Yatsushiro Castle Ruins

Overview

Yatsushiro Castle is the ruin of a flatland castle located in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, built by Kato Tadahiro, the second son of Kato Kiyomasa. Also known as Matsugae Castle, it once boasted a grand castle complex, featuring a main keep (Honmaru), second bailey (Ninomaru), third bailey (Sanmaru), north bailey (Kitamaru), and outer bailey (Demaru), each separated by moats. Construction, commissioned by Kato Tadahiro from Kato Masakata with the permission of the shogunate in 1620, was completed in 1622. However, in 1632, Tadahiro was stripped of his fiefdom, and after the Hosokawa clan became the feudal lords of Kumamoto Castle in Higo province, Tadahiro's father, Hosokawa Tadaoki, entered Yatsushiro Castle. Later, in 1646, Matsui Okonaga, the leading retainer of the Kumamoto Domain who distinguished himself during the Shimabara Rebellion, was transferred to Yatsushiro Castle as a 30,000-koku daimyo (feudal lord), and the Matsui clan served as castle keepers until the abolition of the castle in 1870 (Meiji 3). Today, the Yatsushiro Castle ruins preserve the stone walls and moats that remain from that era. The stone walls of the main keep are particularly striking, featuring beautiful white limestone. The Yatsushiro Castle ruins offer a pleasant stroll through history, with beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring, and canola flower fields adding to the springtime beauty. Yatsushiro Shrine, dedicated to the Seisei Shogun, Prince Kaigyo, and Prince Ryosei, also stands within the castle grounds, serving as a symbol of the site. Yatsushiro Castle ruins are a recommended sightseeing spot for history buffs and those seeking cultural and natural experiences.