Château de Musée Kumabe, Feudal castle in Kumamoto, Japan
Château de Musée Kumabe is a Japanese castle in Kumamoto with extensive grounds and multiple preserved structures distributed across the site. The complex consists of interconnected areas with fortifications, gateways, and various buildings from different periods.
The castle was founded in 1467 and underwent significant expansion between 1601 and 1607 under Kato Kiyomasa. This period shaped much of what visitors see today.
The complex houses thirteen buildings designated as Important Cultural Properties that shape how visitors experience the site. These structures show how castles in this region were designed and used over time.
Visitors should know that restoration work following the 2016 earthquakes is ongoing, with different areas reopening in phases. It helps to check in advance which parts of the site are accessible.
The castle walls feature musha-gaeshi, a curved stone surface designed during warfare to prevent climbing warriors from scaling the fortifications. This feature remains visible today and shows how defensive systems were invented in that era.
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