---
title: Kumamoto Castle Fortifications
author: Jan van der Crabben
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21779/kumamoto-castle-fortifications/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
updated: 2026-05-12
---

# Kumamoto Castle Fortifications

_Authored by [Jan van der Crabben](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jvdc/)_

## Image File

[![Kumamoto Castle Fortifications](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/21779.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/21779.jpg)

## Image Caption

Fortifications of Kumamoto Castle, photograph by Jan van der Crabben, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, [Japan](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Japan/), September 2025.

First established in 1467 by Ideta Hidenobu, the castle and its fortifications were expanded over the centuries. Destroyed by a fire in 1877 during a siege in the Satsuma Rebellion, most of the modern castle is a reconstruction of the 1960s, reinforced by modern concrete.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

## About the Author

Jan is the Founder & Chairman of World History Encyclopedia and is the organisation's Director of Design & Technology. He holds an MA War Studies from King's College, and he has worked in the field of history-related digital media since 2006.
- [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/janvdc)

## Cite This Work

### APA
Crabben, J. v. d. (2026, May 12). Kumamoto Castle Fortifications. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21779/kumamoto-castle-fortifications/>
### Chicago
Crabben, Jan van der. "Kumamoto Castle Fortifications." *World History Encyclopedia*, May 12, 2026. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21779/kumamoto-castle-fortifications/>.
### MLA
Crabben, Jan van der. "Kumamoto Castle Fortifications." *World History Encyclopedia*, 12 May 2026, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21779/kumamoto-castle-fortifications/>.

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [Jan van der Crabben](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jvdc/ "User Page: Jan van der Crabben"), published on 12 May 2026. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon a work even for commercial reasons, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.