Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-06 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Yatsushiro Castle in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto, was built after Mugishima Castle collapsed in a great earthquake in 1619: Katō Tadahiro, son of Katō Kiyomasa, ordered his vassal Katō Masataka to build a new one. In 1632 Hosokawa Tadaoki moved in on the shogunate's orders and spent his retirement in its Kitanomaru compound.
Only ruins remain now — some moats and stone walls. In 2014 it became a National Historic Site as one of the Remains of Yatsushiro Castles, together with Furufumoto and Mugishima castles, and in 2017 it was listed among the Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles. Yatsushiro-gū is mapped to the same point.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Yatsushiro castle — The original uploader was Kumamoto taro at Japanese Wikipedia . · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Yatsushiro guu — 投稿者が撮影 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Yatsushiro castle3 — 見学者 / Emeraldgreen at Japanese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Yatsushiro castle2 — Emeraldgreen at Japanese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Nishiyama Soin Kuhi — Siwamura · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Yatsushiro Castle 02 — Quark Logo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Yatsushiro Castle 05 — Quark Logo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Yatsushiro Castle 04 — Quark Logo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Yatsushiro Castle 06 — Quark Logo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Yatsushiro Castle (八代城, Yatsushiro-jō) is the remains of a castle structure in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. In 1619, Mugishima Castle collapsed due to a large earthquake then Katō Kiyomasa's son Kato Tadahiro ordered his vassal Katō Masataka to build a new castle. In 1632, Hosokawa Tadaoki entered the castle by the Tokugawa shogunate's order and spent retired life in the kitanomaru compound of the castle. The castle is now only ruins, just some remnants of water moats and stone walls. Yatsushiro Castle was registered as a National Historic Site in 2014 as one of the Remains of Yatsushiro Castles, combining both Furufumoto Castle and Mugishima Castle. Yatsushiro castle was listed as one of the Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles in 2017.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-06 · Official visitor information
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Castle
Getting there
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