Hagi Castle

Hagi Castle is a medieval coastal fortification on Mount Shigetsu protected by stone walls and moats. The site sits about 150 meters above sea level and connects to the mainland through a natural sandbank.

The Mori clan built this fortification in 1604 as headquarters after Mori Terumoto's defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara a decade earlier. It served as the family's power base and administrative center for centuries that followed.

The castle reflects Edo-period design with its square enclosures and multiple towers that reveal defensive thinking of that era. The stone walls and moats visible today shape how visitors understand this as a working fortress from centuries past.

Visitors can reach the ruins by taxi from Higashi-Hagi Station or using local buses that stop near the entrance. The walk to the site is moderate and accessible throughout the year.

The preserved moats connect directly to the Sea of Japan and hold carp and turtles swimming freely in the historic waters. This living ecosystem makes the ruins a place where nature and history meet in an immediate way.

Location: Hagi

Inception: 1608

Founders: Mōri Terumoto

Part of: Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining, 100 Fine Castles of Japan

Website: https://hagishi.com

GPS coordinates: 34.41759,131.38248

Latest update: December 6, 2025 21:30