the new castle’s name characters were Sannomaru Parking No. 1 Kenmotsudai Arboretum Uto Turret, Tago Turret, Shichiken Turret, Juyonken Turret, begins on Chausuyama Plateau. Yonken Turret, Gennoshin Turret, Higashi-Juhachiken 熊本城 Kumamoto City Museum (standard-sized cars & buses (up to 5)) changed to the current characters of Kumamoto Castle ( ) in Turret, Kita-Juhachiken Turret, Goken Turret, Akazu Gate, 1600 Battle of Sekigahara. The main keep is completed around Boanzaka Hill Kato Clan Site of Kita-Ote Gate Hira Turret, Kenmotsu Turret, and Nagabei Long Wall this time. 1607, when the Honmaru (main compound) was completed. At the Inui Turret Kato-jinja Shrine KKR Hotel Kumamoto <Prefectural Important Cultural Property> same time, the castle also earned the nickname, "Gingko Castle" Kumamoto Castle 1607 The new castle (present-day Kumamoto Castle) is completed. KKR Hotel Kumamoto-mae Former Residence of Hosokawa Gyobu Due to the earthquake, the stone wall beneath This landscape, a series of single-story Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art Site of the Domain-Run the recently refurbished Sukiyamaru turrets, gives a good idea of how the castle (Ginnan-jo). The castle is best known for its massive, curved stone Kumamoto Prefecture School Jishukan Gokoku-jinja Shrine Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center Two-Story Hall partially collapsed. The stone area would have looked in its heyday. 1611 walls (called musha-gaeshi) that repelled any enemies who dared try Fujisakidai Prefectural Castle Keeps ( Reign: 2 Generations, 44 ) Years Kiyomasa dies at the age of 50. Baseball Stadium Nishidemaru Site of G Uto Turret Hira Turret Goken Turret (Disassembled) wall supporting the five-story turret (left of Because some of the turrets tilted due to the to climb. This magnificent engineering has led Kumamoto Castle to Ninomaru Park Compound Hohoate Gate (Disassembled) the building in the photo) also collapsed, and earthquake, wire fences and other measures His son, Tadahiro, becomes the second lord of the domain. The Hosokawa Collection Kita-Juhachiken Turret (Disassembled) Heizaemonmaru Compound Special Observation Area Great Ginkgo Tree Akazu Gate the upper surface of the wall cracked. have been employed to prevent collapse. be considered one of Japan’s three most famous castles. Eiseibunko Gallery (Disassembled) Miyauchi Bridge North Gate of Northern Route Higashi-Juhachiken Ninomaru Ticket Office Special Observation Area Nagatsubone Turret (Disassembled) Great Hall of the Honmaru Palace 1632 The Kato clan is removed, and Hosokawa Tadatoshi succeeds Turret Prefectural Museum of Niyo-no-Ishigaki as Lord of Higo Province. Kubikake-ishi B North Gate Art Chibajo Branch (Stone Wall of Two Styles) F & Kuragari Tsuro (Dark Passage) (Massive Stone) Kenritsu Bijutsukan Kumamoto Castle during the Hosokawa Era Ticket Office Kuragari Tsuro Chibajo Park Nishi-Ote Chizu-ishi F Bunkan-yoko (Disaster (Dark Passage) Chibajo Bridge 1640 At the invitation of Tadatoshi, Miyamoto Musashi takes up In 1632, the Kato clan was removed, and Hosokawa Tadatoshi became H Gate Prevention Center) (Stone Map) Kumamoto Castle & Ninomaru Parking Mototaiko (Disassembled) residence in present-day Chibajo district. the lord of Kumamoto Domain. He set about repairing Kumamoto Minami-Ote Gate Miyauchi Parking Turret Sukiyamaru Great Hall of Ninomaru Parking (Disassembled) A the Honmaru Palace Gennoshin Turret Castle, as well as improving and expanding the castle town. (standard-sized cars) (bikes & standard-sized cars) Ninomaru Two-Story Hall Kumamoto Daijingu Shrine Rest Station Kumamoto 1755 The domain-run school called Jishukan opens in Ninomaru Yachoen Garden Bugyomaru Hotel Castle-mae South Gate Ticket Office Niyo-no-Ishigaki Yonken Turret Tani Tateki Statue Hosokawa Clan Compound. His era was also a time of blossoming culture and education with Compound (Stone Wall of Two Styles) B Higashi-Takenomaru Statues of public projects such as the opening of the domain-run school INFORMATION Kodomo Bunka Nishi Turret Gate Juyonken Yokoi Shonan and This is one of the places where the beauty of the In the recently restored interior of the Honmaru Kaikan-mae South Gate of (Disassembled) Plum Turret Compound’s Turrets Meiji Leaders Special Observation E stone walls is on full display due to the Palace (above the pictured subterranean Jishukan in the Ninomaru Compound. Blossom Higashi-Takenomaru Shichiken tunnel), the earthquake caused the floor to slant Japan abolishes its system of feudal domains. Phone: 096-223-5011（Kumamoto Castle Management Center） Hitsujisaru Turret Area side-by-side view of the both the original stone Generations,( Reign: 11 ) Years 239 1871 Kumamoto Castle Garden Compound Turret Takahashi Park Seisoen Garden Special Observation Area Kumamoto Castle Japan Post wall (right) and new stone wall (left) that was and damaged the walls. The Kuragari Tsuro Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Last entry at 4:30 p.m.) Southern Route Kyushu Branch Hokkezaka Hill Iidamaru Compound Tago Turret Inari-jinja Shrine added on later. There is also a spot at the top of the (Dark Passage), which is one of only a handful (Reconstruction Observation Path) of such underground passages in Japan, did not Kumamoto Castle in the Modern Era Please obey the following rules when in the Special Observation Area. Sudoguchi Gate new stone wall that sunk due to the earthquake. Thank you for your kind cooperation. sustain any noticeable damage. In 1877, just before the start of the Satsuma Rebellion, the castle Kumamoto Medical Center C Long Zigzagging 1874 Kumamoto Castle is converted into a military garrison. 3 - 5 minutes to Ninomaru Park on foot Umaya Bridge Stairs Iidamaru Five-Story Turret Passage Uto Turret Kumamoto garrison headquarters moves to the Honmaru keeps and the Honmaru Palace were destroyed by fire. After (Disassembled) Hira Turret C Long Zigzagging Passage G No Open Flames No Smoking No Pets No Littering Bizenbori Moat （ National Important Cultural Property） (main compound). withstanding the following onslaught of Satsuma’s army led by Saigo On foot (downhill only) 1876 The Shinpuren Rebellion Takamori, Kumamoto Castle became renowned throughout Japan as Kumamoto City Museum Phone: 096-324-3500 an impregnable fortress. Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Last entry at 4:30 p.m.) Keitakuzaka Hill Wakuwakuza Ticket Office The Satsuma Rebellion. Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday) and Dec. 29th - Jan. 3rd Miyukizaka Hill Takenomaru To Suizenji 1877 Jojuen Garden Josaien Parking Compound Nagabei D Modern Era The castle keeps and Honmaru Palace are destroyed in a fire. (bikes & standard-sized cars) Hazekata Gate Long Wall Kumamoto Castle in the Contemporary Era Sakuranobaba Josaien 1889 The castle is damaged by the 1889 Kumamoto Earthquake. In 2016, the massive Kumamoto Earthquakes caused portions of the Kumamoto Castle Museum Wakuwakuza Phone: 096-288-5600 Tourist Information Sakuranobaba This passage, which bends back on itself six This five-story turret, which is comparable in size to Bus Parking Sakuranobaba stone wall to crumble, structures to collapse, and devastating damage 400 Years Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Last entry at 5:00 p.m.) Josaien-mae Bagu Turret times from Takenomaru Compound to the keeps of other Japanese castles, managed to retain Kumamoto City Hall 1933 across the castle. Although the castle area was partially opened to the Tsuboi River Iidamaru Compound, is an excellent example its dignity as an Important Cultural Property despite Uto Turret and 12 other structures are designated as Sakuranokoji (Gift Shop and Restaurant Area) Phone: 096-288-5577 National Treasures, and the stone walls and moat as Site of Geba Bridge of the high-level defenses in place at sustaining damage to its plaster walls and floor in the public in 2019, restoration work is still ongoing. Of Hours: Gift shops: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (until 6:00 p.m. from December to February) 20 Kumamoto Castle. The walls collapsed in the earthquake. The tsuzuki-yagura, however, which was Historic Sites. Restaurants: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. earthquake, and the passage became blocked. a structure adjoined to the south side of this five-story Kumamoto Castle & History * Open until 8:00 p.m. on weekends and the day before holidays. Reservations required for dinner. To Kumamoto Castle Nagabei Path turret, collapsed in the earthquake. 1950 The title "National Treasure" is renamed as "Important * Opening hours are subject to change. City Hall Tram Stop City Hall’s 14th Floor To Sakuramachi