Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle, completed in 1607 by feudal lord Kato Kiyomasa, is celebrated as one of Japan’s most formidable fortresses. Its ingenious musha-gaeshi (literally, “warrior-repelling”) stone walls, curving inward at steep angles, earned it a reputation as unclimbable. The fortress itself proved its strength during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, when the castle withstood a prolonged siege.
The castle was also a stage for some of Japan’s most famous historical figures. Kato Kiyomasa, the castle’s builder, was a revered and valiant military commander as well as a master of castle construction. Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary swordsman, spent his final years in Kumamoto after being invited by the Hosokawa clan, who succeeded Kato as the domain’s lords.
Though many original buildings have been lost, Kumamoto’s citizens have diligently led efforts to restore their landmark. The castle keep, reconstructed in 1960, was reconstructed again in 2021 after damage from the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake and offers sweeping views of the city and distant Mount Aso. The upper chamber of the Honmaru Goten Palace, reconstructed in 2008 for the castle’s 400th anniversary in 2007, brings Edo period grandeur vividly to life in its glimmering golden interior. Even after being damaged in 2016 by the Kumamoto Earthquake, Kumamoto Castle remains a stirring symbol of resilience until it’s fully restored in 2052.