Kumamoto Castle in Spring

When sweet colors emerge around the castle

Nicole Bauer May 06, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>You think about spring in Japan and you usually think of cherry blossoms. So of course there are a few cherry trees right in front of the two majestic towers of the castle keep.</p>

<p>Close-up of the smaller of the two towers.</p>

<p>However, it is not all about blossoms. I particularly loved these old trees around the castle; they look as majestic as the castle keep itself.</p>

<p>The shrine grounds are spacious, and it is pure pleasure to discover new views of the castle keep and the turrets from different angles.</p>

<p>To get this view of the adjoining park and hills of Kumamoto, you need to go up to the top floor of the main tower. As you can see by the blue plastic cover on the grass, as long as there are some cherry blossoms left, hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties are popular, just as anywhere else.</p>

<p>Just as impressive as the castle—the walls surrounding it. Watch out for the couple walking by; that puts the size into perspective.</p>

<p>This is one of my favorite shots, as it brings across the warm colors of an afternoon light atmosphere.</p>

Notice

Kumamoto Castle sustained heavy damage during the 2016 earthquake. During the summer of 2021, the inner keep reopened after a 5-year reconstruction period. However, sitewide renovations are expected to continue until around 2038.

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I guess we were lucky—what a beautiful day! So instead of spending our time inside the castle museum, we took our time to explore the castle grounds with all those lovely walking paths inside and outside the castle walls, which to be honest are just as impressive as the castle itself. We got all kind of different views and it was hard to pick a favorite. Do you have a favorite? For more detailed information about the castle, click on the related article link below.

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Find out more about Kumamoto Castle.

Nicole Bauer @nicole.bauer

Travelling abroad to discover new places, getting to know different cultures and learning foreign languages has always been my passion. I was born and raised in Germany; however, for a few years now I've been very lucky to be able to spend my life abroad. I lived for some time in England and Ital...