SilkCode LibraryCastles of Japan
No. 097Kyushu & OkinawaKagoshima

Kagoshima Castle

鹿児島城

Ruins & historic sites

Also called Tsurumaru Castle, this was the seat of the Shimazu lords of Satsuma. It had no keep; walls, a moat and the reconstructed Goromon Gate define its frontage.

Moat and stone walls at Kagoshima Castle, before the Goromon Gate was reconstructed
Moat and stone walls at Kagoshima Castle, before the Goromon Gate was reconstructedPhoto: Mass Ave 975 at English Wikipedia · 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
Castle combining Shiroyama and a foothill residence
Origins
Construction began around 1601
Builders & patrons
Shimazu Iehisa
Other names
Tsurumaru Castle
What remains today
Walls, moat and stone bridge; Goromon Gate reconstructed 2020

THE STORY

The story behind the walls

Shimazu Iehisa, the first lord of Satsuma Domain, began construction around 1601. The castle served as the lord’s residence and political centre. Records indicate that the bridge before Goromon Gate was changed from timber to stone in 1810. Major buildings were lost after the Edo period, but walls, moat and other remains survived. The gate was reconstructed in 2020 to restore an understanding of the castle’s frontage.

LAYOUT & ARCHITECTURE

Read the landscape and the buildings.

The castle had no keep, combining a foothill palace with Shiroyama behind it. A moat, walls and Goromon Gate formed the front, reached by a bridge. Old photographs and traces on foundation stones provided evidence for reconstructing the gate’s dimensions.

A CLOSER LOOK

Details worth a closer look.

01

Reconstructed Goromon Gate

The monumental gate was reconstructed in 2020. Its reconstruction used photographs and investigation of the surviving foundations.

02

Stone walls and moat

Surviving masonry preserves the defensive frontage. Together with the stone bridge, they explain the castle’s entrance arrangement.

03

Hill and foothill residence

The site is understood through both Shiroyama behind it and the residence at its foot. The site shows how a castle could function through hill and residence without a keep.

THROUGH THE YEARS

A short timeline

  1. Around 1601

    Shimazu Iehisa begins construction.

  2. 1810

    The bridge before Goromon is replaced in stone.

  3. 2020

    Goromon Gate is reconstructed.

BEFORE YOU GO

A note before you go.

The castle grounds and Reimeikan museum have different access arrangements. Check Kagoshima Prefecture’s information on visiting the site and nearby heritage.

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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