Photo: renfield kuroda / CC BY-SA 2.0Checked · Researched, not yet visited · times from official timetables and our estimates · Takumi Yamada
Mori Terumoto built the castle in 1604 at the foot of Mt Shizuki, with a second fort on the 145 m summit. The five-storey keep and every other building were dismantled in 1874. What remains is the stone base of the keep, long runs of wall and part of the moat, in a park of about 600 cherry trees. The ruins are part of the Meiji Industrial Revolution World Heritage listing as Hagi Castle Town.
Four things the plaques won't tell you
- The Hagi Hakkei boat leaves from the pier beside the park: about 40 minutes, ¥1,500, no fixed departures.
- Hagi-yaki kiln shops stand by the entrance; the Jozan kiln’s shop is open 08:00–17:00.
- From November to February the park opens 08:30–16:30, and in March 08:30–18:00.
- The walls and the keep’s base are lit from sunset to 22:00 all year.
The ruins are part of the Meiji Industrial Revolution World Heritage listing as Hagi Castle Town.
More in Hagi
Questions people ask here
How far is Hagi Castle from the cruise tender?
About 300 m, 4 minutes on foot, from the Hagi Hakkei boat pier beside Shizuki Bridge. That pier is the landing Yamaguchi Prefecture named for Le Jacques Cartier; for other ships check the daily programme.
Is there a castle keep at Hagi?
No. The keep was dismantled in 1874. The stone base, the walls and part of the moat remain, in Shizuki Park. Adult ¥220.