SilkCode LibraryCastles of Japan
No. 090Kyushu & OkinawaNagasaki

Hirado Castle

平戸城

Reconstructed buildings

Hirado Castle stands on a hill projecting into the Hirado Strait. Its modern keep overlooks a site shaped by the surrounding sea.

The reconstructed keep of Hirado Castle seen through trees
The reconstructed keep of Hirado Castle seen through treesPhoto: Heartoftheworld · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized and converted to WebP. Cards crop the display.This photograph shows the site at the time it was taken. Check the notes and official sources for current restoration work and access.

Get to know the castle

Castle at a glance

Site & layout
Hill-and-plain castle on a coastal headland
Origins
Castle developed 1704–1718; present keep built 1962
Builders & patrons
Matsura Takashi and Matsura Atsunobu
Other names
—
What remains today
Tanuki Turret, Kitakoguchi Gate and walls; the keep is modern

THE STORY

The story behind the walls

Matsura Takashi began the castle that underlies today’s site in 1704. It was completed in 1718 under Matsura Atsunobu. Its military role ended in the Meiji period, when many buildings were lost. Tanuki Turret and Kitakoguchi Gate survived as evidence of domain rule. The present keep was built in 1962 and now forms part of the castle’s seaward skyline.

LAYOUT & ARCHITECTURE

Read the landscape and the buildings.

The castle uses a coastal headland, with enclosures and turrets arranged according to Yamaga military principles. Relating Kitakoguchi Gate to nearby turret positions explains the defence of the approach from the side. The present keep is a modern building, unlike the historic gate and turret that survive within the grounds.

A CLOSER LOOK

Details worth a closer look.

01

A castle beside the strait

The projecting headland shapes both the castle’s defences and its setting. The relationship between slopes and sea reveals the defensive value of the site.

02

The present keep

The three-tiered, five-storey building dates to 1962. Distinguish its date from that of Tanuki Turret and Kitakoguchi Gate.

03

Yamaga-school design

The Edo-period castle was designed according to the Yamaga school of military thought. Gate positions and flanking turret sites connect military theory with the layout.

THROUGH THE YEARS

A short timeline

  1. 1704

    Matsura Takashi begins construction.

  2. 1718

    The castle is completed under Matsura Atsunobu.

  3. 1962

    The present keep is built.

BEFORE YOU GO

A note before you go.

Stone-wall conservation can affect access. Check the official site for the current visitor route and opening information.

Official visitor information ↗Find it on a map ↗

Information checked: 27 September 2026

Sources & official information

Some official sources are available in Japanese only.

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