Karatsu Castle is classified as a hilltop castle (its layout: Renkakushiki), and is located in Saga Prefecture. During the pre-modern age, it found itself within the borders of Hizen Province. It is associated with the Terazawa, Ogasawara clans. Dates in use: 1602 - 1871.

A concrete reconstruction, but it looks the part on a hill overlooking the ocean. The original castle was built using materials from the dismantled Hizen Nagoya Castle after Hideyoshi's failed Korean invasion. Inside the keep the are many items on display relating to the ruling families & local history. The Tatsumi turret & the clock tower were both built in the 1990's.

There isn't anything too special about this reconstruction. It certainly looks the part having had all of the buildings of the main enclosure rebuilt but its design is based on whimsy & not historical documents. What we can look at with interest is its topography. The small fortified peninsular protects a small harbour, the preferred setup in the castles of the Korean invasion.

Timeline

1585	Toyotomi Hideyoshi's retainer, Terasawa Hirotaka, was stationed here.
1600	Terasawa's lands were expanded (83,000 koku to 123,000 koku) after supporting the Tokugawa at the time of Sekigahara by attacking Gifu castle.
1602	Construction of Karatsu castle was commenced and was completed in 1608.
1627	A Shogunate record states that a keep didn't exist.
1647	Control of this castle & fief by the Terasawa clan ceased.
1649	The Okubo clan were awarded this castle and lands worth 83,000 koku.
1678	The Matsudaira clan took over with lands worth 70,000 koku and by the end of the Matsudaira reign, 60,000 koku.
1691	Next was the Doi clan with 4 generations of Doi Daimyō.
1762	The Mizuno clan were then Daimyō here for 4 generations.
1817	The final clan to rule were the Ogasawara. They ruled here until the introduction of the prefectural system was introduced in 1871.
1877	The castle's lands were turned into Maizuru park.
1966	A Keicho period (1596-1615) style keep was built using concrete.
1989	The Higo-moat of the secondary enclosure (Ni-no-maru) was rebuilt.
1992	A clock tower, the Toki no Taiko, was rebuilt.
1993	The Tatsumi turret was rebuilt.
2011	Major repairs of the stonework & buildings of the main enclosure commenced.