The Osumi-yagura turret at the northwest corner of the main enclosure, surrounded by autumn leaves, November 2018. It was built to mark Akita City's centennial, and its top floor is an observation deck.

くろふねCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Akita · Akita

Kubota Castle

久保田城

Akita, Akita

CastleHilltop castle (hirayamajiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 9

What makes this castle distinctive

It was the seat of a domain worth over 200,000 koku of rice, yet it had almost no stone walls and never had a keep.

Why?

Kubota Castle was built by the Satake lords of the Akita domain on a natural plateau and was defended by moats and earthen ramparts. Akita City suggests the lack of a keep may come from the cost of being moved to a new domain, the burden of service to the shogunate, and a wish not to provoke the Tokugawa.^[1][2]

Three things not to miss

Earthen ramparts and moats instead of stone walls

Where: Around the main and second enclosures of Senshu Park, and the Otemon and Anamon moats facing Hirokoji, the street from the station.
What to look at: The high banks of piled earth (dorui) and the moats below them, and how little stone is used.
Why it's interesting: Unlike the tall stone walls of castles in western Japan, Kubota Castle relied on moats and earthen ramparts. The Otemon and Anamon moats date from the castle era and sit right in the city, a short walk from the station. A floating boardwalk opened on the Otemon moat in 2024, letting you walk among the lotus flowers in summer.^{[1][2][11][12]}
Can you see it?: Visible from outsideThe park is open all day. The moat boardwalk is closed from December to March and between 22:00 and sunrise.

The Osumi-yagura turret and its lookout

Where: The northwest corner of the main enclosure (honmaru).
What to look at: The view over Akita from the top-floor observation deck, and the panels on the history of the Satake family inside.
Why it's interesting: Turrets (yagura) were used for keeping watch and storing weapons, and Kubota Castle had eight corner turrets. Today's Osumi-yagura was built to mark the city's 100th anniversary, based on the two-story design described in records. In a castle without a keep, it is the place to look out over the city.^[3]
Can you see it?: Visible from outsideEntry is charged (150 yen for adults). Closed December 1 – March 31.

The Omonogashira Gobansho, the last Edo-period building

Where: Along the Nagasaka slope from the second enclosure up to the main enclosure, near the Nagasaka Gate site.
What to look at: The guardhouse itself, and its position overlooking the gate.
Why it's interesting: This was the post of the monogashira, officers in charge of opening and closing the gate, guarding the town below and fighting fires. It is thought to have been built between 1758 and 1778, and it is the only domain-era government building still standing in the castle grounds. It is a designated cultural property of Akita City.^[4][5][7]
Can you see it?: Partly visibleOpen 9:00–16:30 (fiscal 2026); the exterior can be seen at any time.

At a glance for visitors

Nearest station: 15 min walk from JR Akita Station
Climb: Some climbing
Time neededEditors' estimate: About an hour to walk the park and climb the Osumi-yagura; 1.5–2 hours with the Satake Historical Museum.
Admission: Adults 150 yen (groups 120 yen); free for high school students and younger
Hours: 9:00–16:30 (until 19:00 during city school summer holidays)
Access: Open to visitors
Senshu Park is open all day. The Osumi-yagura and the Satake Historical Museum charge admission. Cars may not be driven into the park.

Checked: 2026-10-03

View on map Open in Google Maps Senshu Park (Akita City, Japanese)Satake Historical Museum (Japanese)

The story of this castle

Historical record

A new castle for the relocated Satake

The Satake had been daimyo in Hitachi Province (today's Ibaraki Prefecture), but after the Battle of Sekigahara they were moved to Akita in Dewa Province in 1602. Rather than use Minato Castle, home of the previous Akita lords, Satake Yoshinobu built a new castle on Shinmeiyama hill in Kubota, now Senshu Park, and laid out a castle town around it.^[2][13]

Historical record

Satake Yoshinobu begins building in 1603

Construction began in the fifth month of 1603, and Yoshinobu moved in in the eighth month of 1604, after which Minato Castle was demolished. Work continued for years, and the castle is said to have been completed around 1631. From here, twelve generations of Satake lords ruled the 205,800-koku Akita domain for 267 years, until they returned their lands to the emperor in 1869.^[1][2]

Scholarly interpretation

Defenses without stone walls or a keep

Kubota was a hilltop-and-plain castle (hirayamajiro) with several baileys (kuruwa). It used a natural plateau and was enclosed by moats and earthen ramparts, with very little stonework. No keep was ever built; possible reasons include the cost of the move to a new domain, the burden of service owed to the shogunate, and a wish not to provoke the Tokugawa.^[1][2]

Historical record

From castle to park

After the Meiji Restoration the castle lost its purpose, and most of its buildings are said to have burned in a great fire in 1880. In 1896 the grounds were turned into a park designed by Nagaoka Yasuhei, a pioneer of modern park design, and named Senshu Park: "shu" from the "aki" (autumn) of Akita, with "sen" (thousand) added as a wish for lasting prosperity.^[1][15]

Historical record

Only a guardhouse survived

Of all the castle's buildings, the only domain-era government building still standing is the Omonogashira Gobansho, the post of the officers who opened and closed the gate, guarded the town and fought fires. It is thought to date from around 1758–1778. Of the moats, the Otemon and Anamon moats survive from the castle era.^[4][11]

Historical record

A rebuilt turret and gate, and recognition as a scenic site

In 1984, following the wishes of the late Satake Yoshihide, 15th head of the family, the park was donated to Akita City. The Osumi-yagura was built to mark the city's centennial, and the Omote-mon, the main gate of the main enclosure, was rebuilt in wood over two years from 1999 based on old plans and excavations. Senshu Park was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 2008, and the Satake Historical Museum reopened in a new building in 2025.^{[1][3][5][16]}

People of this castle

Builder of the castle and first lord of the Akita domain

Satake Yoshinobu

佐竹義宣

1570–1633

Once a daimyo in Hitachi Province (today's Ibaraki Prefecture), he was moved to Akita in Dewa Province after the Battle of Sekigahara and became the first lord of the Akita domain. He built Kubota Castle on Shinmeiyama hill and laid out its castle town.

Lord

Satake clan

佐竹氏

Timeline

1603
Satake Yoshinobu begins building on Shinmeiyama^[2]
1604
Yoshinobu moves in; Minato Castle is demolished^[2]
1869
The Satake return their domain to the emperor after 12 generations and 267 years^[1]
1896
Turned into a park designed by Nagaoka Yasuhei and named Senshu Park^[1]
1984
Donated to Akita City by the Satake family^[1]
2001
Two-year project starting in 1999
The Omote-mon gate is rebuilt in wood^[5]
2008
Senshu Park is designated a Place of Scenic Beauty^[1]

Buildings and remains

The keep today

No keep was built

No keep was ever built, according to Akita City.

The site today

The main and second enclosures are now Senshu Park, a public park. Inside are the rebuilt Osumi-yagura turret, the Omote-mon gate rebuilt in wood, the original Edo-period Omonogashira Gobansho, and the Satake Historical Museum. Cultural facilities stand on the outer side, and the Otemon and Anamon moats survive along the street from the station.

Main buildings

OriginalAkita City Designated Cultural Property

Omonogashira Gobansho (guardhouse)

Thought to have been built between 1758 and 1778; the only domain-era government building left in the castle.^[4]

Modern reconstruction

Osumi-yagura (corner turret)

Built for the city's centennial, based on the two-story form in historical records, with an observation deck on top.^[3]

Rebuilt in wood

Omote-mon (main gate of the main enclosure)

Rebuilt in wood as a two-story gatehouse over two years from 1999, based on old plans and excavations. About 12.46 m tall. Lit up from sunset to sunrise.^[5]

Key facts

Type: Castle
Setting: Hilltop castle (hirayamajiro)built on a low hill rising from the plainEditorial article
Period: Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu): No keep was builtthe castle never had a keepEditorial article
Built by: Satake YoshinobuJapan Castle Foundation
Built: 1603Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords: Satake clanJapan Castle Foundation
Abandoned: 1880Wikipedia (ja)
Remains to see: Earthen ramparts, Moats, Gates, Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Turrets or turret basesEditorial article
Designation: Place of Scenic Beauty (Senshu Park, Kubota Castle Site) (2008); Akita City Designated Cultural Property (Omonogashira Gobansho)Editorial article
Selection: Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 9Japan Castle Foundation

Visiting

Access

Open to visitors

Senshu Park is open all day. The Osumi-yagura and the Satake Historical Museum charge admission. Cars may not be driven into the park.

Address

Senshu Koen, Akita, Akita (Satake Historical Museum: 1-4 Senshu Koen)^[6]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Nearest stations and how to get there

JR Akita StationJR Akita Shinkansen, Ou Line, Uetsu Line and others

about 15 min walk · Some climbing

About 5 minutes on foot from the station to the pocket park at the park entrance, and about 15 minutes to the second enclosure. The Satake Historical Museum is about 15 minutes from the West Exit.^[1][6]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Hours and admission

Kubota Castle Osumi-yagura

Hours: 9:00–16:30 (until 19:00 during city school summer holidays)
Closed: December 1 – March 31
Admission: Adults 150 yen (groups 120 yen); free for high school students and younger^[3]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Satake Historical Museum

Hours: 9:00–16:30
Closed: Year-end holidays (December 29 – January 3) and exhibition changes
Admission: Permanent exhibition 500 yen (400 yen for groups of 20+); free for high school students and younger. Special exhibitions cost extra. A 1,300-yen annual pass covers the museum and the Osumi-yagura.^[6]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Omonogashira Gobansho

Hours: 9:00–16:30
Closed: Not confirmed
Admission: Not confirmed^[7]

Checked: 2026-10-03

By car / parking

About 15 minutes from Akita-Chuo IC on the Akita Expressway. Paid parking: the Otemon-dori lot (31 spaces, 24 hours, 100 yen per 30 minutes) and the Osaka lot near the Matsushita Gate site (14 spaces, April 1 – November 30, closed during the cherry-blossom festival).^[1][8]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Grounds opening hours

Open all day^[1]Checked: 2026-10-03

Time neededEditors' estimate

About an hour to walk the park and climb the Osumi-yagura; 1.5–2 hours with the Satake Historical Museum.

Steps, slopes and footing

The park sits on a plateau, and the Nagasaka slope leads from the second enclosure up to the main enclosure.^[5][4]

Wheelchairs and strollers

Four accessible toilets in the park (north of the Osumi-yagura, east of the main enclosure, north of Kogetsu Pond, east of the second enclosure). One wheelchair can be borrowed at the Satake Historical Museum shop (no reservations, 9:00–16:30).^[9]Checked: 2026-10-03

Toilets and rest

Several in the park, including four accessible toilets shown on the city's park map.^[9]

English signs / audio guide

The city website offers machine-translated English pages. English signage on site is not confirmed.^[1]

Seasons

About 630 cherry trees grow in the park, roughly 80 percent of them Somei Yoshino. Because the park is on high ground, they open about 1–2 days later than the official Akita forecast around the second enclosure and 4–5 days later around the main enclosure, with full bloom lasting about three days. Lotus flowers bloom in the Otemon moat from early July to mid-September.^[10][12]

Photography

Events in the park require a permit. Rules for personal photography are not confirmed.^[1]

Works, closures and restrictions

The Satake Historical Museum is fully closed October 1–9, 2026. The Osumi-yagura closes December 1 – March 31, and the Otemon moat boardwalk is closed December to March.^[6][3][12]Checked: 2026-10-03

Editors' guide

An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.

Who will enjoy it

For travelers who want to see an earthwork castle of eastern Japan rather than stone walls and keeps, anyone who enjoys city parks in cherry-blossom or lotus season, and visitors with a short window near Akita Station.

What makes it interesting

Walk from the station along Hirokoji to see the moats, then climb the Nagasaka slope to the Omonogashira Gobansho, the genuine Edo-period building. Pass through the Omote-mon gate into the main enclosure and look out from the Osumi-yagura's deck to see how this stoneless castle used its plateau.

Before you go

There was never a keep, and the Osumi-yagura and Omote-mon are modern rebuilds. The turret is closed in winter (December to March), and the Satake Historical Museum is closed October 1–9, 2026.

Ways to enjoy it

In spring, blossoms around the main enclosure open a few days after those around the second enclosure, so you can compare the two. In summer, stroll the floating boardwalk among the lotus on the Otemon moat. The annual pass gives repeat entry to both the museum and the turret.

Photos

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Open questions

Some say a three-story turret serving as a keep stood before a fire in 1633, but no plans or other evidence confirm it (according to supplementary sources).
The near-total loss of buildings in the 1880 fire comes from supplementary sources (Wikipedia), not the city's official pages.
The city describes Senshu Park's 2008 designation simply as a cultural property (scenic site); supplementary sources say it is an Akita City designation.
Officially, the Osumi-yagura is described only as built for the city's centennial; the exact year was not confirmed. Closing days and fees for the Omonogashira Gobansho and English signage on site were also not confirmed.