Karatsu Castle

Saga

Castles & Historic Sites

# Castle

# Scenic View

# Pine Tree

# Pottery

Karatsu Castle keep, rising above dramatic cascades of purple wisteria flowers in spring.

The white and black main keep of Karatsu Castle, framed by a dense cascade of white cherry blossoms against a clear blue, cloudy sky.

The main keep of Karatsu Castle, featuring white walls and dark tiled roofs, viewed from the courtyard under a bright blue sky.

A high-angle view from Karatsu Castle overlooking the calm blue sea, small islands (likely Taka-shima), and a winding breakwater.

A panoramic view from Karatsu Castle overlooking the city, rivers, and mountains under a blue, cloudy sky.

Key Points

Built in 1602–1608 by feudal lord Terazawa Hirotaka
Features the stone masonry techniques of the renowned Anoshu master stone wall masons, who also built the stone walls of Azuchi Castle and Nagoya Castle
Observation deck gives a panoramic view of bay, pine forest, and mountains
Explore historical exhibits within the castle such as ancient Karatsu ware, Karatsu pottery, 17th-century armor, naginata swords, and letters from Tokugawa shoguns

Karatsu Castle was built between 1602 and 1608 by Terazawa Hirotaka, who was rewarded for his service at the pivotal Battle of Sekigahara. Built on a hill at the mouth of the Matsu-ura River, the fortress used some of the stones from the abandoned Nagoya Castle (this Nagoya Castle, written differently in Japanese, was located here in Saga Prefecture, not in present-day Nagoya City) and techniques from the renowned Anoshu stone masons. You can also see the gold-leaf tile technique said to have been first used by Oda Nobunaga at Azuchi Castle. The castle town itself was built out during the same period, and you can still see echoes of that Edo era townscape today.
The castle keep houses a local history museum with displays on the Karatsu domain, samurai arms, and the celebrated Karatsu-yaki pottery that flourished here during the Edo period. The grounds also bloom with cherry blossoms in spring and wisteria in late April to May, drawing crowds.
From the observation deck, you can enjoy sweeping views over Karatsu Bay, the Niji-no-Matsubara pine forest planted when the castle was built, mountains and beaches, and the city’s historic streets.

Information

Spot information including address, access, and website
Address	8-1 Higashishirouchi, Karatsu City, Saga
Access from Tokyo	(1) From Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi to Hakata Station (approx. 5 hr 1 min). (Approx. 2 hours by flight from Haneda Airport to Saga Airport). (2) From Hakata Station, walk to the Hakata Bus Terminal (approx. 7 minutes). (3) From Hakata Bus Terminal, take the Fukuoka Airport Limousine Bus to Hoto Sambashi bus stop (approx. 1 hr 41 min). (4) From Hoto Sambashi bus stop, walk to the Karatsu Castle (approx. 6 minutes). Show route from Tokyo Station
Website	https://karatsujo.com/en/
Note	English service not available.