Fukue Castle

Fukue Castle, completed in 1863, was the last castle built before the end of samurai rule and one of the few sea castles in Japan, originally bordered on three sides by ocean with a seawater moat. The Goto family lords spent 14 years building it, hampered by coastal tides that restricted foundation work and a shortage of skilled masons, some of whom were sent as far as Hokkaido to learn the craft. The interior structures were demolished just nine years after completion as the shogunate collapsed. The outer walls, stone bridges, and a garden villa from 1858 remain, along with the Goto Tourism and Historical Materials Museum.