Kumamoto-jo (Kumamoto Castle), Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture

This castle, along with Himeji Castle and Matsumoto Castle, comprise what are considered the premier castles of Japan. Fortifications were first erected on this strategic location in 1467. It began to take on its current configuration under Kato Kiyomasa in 1588, and was gradually expanded over the next 20 years to become the best-fortified castle in Japan. The castle keep is almost 100 feet tall, and the towering curved walls, or musha gaeshi, present a very formidable obstacle indeed.

The main donjon and other buildings were burned to the ground during the Satsuma rebellion in 1877, but thirteen of the castle’s other structures survived. A major restoration was completed in 2008.

Jcastle Guide: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/8-Kumamoto-Castle
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumamoto_Castle