Hitoyoshi Castle

Hitoyoshi Castle, located in Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture, is a classic hirayamajiro (hilltop-flatland castle) that fully exploits its natural terrain. It stands near the confluence of the Kuma River and the Mune River, with the north and west sides protected by these two great rivers, while the east and south are shielded by slopes and cliffs. The castle adopts a teikakushiki (terraced) layout: the San-no-maru (third bailey) lies along the river, behind it is the Ni-no-maru (second bailey), and further uphill sits the Honmaru (main bailey). Unlike many other Japanese castles, Hitoyoshi Castle never had a central keep (tenshu), instead using the Gomadō Hall as its spiritual symbol.

The most remarkable feature of Hitoyoshi Castle is its musha-gaeshi stone walls, constructed in the late Edo period. Inspired by European fortification techniques, the tops of these stone walls project outward with flat stones, resembling “rat guards,” making it extremely difficult for attackers to climb while also allowing defenders to strike effectively from above. The scale of Hitoyoshi’s musha-gaeshi surpasses even that of Hakodate’s Goryōkaku and Shinshū’s Tatsuoka Castle, making it a rare defensive innovation in Japanese castle architecture. On the side facing the Kuma River, the stone walls are especially high, said to have been reinforced after the “Torasuke Fire,” when flames from a fire across the river once leapt over and burned the castle.

The Sagara clan, appointed as stewards (jitō) of the Hitoyoshi domain in the Kamakura period, resided here for 35 generations over a span of 670 years. Hitoyoshi Castle was not only the political center of the domain but also the spiritual heart of the Kuma region. Today, the castle ruins have been preserved as Hitoyoshi Castle Park, where some turrets and earthen walls have been faithfully reconstructed in wood, while the western side houses the Sagara Gokoku Shrine.

The park also features the Hitoyoshi Castle History Museum, which exhibits artifacts from the Sagara clan’s rule and local cultural heritage. Visitors can admire the majestic stone walls while also gaining deeper insight into the 700-year history of the Hitoyoshi Basin.