At the same place where the current castle stands, the first castle was built in 1599 by the 26th lord of the Matsura clan, Shigenobu Matsura or Hôin Chinshin, which was called `Hinotake Castle`. The Matsura clan had to burn it down in 1613 to gain the trust of Tokugawa shogunate. As Japan entered a period of national isolation under the same shogunate there were no more profits of foreign trade for the Matsura clan so they turned their attention to domestic affairs. Under the rule of the 29th Lord Shigenobu Matsura or Tenshô Chinshin, new efforts were made to rebuild the castle, and construction started in 1704 with help of the befriended military strategist Sokô Yamaga. The Matsura administration was moved to the main donjon in 1707. Hirado Castle, which was called Kameoka Castle at the time, was completed in 1718 incorporating the Yamaga style of military tactics and using the natural features, creating a stronghold guarding over the Hirado Strait. It served for over 150 years as the centre of the Matsura clan’s rule; from 1707 until the Meiji Restoration.
The main donjon was reconstructed in 1962, followed by other warehouse and defense donjons. From the top of the main donjon one can admire the view of the harbour and the primeval forest of little Kurokojima Island. Beyond the rapids caused by the ebb and flow of the tides in the Hirado Strait one can see as far as Iki Island. A few of the pictures taken of the Castle are belowp lease enjoy them :)
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