🗺️ Akizuki Castle Ruins秋月城跡

Akiyama is located in the central region of Fukuoka Prefecture, about an hour's reach from Fukuoka City. The basin, surrounded by mountains on three sides, has geographical characteristics that make it easy to defend but difficult to attack. During the medieval period, the Akiyama clan built a mountain castle here. In the 9th year of the Bunwa era (1623), under the orders of Kuroda Nagamasa, the Akiyama Domain was established as a branch domain of the Fukuoka Domain. The first lord of the domain, Kuroda Nagahiro, took control of Akiyama and built Akiyama Castle, which was governed by 12 generations thereafter. Although Akiyama Castle is an old castle town, the decline of the samurai class after the Meiji period and its location away from major transportation routes led to a delay in development, allowing the town's traditional appearance to be preserved to this day. There are 126 designated Important Traditional Building Preservation Districts across the country. Among them, four are castle towns, and the entire area of Akiyama has been designated as such, earning it the nickname "Little Kyoto of Chikuzen" due to its charming castle town atmosphere. The castle ruins are designated as a historic site by Fukuoka Prefecture, and the main gate (Kuro-mon) and Nagaya gate have also been designated as tangible cultural properties within the prefecture. Nearby the Akiyama Castle ruins, there are several attractions worth visiting, including the "Megane Bridge," built over 200 years ago, samurai residences, and the long-established "Hiroku Katsuhonpo," which produces 100% domestically sourced hon-kuzu and has been in business for over 200 years. Especially during the cherry blossom season in spring and the autumn foliage period, the beauty of the area attracts many visitors.

In the tranquil mountain scenery, there are many historical sites. A leisurely walk takes about an hour to complete. The cherry blossoms in spring and the autumn leaves are particularly beautiful.