Kokura town of Kitakyushu city is the gateway of Kyushu.
Tadaoki Hosokawa who achieved good results in Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 obtained territory of Kokura as reward.
The town has developed greatly after that.
↑Current Kokura town of Kitakyushu city.
Kokura Castle stand in the city centre was built by Tadaoki with 7years from 1602.
Currently, inside of the castle is exhibition room which is introducing the history of Kokura Castle.
There are Kokura Castle Garden and Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum around the castle which delights the eye of visitors.
Kokura Castle Garden is area which is restored mansion of Ogasawara family who was the lord of Kokura Castle for 234years after Hosokawa family
↑Kokura Castle Garden
Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum exhibits results for life of Seicho who is Japanese famous novelist from Kokura.
↑Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum
Thus, Kokura Castle plays an important role as cultural assets in peaceful contemporary. However the original role of castle is military establishments.
Kokura Castle had also been used as military establishments for a long period.
Especially, Kokura Castle brought the biggest crisis in Showa period (1926-1989). Moreover, it was the biggest crisis in the world history rather than the Japanese history.
What’s the crisis?
Kokura arsenal was built inside of the castle area in 1933.
Kokura arsenal was the Japanese biggest arsenal as plant of fire balloon in those days. And it became the cause of bringing the biggest crisis to Kokura Castle.
It was the atomic bombing.
You know atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.
The first target of atomic bomb was Kokura where had the Kokura arsenal. However the attempt was three times failure. Due to that, the target was changed to Nagasaki.
The crisis of Kokura was avoided, but the Nagasaki was destroyed. This thing decided the victory of USA.
“A general climbs to fame on the bodies of thousands of nameless soldiers.”
The winner was USA, but you also might get opportunity to become winner in various scenes. You always don’t forget there are helps and cooperation of someone, not to say sacrifice behind your win.
Kokura avoided damage by sacrifice of Nagasaki.
When you visit Kokura Castle, please recall there was sacrifice of Nagasaki. And also please hope tragedy not occur again.
<Location>
2-1 Jonai, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan
Post code: 803-0813
<Japanese WEB site>
http://japan-history-travel.com/?p=5039
