A golden castle limited to autumn: Kumamoto Castle adorned with ginkgo leaves

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Department
 

Kumamoto Castle is also known as the Ginkgo Castle and is ranked among Japan’s Three Great Castles alongside Nagoya Castle and Himeji Castle. Originally built by the highly acclaimed Kato Kiyomasa, this far-sighted strategist, foreseeing the need for ample provisions in the event of a siege, planted numerous ginkgo trees within the castle grounds. As a result, every autumn, the ginkgo leaves turn golden, creating a spectacular and moving view throughout the castle.

Upon closer inspection of Kumamoto Castle, one will notice that its sturdy stone walls feature a unique inclined structure, giving them highly defensible characteristics and earning them the nickname “Warrior Repeller.” The renowned “Uto Yagura,” located in the northwest corner of the Honmaru, is as large as the keep of an average small castle and is even referred to as the “Third Keep.” It is one of the only remaining all-wooden structures in Kumamoto Castle and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

After the Meiji Restoration, Kumamoto Castle became a major target of attack by Saigo Takamori’s forces during the Satsuma Rebellion, and many of its structures were damaged in the conflict, including the keep at the highest point of the Honmaru. The current keep was reconstructed in 1960. Its interior now uses reinforced concrete and has been transformed into a museum dedicated to Kumamoto Castle, chronicling 400 years of the city’s history.