This is the iconic castle of Karatsu City, built in 1608. Terasawa Hirotaka, the first lord of the Karatsu domain, spent three years constructing this castle. It was situated on an island connected by land and surrounded on three sides by the sea. The castle also had water moats. In 1871, under the law to abolish the samurai domain system, the castle was torn down. Later, it was transformed into a public park. In 1966, it was rebuilt as a cultural asset for tourism. The castle features an imposing main keep with five stories. With the main keep at the center, two beaches spread out to the right and left, resembling a crane spreading its wings, hence the name “Dancing Crane Castle.” The main keep contains displays of important documents from the samurai era, weapons, armor, and Karatsu pottery. The fifth floor is an observatory with a good view of the ocean. You can reach the main keep by climbing the stone steps or using the elevator. There are many cherry trees and wisterias around the main keep, making it a kind of flower park.

English Official Site: Karatsu Castle https://karatsujo.com/en/

English Official Site about Karatsu: Karatsu https://www.karatsu-kankou.jp/en/

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