Kumamoto Castle

We took a day trip there with friends in 2015 and did the whole tour thing. Very cool. The next year, an earthquake took a good portion of it down and last I went in 2019, only the surrounding grounds are open. I hear I'll be dead before the reconstruction is done. But, from the outside you can still get some nice views and if you're into construction you'll find the repair process pretty interesting.

A beautiful castle that was sadly damaged in the 2016 earthquakes. Restoration is under way. Just a couple of weeks ago they opened a new attraction ( I believe they call it phase 2) which allows you to walk to the base of the castle via a completely new, elevated platform (which is now all handicap accessible!). Sad but interesting to see the damage done by the earthquake. They had done so much restoration work from 1989 to 2016 which all was damaged and/or destroyed by the earthquake. The castle itself has largely been restored on the exterior. The larger front section looks brand new now. The back section is still in scaffolding, but they're making quick progress. I believe the plan is to actually open the castle building for tours a year from now. It's best to visit during weekends or public holidays since you can get closer to the castle when the construction workers aren't working. But, it's also quite alright to visit during a weekday, just a tad less to see. Definitely worth the ¥500 admission. I was thinking at first that it was way too expensive for a ruined castle, but seeing the amount of damage and the crazy amount of work it took to just build the elevated platform to the castle (not mention all the castle restoration so far), it's actually a bargain. I kind of wish they were charging more because I felt like they lost money on my visit. So, go and see the castle! Help them restore this place back to it's original glory!

Everything is quite good, but it takes time to have a parking lot. It's much easier if you walk, take public transportation or ride a bicycle..

Gorgeous but can't get near it yet as it's not finished restoration. Spring 2021 I'm there.

One of the main landmarks in Kumamoto. The walk from the tram station is about 15 to 20 minutes. Unfortunately, the castle is still under refurbishment from the recent earthquake few years ago, where visits are only allowed on certain days of the week. Would certainly be back here to visit when it's done. Worth the visit!