The ruins of Chiran Castle are located in the middle of Satsuma Peninsula, approximately 1.5 kilometers south of Chiran Historical District. This area is covered by the "Shirasu" plateau, which is a pyroclastic plateau by volcanic eruptions of Mt. "Sakurajima". The "Shirasu" plateau has twenty to thirty meters in height in this area. Chiran Castle was built at the end of the "Shirasu" plateau. The "Shirasu" plateau is easily eroded. Eroded portions became narrow ravines and divide "Shirasu" plateau, like passages on the bottom of the narrow ravines. The remaining "Shirasu" plateau from erosion were used as baileys of Chiran Castle.

An expressway runs from north to south of Chiran Castle. A guide plate is displayed on the parking lot, which tells the information of Chiran Castle and it's history.

I hope the map of Chiran Castle displayed at the parking lot will help you to understand how the layout of Chiran Castle.

From the parking lot, you will see the entrance of Chiran Castle.

You will walk on the bottom of the main passage of Chiran Castle from the entrance. The passages were built artificially by enlarging the eroded ravines. This was a large-scale of dry moat. More than four hundreds of years have passed since Chiran Castle was abandoned, the dry moat now become dense forest. It seems that the ruins of Chiran Castle returned to the nature state. On the both side of the dry moat, steep cliffs continue along the dry moat.

Although I took a look of the castle map at the entrance of Chiran Castle, I was really not sure where I was walking in the passage. I felt I might walk into a labyrinth.

A decayed wooden ladder was located on the cliff from the dry moat. This is the entrance to the Kuranojyo Bailey and the Main Bailey. The atmosphere was very humid and the ladder steps were slippery.

After going up the first step of the plateau, there are the approaches to the Kuranojyo Bailey and the Main Bailey.

The below picture shows the Kuranojyo Bailey. An excavational investigation was conducted from 2001 to 2004. Based on the results of the excavational investigation, the stumps are placed indicating the pillar holes positions of the building.

The below picture shows the entrance of the Main Bailey. It looks like a real labyrinth.

Weeds were mowed also in the Main Bailey. The area of the Main Bailey has approximately sixty meters by sixty meters (36 hectares). The monument of Chiran Castle is located in the Main Bailey.

The ruins of Chiran Castle now set in the forest, like in a labyrinth They are very large in size. Especially, the dary moat in the middle of the ruins of the castle is very deep and steep. The atmosphere of the ruins of the castle is different from other ruins of castles. It is very impressive.

How to get there
From Tokyo, take a "Nozomi" bound for Hakata. From Hakata, take a "Mizuho", "Sakura" or "Tsubame" to Kagoshima-Chuo. From Osaka, "Mizuho" and "Sakura" run directly to Kagoshima-Chuo. Take a bus from Kagoshima-Chuo to Nakagori in Chiran. Another bus service is available from Ibusuki Station on the Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line. From Nakagori Bus Stop, walk to the south approximately 1.5 kilometers.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Chiran Historical District
Ruins of Kagohima Castle
Bonotsu
Satsuma-Imaizumi