Hagi Castle (萩城, Hagi-jō), also known as Shizuki Castle, is a castle located in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.
Today
The castle is a National Historic site. The ruins still stand, and the site is a popular site to visit for tourists in the area.
Hagi Castle in JapanHagi Castle lies in Yamaguchi, which is on the coast of Japan Sea. For two and a half centuries Hagi Castle served as the seat of the feudal lords in Japan after its construction in 1604. In the wake of the termination of the feudal era in Japan, the Meiji government ordered the destruction of Hagi Castle and only its ruins remain now.
It was in the 1604 that Mori Terumoto, a samurai ruler, following his defeat in a battle in Sekigahara Field chose the foothills Mt. Shizuki-yama as the site for his residential castle.
Today Hagi Temple is known to the public as Shizuki Park. Apart from the few dilapidated castle walls and stonewalls, the vestiges of the former castle lie in a form of Shizuki Shrine, Hananoe Tea House and the East Yard. The pleasures of visiting Hagi Castle lie in taking a walk around the park, watching the full bloom of cherry trees and sipping green tea at Hananoe Tea House.
In the vicinity of the ruins of Hagi Castle lie the remains of the tenements of the foot soldiers. These tenements have a length 51.5 meters and a width of 5 meters. There are lines of windows and lattice doors which are arranged in a straight. This has been listed as the one of the National Historic Sites. Further, on the eastern flank of outer castle moat lies Horiuchi. This was the area where the eminent samurais lived and it has been recognized as the Important Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings.
How to reach Hagi:
Planes to Yamaguchi Prefecture:
Hagi is a city in Yamaguchi Prefecture. A regular flow of traffic exists between Haneda Airport in Tokyo and Yamaguchi Ube Airport, which is the largest airport in Yamaguchi prefecture.
From the airport you are advised to take a bus to Shin-yamaguchi and from there take another bus to Shin-Yamaguchi. Waiting at the bus terminal of Shin-Yamaguchi, you will find a bus to Hagi.
Trains to Hagi
The most important train station in Hagi is Higashi-Hagi station. Taking a train via JR Sanin Line is advisible. There is a limited express which runs daily between Kokura and Hagi.
Buses to Hagi
The principal bus station in Hagi is Hagi Bus center. The station receives buses from Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima etc.
To Reach Hagi Castle:
Hagi Castle is half an hour's pleasure walk from Higashi-Hagi station, the railway station in Hagi.
Accommodation in Hagi
Hagi is also referred to as the Castle Town. It receives visitors all the year round, both from Japan and outside it. Some of the recommended hotels in Hagi are-
- Hagi Tanaka Hotel: Seaside Onsen
- Hagi Tanaka Hotel: Seaside Onsen
After losing to Tokugawa in the Battle of Sekigahara, Mori's lands around Hiroshima were confiscated and he was moved to Hagi. Amazingly, the Mori family continued to rule over Hagi until the Meiji restoration.
The structure of Hagi Castle is interesting in that it is primarily a Flatland castle but Mori also built a a yagura partway up the mountain and another one at the top in what is called the Tsume no maru. The 5 story donjon, yagura and other structures were demolished in 1874 under the Castle Abolition Law. Only the stone walls were spared. The Hagi Castle ruins are a National Historic Site. The castle town is also a National Historic Site and a famous tourism destination.
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