Kumamoto castle!

We took a bus from Nagasaki to Kumamoto at night. Next morning, I opened a curtain, and open my mouth as well....Kumamoto castle right there!!! I kind of slept in so I did not have much time but I could not miss going there! It's literary 5 min walk from the hotel. I run to the gate to have more time inside. Then I saw a big shrine, I stopped by before entering the castle. The shrine consists of many small shrines, each god in a small house look like shrine. I felt a little attached that place since the shrine was for fox god, a white fox serving gods. So I visited each one praying for peace.


OK, back to Kumamoto Castle....I paid 300 yen, about 2 and half dollars, then went in. I run again to the main castle part called "Tenshukaku" but it was a long winding way with big stone steps to get there. Since Tenshukaku is the main part of the castle, usually on the top of the castle area looking over its town. I was out of the breath....The Tenshukaku is having repair work on the roof so it lacks their true beauty a little but very dignified and massive architecture stands out. Kumamoto castle was famous for strongly built structure. The actual Tenshukaku was re-build since the original got burned and lost in a war. The inside is more like a museum displaying things from 16th-17th century. There are armors, all the little knick-knacks, and "Kago (see the pic!)" which is kind of a personal taxi for higher rank people, carried by two men. It has such a tiny room even though people at that time might be smaller. I was surprised its size as well as all the details of inside, it was beautifully painted.

Even though most of the castle building is reconstruction, there is one building called Uto-Yagura(turnet) which survived those fires. It has 5 stories. It says it is comparable in size and scale to main towers at many of the other castles, that is how powerful and successful Kumamoto castle was. I went in, wooden floors and poles are rich dark brown after long lived life here in Kumamoto. Each room is kind of small but well build. There was a room of famous Lord Kato Kiyamasa. It is amazing we can just go in the same room who spent time there 420 years ago! Stairs are narrow and steep, made me think of those samurais running in case of emergency.
I run again, I wanted to visit a shrine which is dedicated to the Lord Kato Kiyamasa. He was the one who had made very successful. When Lord Hosokawa took over the castle afterwards, he showed his respect to Lord Kato Kiyomasa in public so he could govern Kumamoto with peace. People in Kumamoto have believed the Lord Kiyamasa watches over their country. It was beautiful shrine, I think he does still.