Kōjiro Castle Ruins
This medieval castle was built on a hill overlooking the port of Kōjiro. It is said that the castle dates back to the period of the Northern and Southern Courts period (1336-1392 ), when Takamasu Kōjiro entered the castle.
In 1584, at the battle of Okitanawate, where the Shimazu and Arima allied forces clashed with the Ryūzoji forces, the lord of the time, Kōjiro Takashige, sided with the Ryūzoji forces. When Ryūzoji Takanobu was killed in battle, the defeated Takashige took refuge in the castle of Kōjiro. Surrounded by the sea and marshland, the castle was well defended and the Kōjiro clan fought well but eventually perished in the ensuing battle.
Kōjiro Castle was granted to Nabeshima Naoshige by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587. In 1608, when the castle came under the control of Nabeshima Nobufusa, it was rebuilt as a residence, but was later abandoned under the One Kingdom, One Castle Order.
It is said that cranes (‘Tsuru’ in Japanese) used to fly in the sky and turtles (‘Kame’ in Japanese) used to swim in the surrounding sea, hence the name ‘Tsurukame Castle’.