Kokura Castle

Kokura Castle is a castle located in Kokurakita, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Also known as Shengshan City, Yecheng, Zhiyue City, Yongjin City, and Carp City, it is one of the famous sightseeing spots in Kitakyushu Island. About the 13th century, the castle tower was built on a hill on the west bank of the Zichuan Estuary. The scope and planning of the present Kokura Castle was determined in 1587 during the Azuchi-Momoyama period, when Mouri Katsunobu built the castle. The southern barbarian-style Tianshou of Kokura Castle was officially built in 1602 by Hosokawa Zhongxing, who entered the city due to his achievements in the Battle of Sekigahara. There are five floors in total, the first floor is the historical area, the second floor is the city experience area, the third floor is the video experience area, the fourth floor is the enterprise exhibition area, and the fifth floor is the outlook area. Postwar Reconstruction From 1632 when Ogasawara Tadasama started to rule Kokura Castle, it has been the residence of the Ogasawara family for about 230 years after 10 generations until the Meiji era. In 1866, due to the change of Keio Bingin, Kokura Castle was burned down and lost its glory. The current Kokura Castle was rebuilt in 1959 and is a ladder-style flat city. The center of the city is the Honmaru, the south is the Matsumaru, the north is the Kitanomaru, and the Ninomaru, Sannomaru and Waiguo are set in order on their periphery. The building consists of a stone wall made of unprocessed stone, a castle tower and a small tower, 117 flat turrets, 16 double turrets, 12 turret gates, and 3271 narrow rooms. The Zichuan flowing through the east of the castle was used as a natural moat, and part of the castle town was surrounded by the outer wall, forming a so-called "vertical and horizontal" castle structure. The existing buildings are part of the stone wall and Hori, and the castle, the turret gate, the garden and the daimiyajiki are reconstructed. The layout of the courtyard of Kokura Castle showcases the traditional Japanese etiquette, and there is a memorial hall for the world writer Matsumoto Qingzhang in the city. The Dango Market in the central area of Kokura reflects the food culture of Kitakyushu Island and is full of vitality.