Hagi Castle

Hagi Castle from the air.

Ruins at Hagi Castle. The foundation of the tenshu (donjon) is in the center.

Tenshu (donjon) in old photo.

Hagi Castle (萩城, Hagi-jō), also known as Shizuki Castle, is a castle located in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.

History

Mori Terumoto lost his holdings around Hiroshima and was moved to Hagi following the Battle of Sekigahara when he supported the losing side. He built Hagi Castle in 1604, and his family continued to rule over it until the Meiji Restoration. The castle was unusual as it was constructed mainly at the base of Mount Shizuki, though a few defences are located on the mountain. In 1874, much of the castle was destroyed, leaving little but ruins.^[1]

Today

The castle is a National Historic site. The castle was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 5, 2015 as part of the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining. It is registered as part of Hagi's Castle Town. ^[2]^[3]

Sources

Literature

Schmorleitz, Morton S. (1974). Castles in Japan. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co. pp. 142–144. ISBN 0-8048-1102-4.

Coordinates: 34°25′17″N 131°22′53″E / 34.421419°N 131.381389°E / 34.421419; 131.381389

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