Tuesday

Saga Castle, The Submerged Palace

Assalammualaikum..~
If you wandering around Saga, you may see an impressive moat building surrounded by greens and lake.The Saga Castle..!Saga Castle is unusual among Japanese castles in several aspects. Firstly, it was not built upon a raised stone base like most, rather it was surrounded by earthen ramparts planted with trees that hid the castle from view and led to its nickname as Shizumi-jo, "The Submerged Castle."


Actually, behind of it's magnificient we got to know that Saga Castle was plagued by fires hundreds years before. Between 1716-1736 most of the castle buildings including the main keep burned down. The main keep was never rebuilt but the palace and government buildings were rebuilt centering on the Ninomaru compound.Much of the castle also burned down during the Saga Rebellion of 1874. The Honmaru Palace actually survived through the Meiji Period and was used as government offices and a school until it was dismantled in 1957.There are pamphlet in both Japanese and English, so visitors who can't read Japanese doesn't need to worry about that.


The historical castle open to visitors from 9.30a.m to 6.00p.m.We usually walk or cycle to the castle because it is so near to our apartment.For your information, Saga Castle takes ten minute bus ride south of Saga Station on the Nagasaki Main Line. Saga is around 45 minutes on the Limited Express from Hakata Station in Fukuoka and about 25 minutes by local train or 15 minutes by Limited Express from Shin-Tosu. From Nagasaki Station in Nagasaki, Saga is around 80 minutes by train. From Kumamoto take the Kyushu Shinkansen to Shin-Tosu (25 minutes) and change to either a local train or Limited Express.


The outside compound usually place for exhibition or annual events like hanabi. Visitors are allowed to walk around, taking photos and have a rest or picnic around the wide compound especially when the sakura bloom. However, if you wish to enter the building, there are some rules that visitors need to follow. As usual, in Japan, usually wearing shoes in building(house) are prohibited.You need to took off your shoe and keep it in a provided locker for 100 yen.(you'll get your 100 yen back :)).Remember that taking photos, pets and foods are prohibited inside the castle.
parking lots and bicycle lots are provided

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