Kokura Castle Japanese Garden

The Kokura Castle Gardens opened in 1998 on the site of the former residence and garden of an Edo Era feudal lord.

Even in December, the garden is beautiful. It is designed for all four seasons.

After removing your shoes, you can walk around on the wooden walkway and look into the rooms of the replicated fuedal lord’s home.

Kokura Castle

This is the historical information from the J-Castle website:

In 1600 after the Battle of Sekigahara, Hosokawa Tadaoki was rewarded the lands of Buzen and Bungo. The ruling castle of the area was really at Nakatsu Castle, but Hosokawa found Kokura to be a much more convenient place from which to rule. It is also located at the vital point in transportation between Kyushu and Honshu. He started building Kokura Castle in 1602 and completed it in 1608. 

Hosokawa's Son, Tadatoshi, was moved to Kumamoto in 1632. Ogasawara Tadazane replaced him and 9 generations of his descendents ruled for the next 230 years. The main keep burned down in a fire in 1837 and was not rebuilt. The castle itself was intentionally burned down and abandoned in 1866 when the Ogasawara fled Kokura during the second Battle of Shochuseito. 

The reconstructed castle you see today is borogata style with decorative gables called kara hafu and irimoya hafu, but the original main keep was a very simple sotogata and had no such gables.

I like the reflection of the castle in the water.

There are clothing items and props that visitors can use for taking pictures.

I met these two sisters in this “play” area.

J

This is another photo opportunity. You can pretend to be fighting this character.

View from the top.