On December 12, 2019, when I was in Korea, I took a day trip to Fukuoka. I flew out on an early morning flight and returned on the evening flight that same day. At that time, I didn't realize it would be my last trip before the COVID-19 pandemic hit (since the lockdowns started in 2020).
I don’t speak Japanese, but boldly, I planned a day trip that included visiting the main temples in Fukuoka City, Dazaifu Tenmangu, and Kokura Castle in Kitakyushu. The schedule was so tight that I didn’t even have time for lunch and had to rush around. But looking back, it was a rewarding trip. Normally, I tend to be lazy, take things slow, and don't organize efficient itineraries, but this day was an exception—it was my most efficient trip (actually, maybe too efficient). Of course, if your main goal when traveling is to relax, you might not consider this efficient, but since I generally prefer historical sites or tourist attractions (rather than places like beaches or mountains for relaxation), I’d still call it an efficient trip.
Anyway, as soon as I arrived in Fukuoka, I took the Shinkansen from Hakata Station to Kitakyushu. I will write a separate post about the journey to Kitakyushu via the Shinkansen, but for now, this post will focus on documenting my visit to Kokura Castle.
When I first arrived, the weather was slightly overcast (though by the time I came out of the main keep, it had cleared up quite a bit). You can see the difference in the photos—there’s one further down in this post showing the Kokura Castle tenshukaku after the visit, and the lighting is noticeably different. Or you can just refer to the photo at the very top of this post—that one was taken after I finished touring the tenshukaku.
Yasaka Shrine
After exiting Kokura Station, I crossed the Murasaki River and headed northeast toward Kokura Castle. Approaching from this direction, I came across Yasaka Shrine, which stands right in front of the castle.
This small shrine in front of Kokura Castle was very clean, well-organized, and—best of all—peacefully quiet with no crowds. It also featured several beautiful pagodas. Just a note: there are many shrines named "Yasaka" across Japan, and the most famous one is in Kyoto, so it’s important not to confuse them. The Yasaka Shrine in Kitakyushu, while much smaller, boasts a history of over 400 years. In terms of age, it's comparable to Kokura Castle, which stands right next to it.
Charming little pagodas and statues: The small stone figures were absolutely adorable. The large yellow building you can see in the background of the photo is Riverwalk, a kind of large shopping mall.
Yasaka Shrine was incredibly quiet. Was it because it was still early in the morning? Or is it always this empty? I’m not sure of the reason, but with over 400 years of history, it surely must have seen many visitors over time. Especially since it’s located right in front of Kokura Castle, one of Kitakyushu’s main landmarks. That said, I actually preferred the solitude. What I appreciated the most was how clean everything was. The walkways were neatly organized, and the buildings were meticulously maintained.
If you look at the shrine buildings, you’ll see ropes like that— you pull the rope while making a wish, after tossing a coin into the offering box.
Main Hall of Yasaka Shrine: Yasaka Shrine was remarkably quiet. Was it because it was early in the morning? Or is it always this peaceful? I’m not sure, but with over 400 years of history, it must have had its fair share of visitors over the years—especially given its location right in front of Kokura Castle, one of Kitakyushu’s most iconic landmarks. That said, I actually appreciated the lack of people. What stood out to me the most was how clean and well-maintained everything was. The walkways were perfectly organized, and the buildings were kept in pristine condition.
East Gate: The two-story gate of Yasaka Shrine, seen in the photo above, looked quite impressive. Even without the use of many colors, it gave off a refined and traditional atmosphere.
After briefly exploring Yasaka Shrine, I headed straight to Kokura Castle, which is located right next to it.
It’s worth recording a bit about the history of Kokura Castle. It was originally constructed in the early 17th century by Hosokawa Tadaoki. However, in the mid-1800s, a war broke out between Kokura and the Chōshū Domain (which ruled over present-day Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi is located at the southwestern tip of Honshu, Japan's main island—very close to Kitakyushu, which sits at the northeastern tip of Kyushu). During that conflict, the castle was burned down. The tenshukaku (main keep) was later rebuilt in the mid-1900s. That said, the stone foundation visible in the photo above (called hajū, meaning "stone base") is original. Naturally, since stone doesn’t burn, it survived the destruction. Because of the reconstruction, stepping inside the tenshukaku doesn’t feel like entering an ancient castle—it feels more like visiting a modern museum (similar to Osaka Castle). Inside, you’ll even find modern staircases and an elevator.
Yasaka Shrine and Kokura Castle Guide Map
Entrance: Once you go inside and head up the stairs, you'll find the ticket booth. I was also able to pick up a Korean-language pamphlet there. You exit through the same place you entered — in other words, the entrance and exit are the same.
1st Floor: There was a small theater showing a film about the history of Kokura Castle, as well as some simple exhibits. I didn’t have time to watch the film, but admission to the theater was included in the main ticket.
2nd Floor: This floor featured exhibits on the individuals and clans involved in the castle’s construction. Since I’m not very familiar with Japanese history, I just skimmed through this part.
3rd Floor: It introduced the lives of two famous warriors: Sasaki Kojiro and Miyamoto Musashi.
4th Floor: There was a temporary exhibition going on here, but I felt a bit self-conscious since a staff member was standing nearby, watching. Due to time constraints, I quickly moved on to the 5th floor.
5th Floor: The observation deck offered a panoramic view of Kitakyushu City.
Exhibition of Kitakyushu’s history starting from 1569: As soon as you enter the first floor, on the left side, there’s a section displaying models that illustrate the history of Kokura and the surrounding region, dating back to 1569.
A Strategic meeting held at Kokura Castle: According to the explanation, in 1637, a group of farmers —unable to bear the heavy taxes and the persecution of Christians—rose up in what became known as the Shimabara Rebellion. The photos above and below depict scenes from a strategic meeting related to that conflict. The Edo period, which generally began in the 1600s, started after the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the rise to power of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In the context of Korean history, this period followed the Imjin War (Japanese invasions of Korea) and overlapped with a time of warfare with the Qing dynasty and a rise in commercial activity. Tokugawa Ieyasu sought to restore diplomatic relations with Joseon Korea, and despite the prior conflicts, diplomatic ties between the two nations were reestablished. What’s shown here reflects that specific era in Japanese history.
Armor during the Edo Period: You might recognize armor like this from Korean dramas as well—Japanese armor from the Edo period was known for being especially elaborate and decorative. In Korea, soldiers typically went to war as loyal subjects of the king, often as state-appointed officials or conscripts. Since they were representing the royal court, their armor didn’t need to be flashy—in fact, it would have been strange for government-issued equipment to be overly ornate. In contrast, Japan during this time wasn’t under strong centralized control. Instead, regional warlords (daimyō) held their own power and often clashed with each other. In that context, the grandeur of a warrior’s armor became a symbol of their status and influence. The more extravagant the armor, the more powerful the clan it represented.
There was also a spot where you could try on this elaborate armor—well, not the actual armor itself, but the clothing worn either over or under the armor (I’m not exactly sure which). The real armor is extremely heavy and difficult to wear, so they probably chose not to display it for trying on. There was even a mirror on the right side, so you could take photos of yourself once dressed up.
On the right side were helmets and outfits for adults, and on the left, ones for children: I personally tried on the outfit and took a photo—it was really fun to wear something I’d only ever seen in pictures. (Obviously, the helmet wasn’t an actual historical artifact but a modern reproduction.)
Yabusame Experience Area: The photo above shows a place where you can try out yabusame, a traditional Japanese martial art that involves shooting arrows while riding a horse at full gallop. In this exhibit, you can actually sit on the horse model shown in the photo and try shooting a bow—giving you a small taste of what yabusame is like.
Kokura Castle Miniature: Whenever I visit places like this, I always pay close attention to these miniature models. The reason is that large structures—like castles—are often so massive that it's hard to get a full sense of their overall shape and atmosphere, whether you're standing right next to them or viewing from a distance. These scale models help you really grasp what the building looks like as a whole.
On the 3rd floor, there was an exhibition dedicated to the lives of historical figures such as Miyamoto Musashi.
Exhibit representing the Kokura Hibun: The photo above shows a reproduction of the Kokura Hibun (in Korean, hibun would translate to epitaph essentially the contents of a memorial stone). It’s said to detail the achievements of Miyamoto Musashi. The actual monument is currently located in Tamukeyama Park, but here at the exhibit, a digital recreation is presented on screen.
Interior of the 5th Floor: The 5th floor looked like what you see in the photo above. I really wanted to enjoy a cup of coffee here (in another country, a coffee stand might do quite well in a spot like this), but of course, no food or drinks are allowed. That said, since visitors have to climb up several floors, they’ve thoughtfully provided sofas so people can rest a bit.
As expected, the top floor of the Kokura Castle tenshukaku offered an observation deck with a view over Kitakyushu City. However, the castle isn’t particularly tall, so the view didn’t extend as far as I had hoped.
View of Kitakyushu city: In the photo above, the black building on the left side is the Kitakyushu City Hall.
Kokura Castle Garden: The garden shown in the photo above is located right in front of Kokura Castle. As mentioned earlier, a separate admission fee was required to enter (as of December 2019). If I had had more time, I definitely would’ve visited—it’s a bit of a regret that I couldn’t.
Elevator: After quickly taking in the view from the 5th floor, I took the elevator down. Of course, it’s also possible to ride the elevator up to the 5th floor from the start and then walk down to view each floor in reverse order. However, the exhibition layout is designed for a bottom-up experience, so taking that reverse route might be a little confusing. The fact that there’s even an elevator makes me think Kokura Castle is similar to Osaka Castle than to Himeji Castle, which has retained more of its traditional interior.
Moat in front of Kokura Castle: As is common with many Japanese castles, Kokura Castle also has a moat in front of it. The other castles I’ve visited—Osaka Castle and Himeji Castle—also had moats surrounding them. Some people believe that Korean castles didn’t have moats, and while that’s partly true, it’s not the full picture. I’m not an expert in this field, but for example, the ancient capital of the Silla kingdom—Wolseong (also known as Gyeongju’s Guseong or Geumseong)—did have a moat nearby. Of course, the water is long gone now, and only traces remain.
Having a moat makes a big difference when it comes to castle defense. If there’s no moat, attackers can simply charge in, set up ladders, or bring siege equipment right up to the walls. But with a moat, even if the attacking force is large, they can’t easily approach the walls without boats. That limits access mostly to the front gate, where the bridge is narrow—meaning fewer soldiers can enter at once, and they’re more exposed to defenders. Even using boats isn’t an easy solution. Soldiers would still need to climb ladders after crossing the water, and transporting a huge number of troops across a moat using boats (especially while carrying siege gear) would be incredibly difficult and time-consuming. So overall, moats were a powerful defensive feature.
Next to Kokura Castle, there was a torii gate, as seen in the photo above (taken from inside the torii, looking outward). If you follow the path straight ahead through the gate, you’ll come across a stone monument, and just to the right of it, there’s a small shrine area for worship.
Stone monument at the end of the path following the straight path led to this monument.
To be honest, there were other structures behind Kokura Castle that I considered visiting, but in the end, I decided not to — mainly due to a lack of time. Still, if I had had more time, I definitely would have explored the facilities behind the castle and visited the Kokura Castle Garden as well. It’s a bit of a regret, but all the more reason to return someday.
There are other places to explore in Kitakyushu, such as Mojiko and local markets, but overall, it’s said that the city doesn’t offer as many attractions as Fukuoka. Among them, Kokura Castle is arguably the most prominent and iconic sightseeing spot in Kitakyushu.
With that, my short visit to Kokura Castle came to an end, and I quickly made my way back to Kokura Station to catch the Shinkansen. As I mentioned earlier, I’ll cover the details of traveling between Fukuoka and Kokura by Shinkansen in the next post.
Note: This post is based on a trip taken in December 2019, so some information may differ from the current situation!