THINGS TO DO > HISTORY Kokura Castle

The picturesque Kokura Castle was built in what is now Kitakyushu in 1602 by preeminent samurai Tadaoki Hosokawa. The Hosokawa family’s documents are stored within the current castle structure, reconstructed in 1959, as are the family documents of the Ogasawara family, who succeeded the Hosokawas and ruled over the domain from the castle for 234 years. The structure is built in an unusual style called “karazukuri,” in which the topmost floor is larger than those below. Next to the castle is a Katsuyama Park with its hundreds of cherry trees and a Japanese garden, where one can learn the family’s history and gracious style of etiquette that continues to influence Japan today. Nearby Tanga Market offers a charming system of shops, cafés, grocers and izakaya, perfect for both shopping and strolling.

Address:: 2-1, Jonai, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu City

URL:: kokura-castle.jp

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