秋月

Akizuki

Akizuki is a town where you can immerse yourself in both nature and history. Because of its mossy stone walls, castle ruins and enchanting atmosphere, people often refer to it as Chikuzen’s Little Kyoto.

Kuromon Gate

During the Sengoku period, the Kuromon (Black Gate) was the back entrance into the Akizuki clan’s Mt. Kosho Castle. When the Kuroda clan was appointed to govern the Akizuki Domain during the Edo period, the gate became the main gate. The gate was later moved to Suiyo Shrine and became the shrine’s entrance. The beautiful autumn foliage in the area is a magnificent sight.

Akizuki Folk Museum

A wealth of valuables from the Akizuki and Kuroda clans are displayed along with artwork from the Toki Collection.

Megane Bridge

The stone bridge was built as an entrance to Akizuki’s castle town. Completed in 1810, the Akizuki clan’s chief retainer Oribe Miyazaki invited stonemasons from Nagasaki to build the bridge out of granite.

Sugi-no-Baba Cherry Blossoms

The area is named after the many large sugi  (cedar) trees that grew during the Kuroda clan’s rule over Akizuki and the baba (horse ground) where feudal warriors trained their horses. During spring season, the two hundred cherry trees create an astounding tunnel of cherry blossoms along the 500-meter long path.