10 Jun 2023

Captivating Castles and Timeless Tea Ceremonies at Karatsu

  Our day in Karatsu started with an exciting preview of Karatsu Castle as it was visible across the bay from where Heritage Adventurer had docked, but first it was up the twisty path to the Mount Kagamiyama Observation Deck. A nice morning stroll led to an overview of the city, the sea and the intervening pine forest. Back down the hill, but soon up again - in the elevator to the base of the castle. The best views of Karatsu came from climbing through the castle, each level filled with the historic displays, before finally reaching the top.

  On the Yobuko peninsula is the Nagoya Castle Museum and nearby Nagoya Castle ruins. This excellent museum is dedicated to exploring the relationship between Japan and Korea. Special attention is paid to the invasions by Japan in the 1590s, and to the enormous castle that was built at that time, but is now in ruins. Among the ruins is a reconstructed tea house in which allows the opportunity to sample a bit of traditional culture with a tea ceremony.

After an active day of castle exploration it was time to return to Heritage Adventurer for our nightly recap and a chance to share our photos and stories with each other over dinner.

Image (c) by: S.Tranmer