Japan Castle Atlas

Mori Takachika

毛利敬親

13th lord of the Choshu (Hagi) domain in the final years of the shogunate. He pushed modernization, deciding to build the Hagi reverberatory furnace and the Ebisugahana shipyard, and in 1863 moved the domain government from Hagi Castle to Yamaguchi.

Years: 1819–1871

Tradition

Story

Around 1854 Takachika built the Hananoe tea house at his villa, where he is said to have discussed current affairs with branch-domain lords and retainers over tea. The tea house was moved to the Hagi Castle site in the Meiji era and still stands there.

Connected castles

The inner moat, the stone base of the keep and Mt. Shizuki behind. The keep was dismantled in 1874; the stone walls and moat remain. October 2005.

In-depth article

Hagi, Yamaguchi

Hagi Castle

萩城

The keep is gone, but its stone base, flaring out like an open fan, still reflects in the moat in front of Mt. Shizuki, a hill jutting into the sea.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 75CastleHilltop

renfield kurodaCC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia Commons

13th lord; moved the government to YamaguchiRecord source: article

Yamaguchi Castle

Basic information

Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi

Yamaguchi Castle

山口城

663highlandCC BY 2.5Wikimedia Commons

BuiltRecord source: wikipedia

Sources

1
萩城跡(萩市観光協会)Checked: 2026-10-03
2
萩エリア～萩市の資産萩城下町(萩市)Checked: 2026-10-03
3
毛利敬親(補助資料・Wikipedia日本語版)Checked: 2026-10-03