Hitoyoshi Castle is located at the confluence of the Kuma and Mune rivers. You will see the view of Hitoyoshi Castle from the Ohashi Bridge.

The "Sumi" Turret and mud walls with white clay are very impressive. If you walk along the Mune River, you will also see the "Otemon-Yokonaga" Turret.

The "Otemon-Yokonaga" Turret was rebuilt in 1995. The architecture of the turret is as it was in the Edo Age. You will feel the atmosphere of the Edo Age.

Retainer's residences were located in this area. You will see a couple of sites or foundation stones of retainer's residences and also warehouses.

To the east, you will see the main bailey of Hitoyoshi Castle on a small hill.

If you walk to the east along the "Kuma" River, you will see the "Mizunote" Gate. The "Mizunote" Gate faces to the "Kuma" River.

In the Edo Age, the water transportation was the main measure to convey commodities, especially rice, which was not only the staple food for samurais but also land tax. These commodities were delivered from the "Kuma" River to Hitoyoshi Castle through the "Mizunote" Gate.

Behind the "Mizunote" Gate, the "Horiai-Mon" Gate is located.

The current existing "Horiai-Mon" Gate was rebuilt in 2007. The "Horiai-Mon" Gate was the main entrance for the palace building of Hotoyoshi Castle, where the castle lords lived during the Edo Age.

If you walk further to the east, you will see the site of the "Oshita-Mon" Gate.

The "Oshita-Mon" Gate was the entrance for the third, second and the main baileys of Hitoyoshi Castle. If you go up the stone stairs after passing through the "Oshita-Mon" Gate, you will arrive at the third bailey.

The third bailey has a large area. Otsuga Shrine was located in the third bailey. Otsuga Shrine enshrines YASE Shumenosuke, who governed the Hitoyoshi area before SAGARA Yorifusa became the castle lord of Hitoyoshi Castle.

From the site of Otsuga Shrine, you can look down on the "Horiai-Mon" Gate, the "Mizunote" Gate and the Mizunote Bridge over the "Kuma" River.

From the third bailey, you will go to the second bailey through the "Nakano-Gomon" Gate. There used to be the two-storied gate on the stone walls at the "Nakano-Gomon" Gate.

After passing through the "Nakano-Gomon" Gate, you will arrive at the second bailey. At the beginning of the Edo Age, the palace building for the castle lords was located. However, the new palace building was built at the foot of the third bailey behind of the "Horiai-Mon" Gate in 1683.

At the north-east corner of Hitoyoshi Castle, there was a small pier for the ferry across the "Kuma" River.

In the Edo Age, the Hitoyoshi feudal domain prohibited entry by people from other domains to the upstream of the "Kuma" River beyond this point. It was almost at the evening twilight time, a fog came down to the "Kuma" River. The scenery from the site of the pier was very impressive.

The "Kuma" River is well-known as one of the three most rapid streams in Japan and repeatedly caused floods. In July, 2020, the "Kuma" River caused the worst food among all the recorded floods in the past. Hitoyoshi, other towns and villages along the "Kuma" River were seriously damaged.

How to get there
From Tokyo, take a "Nozomi" bound for Hakata. From Hakata, take a "Mizuho", "Sakura" or "Tsubame" to Kumamoto. From Osaka, "Mizuho" and "Sakura" run directly to Kumamoto. Change at Kumamoto to a Limited Express "Kumagawa" to Hitoyoshi on the Hisatsu Line. As of March 2021, train services on the Hisatsu Line are disrupted due to the severe flood damages happened in July 2020. Alternatively, bus services are available between Kumamoto and Hitoyoshi.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Aoi-Aso Shrine
Mount Aso
Stone Arch-Bridges in Kumamoto
Ruins of Uto Castle
Ruins of Yatsushiro Castle