As we were planning to take the kids to the African Safari park in Oita, I though it’d be a shame to not drop by Hiji Castle (a.k.a Yokoku castle.) And lucky for me that was exactly what we did. The enthusiasm I have for Japanese castles isn’t exactly shared by my family so I found myself literally jogging around the place taking pics but it was a thoroughly enjoyable visit.

Hiji Castle

I had done a little research which was good because I had to visit three sites that weren’t so close together. First stop was the Ryusenji Temple where the Omotemon of Hiji castle has been relocated. The gate is in rather poor condition and with cars parked right in front of it, it was hard to get a decent photo.

The next thing I was hunting for was the Kimon yagura (鬼門櫓) which has interested me since the first time I saw a picture of it. This thing is falling apart! When you see early Meiji period pictures of any Japanese castle, with few exceptions they are in an extremely neglected state. And that is exactly what can be seen with this turret TODAY. Check out the pictures on the Hiji Castle profile page to see what I mean. Another interesting thing is its design. One corner is chopped off at 45°. The name of the turret translates to the Demon’s gate turret, and the Demons who enter the castle (from the North-East of course) are faced with a walled-off entrance, thereby blocking them along with misfortune.

I then moved on to the actual site of Hiji Castle, and there is quite a bit left of the stonework. The site was so full of activity with schoolkids and the sounds of band practice everywhere. Near the castle you can see some old-castle-town style restoration work has been undertaken. Worth checking out.

Check out the link above for info & pictures of Hiji Castle.