Fukuyama Castle

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Model in the Castle Museum Model of the Roof Decoration

museum park -
the Hiroshige perspective
comes to mind


Fukuyama Castle and the ANT
Another Haiku Perspective


My Visit to Fukuyama Bingo Shrine

Photo Album Fukuyama, February 2007

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In 1619, Mizuno Katsunari, a cousin of Tokugawa Ieyasu, was the first of the Tokugawa "inner lords" to be stationed in the Chuugoku region. He was placed here at Fukuyama to be just between the "outer lords" in Hiroshima and Okayama. He completed the castle in 1622, spending three years on the construction.

The area has 37 ha, with a double moat inside and outside of the castle. The keep now has seven stories and there are various turrets (yagura).

Fukuyama Castle was one of the greatest castle of the Edo Period but was mostly destroyed in the air raids of 1945. Only the Fushimi Yagura and Sujigane Gate survived.

The castle and the turrets are now splendidly reconstructed. There is also a museum inside the watch tower.

The Main Castle Tower was restored after the war and finished in 1956 and now houses the Museum.


The Bell Turret (shooroo)
A building housing the great bell, telling the time to the area during the Edo period. It was also equipped with a huge drum, calling the samurai to duty in case of an emergency.
This is the only castle in Japan with a bell tower of its own. It was restored in 1979.


The Fushimi Turret (Fushimi yagura)
Part of Fushimi Castle in Kyoto was removed and rebuilt here in 1622. One beam still reads "East Turret of the Pine Keep (matsu no maru)". Its wonderful shape reminds us of the Murumachi Period architecture.


Sujigane Gate (Sujigane go Mon)
This gate was also inspired by Fushimi Castle in Kyoto. To support the pillars and doors, more than ten columns of iron reinforcement were nailed into its corners.


Bathhouse (yudono)
It was a national treasure, but burned down in 1945. Now it is reconstructed and restored in 1966. It is for rent to events now.
To prevent fires, the bathhouse was outside the main castle living quaters.


Moonviewing Turret (tsukimi yagura)
It was burnt down in 1870, but restored to its original splendor, resembling that one of Fushimi Castle.


Mirror Turret (kagami yagura)
Restored in 1974, it is now open to the public as archives for the museum.


More photos are here:
Fukuyama Castle Website

Fukuyama Sightseeing Website

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Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of History
広島県立歴史博物館

The Museum English Website

One of the most intriquing exhibits is a replica of a whole village, kusado sengen 草戸千軒. You can walk around in it and really feel like in a time slip.

Kusado Sengen is the name of medieval town that once used to be situated close to the mouth of the Ashida River, in the present Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. It means a town of one thousand houses at Kuasdo. The existence of the town had been forgotten for a long time. It was only recorded as a legendary town in a regional history book in the Edo Period.



What is Kusado Sengen? Read it all HERE !

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Read my Haiku Archives from January 2007

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