Explore Kumamoto Castle! A Complete Guide to History and Highlights

Kumamoto Castle is a renowned castle known for its sturdy construction built by Katō Kiyomasa, and is counted among Japan’s Three Great Castles. The castle suffered significant damage in the Kumamoto earthquake of April 2016, and while the main keep has been restored, reconstruction work continues throughout the site, moving many people with its resilient appearance.

This article provides comprehensive information useful for visiting Kumamoto Castle, including its history and highlights, access methods, and admission fees and ticket information. We’ll provide detailed explanations of must-see attractions including the main keep, Honmaru Palace, Uto Turret, stone walls, and the long wall. Please use this as a reference for your Kumamoto sightseeing.

おはようございます。

夏休みが始まったみたいですね。
宿題は計画的に🎯

今週末は熊本城周辺で夜市も開催されますよ〜〜！ pic.twitter.com/kxDMYbuERP

— 熊本城【公式】 (@kumamoto_castle) July 21, 2025

Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan’s Three Great Castles, located in central Kumamoto City, known for its sturdy construction and beautiful stone walls. The vast grounds contain the main keep, Honmaru Palace, and Uto Turret, among other facilities, and in spring it’s beloved as a famous spot where approximately 800 cherry trees bloom magnificently.

The current main keep was reconstructed in reinforced concrete in 1960, with both the exterior and interior meticulously reproduced. In the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, the castle suffered extensive damage across a wide area, with important cultural properties such as stone walls and the long wall severely damaged. Kumamoto City formulated the “Kumamoto Castle Restoration Basic Plan” in 2018, proceeding with repairs while preserving the castle’s cultural value. The main keep reopened to the public in 2021, becoming a symbol of recovery visited by many tourists.

However, many collapsed stone walls and buildings still remain, with complete restoration targeted for completion by 2052 in a long-term plan. Currently, a “special viewing passage” has been established, allowing visitors to observe the restoration work up close. This provides a valuable opportunity to witness the changing appearance of Kumamoto Castle.

おはようございます。
本日は「#文化財防火デー」
熊本城でも消防訓練を行いました！ pic.twitter.com/W1ruOPFl5K

— 熊本城【公式】 (@kumamoto_castle) January 25, 2025

Kumamoto Castle can be accessed comfortably by car or public transportation. Below we’ve organized the main access methods.

出典：熊本城「アクセス・駐車場・周辺マップ」

The origins of Kumamoto Castle are said to trace back to a castle built on Mount Chausu by the Kanokogi clan during the Sengoku period. In 1601, Katō Kiyomasa entered Kumamoto and began full-scale castle construction.In 1607, the fortified castle complex was completed, and the following year the place name was changed from “Kumamoto” to “Kumamoto.”

Katō Kiyomasa devoted himself not only to castle construction but also to flood control and agricultural development in his territory, establishing the foundation of Higo Province. Due to these achievements, he is called “Seishō-kō-san” locally and is still beloved by the people today.

In 1632, Hosokawa Tadatoshi entered the castle from Kokura, and thereafter Kumamoto Castle continued as the residence of the Hosokawa family until the Meiji era. Tadatoshi is also known as the person who invited Miyamoto Musashi to Kumamoto, where Musashi wrote “The Book of Five Rings” and other works.During the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, Kumamoto Castle became the stronghold of government forces. Although the Saigō army attacked, they were thwarted by the sturdy structure built by Katō Kiyomasa, and the castle was never taken. However, many buildings including the main keep and Honmaru Palace were lost to fire during the war.

After the war, development of the castle site proceeded, and in 1955 it was designated as a national special historic site. Subsequently, reconstruction and restoration progressed, and today’s Kumamoto Castle has become an existence that conveys the weight of history and the efforts of reconstruction.

The opening hours and admission fees for Kumamoto Castle are as follows:

■Opening Hours and Closed Days

※Opening hours may be extended for events, etc.

■Admission Fees

※Kumamoto City residents aged 65 and above, elementary and middle school students attending school in the city, and holders of disability certificates receive free admission upon presentation of proof (free tickets must be received at the ticket office window) ※Annual passes are not sold to elementary and middle school students and younger

For those who want to avoid crowds, advance web reservations through the official Kumamoto Castle website are convenient. Payment supports various credit cards, electronic money, and QR code payments and other cashless payment methods.

出典：熊本城「観覧案内」

おはようございます。
梅がまだギリ見ごろです🌸
散り始めてる梅もでてきましたので、ご覧になりたい方はお急ぎください！

大天守 pic.twitter.com/o7vL2V7eUl

— 熊本城【公式】 (@kumamoto_castle) March 11, 2025

Kumamoto Castle has many highlights where you can feel history and beauty. There’s much to see, including the reconstructed main keep and Honmaru Palace, the Uto Turret which retains its appearance from the time of construction, the stone wall complex with its unique structure, and the long-extending long wall. Here we introduce five representative highlights.

Kumamoto Castle’s main keep underwent a complete renovation in 2021 following its recovery from earthquake damage. The appearance of the large and small keeps standing side by side is dignified, with the black and white contrast highlighting their beauty.

The interior has been developed as a historical exhibition space, where visitors can learn about everything from Katō Kiyomasa’s castle construction to the Satsuma Rebellion and the damage and recovery from the Kumamoto earthquake through models and videos. The earthquake-resistant reinforcement structure is also displayed visibly, allowing visitors to experience the progress of recovery. From the observation space on the top floor, you can overlook Kumamoto city and the Aso mountain range, enjoying scenery where history and modernity intersect.

The Honmaru Palace was built as the residence and administrative center for the feudal lord during Kumamoto Castle’s construction, but was destroyed in the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. In 2008, it was faithfully restored using local craftspeople and traditional techniques, bringing back its former appearance.

Inside the palace, tatami-floored large halls and dignified decorations are installed, allowing visitors to feel the authority of the feudal lord and the splendor of daimyo culture.Among these, the “Shōkun-no-ma” with its outstanding gold leaf and intricate sliding door paintings is particularly impressive as a special space for entertaining distinguished guests.

Additionally, beneath the palace is an unusual stone passage called the “darkness passage,” whose structure combining defense and functionality demonstrates Katō Kiyomasa’s ingenuity.

The Uto Turret is one of the few remaining important cultural properties at Kumamoto Castle, a precious structure remaining from the original construction in 1607. Its three-story, five-floor structure with one basement level rivals the main keep and is also called the “Third Keep.”

While simple in external appearance, it’s powerful, and inside, thick beams and pillars convey the construction techniques of that era. Among the many turrets that have been lost, only the Uto Turret has preserved its form.

However, due to major damage from the Kumamoto earthquake, complete dismantling work began in December 2024. Currently, only the structural framework is open to the public, with restoration completion scheduled for 2032. This is a precious time when you can see its current unique appearance up close.

Kumamoto Castle’s stone wall complex boasts scale and craftsmanship among Japan’s finest, embodying the reason it’s called an “impregnable fortress.” The stone walls built by Katō Kiyomasa are designed with steep gradients and clever engineering, making them extremely difficult to climb.

In particular, their curved shape is called “musha-gaeshi” (warrior repeller), combining defensive capability with beauty to repel enemies. The stone materials also have unified color and texture, and when viewed up close, each stone has its own character.

Restoration work continues today, but around the “Inui Turret” and “Iidamaru Five-Story Turret,” you can compare the different expressions of the stone walls, expanding the enjoyment of your visit.

The long wall located on the south side of Kumamoto Castle along the Tsuboi River is a wooden defensive facility boasting a total length of approximately 242 meters. Built during the Edo period, it’s known as one of Japan’s longest surviving walls and is designated as a national important cultural property.

The structure incorporates defensive functions such as stone drops to prevent enemy intrusion, fulfilling its role of preventing invasion. The eastern section of approximately 80 meters collapsed in the Kumamoto earthquake of 2016, but restoration was completed in 2021, restoring its former appearance.

Its well-balanced beautiful appearance and harmony with nature are magnificent, and you can experience its length and history while strolling. From Ninomaru Plaza, you can view the entire structure, which is particularly impressive during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons.

Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan’s Three Great Castles built by Katō Kiyomasa in 1607, characterized by its sturdy structure and beautiful stone walls. It has many highlights including the main keep, Honmaru Palace, and Uto Turret, where you can feel the charm of history and architecture.

Although it suffered major damage in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, restoration has progressed, and the main keep reopened to the public in 2021. Restoration work continues today, and the current construction state that can only be seen now is also attracting attention. The value of Kumamoto Castle is being reconsidered from both cultural and recovery perspectives.

*This article is based on information available as of August 2025.