Nanbata Castle Park

Educational, Historic and cultural park reconstructed on official records

This was a surprising find in the rural part of Fujimi. It is a nice place to spend a couple of hours. We first went to visit it about eight years ago before we had kids and now we go back every couple of years for the kids to try some old fashioned Japanese toys. The park is on the site of old castle ruins and areas of the castle grounds, the moat in particular, have been reconstructed based on official real architectural records. Apart from the picturesqueness of the park, the tranquil moat and lovely selection of flora and fauna, this park offers the chance to step back in time. They built period houses on the site and they have actual antiques and artifacts from generations ago in the cultural houses and museum on the grounds. They reconstructed an old kitchen complete with cooking fire. They light it in the winter and its nice to warm up near it. The have a nice selection of traditional toys out for kids to play with, such as Koma spinning tops and stilts. At this time of year they have a decent display of hina matsuri dolls for girls day which is on March 3rd. They have kabuto nearer boys day. And sometimes they hold a musket firing festival on the grounds. I had the pleasure of attending that once. The participants dress up in samurai costume and fire muskets on horseback as well as on foot in the courtyard. The display draws a good crowd. As far as I know the staff don't speak English, but they have some basic English information pamphlets in reception. The park is open from 9 am to 5 pm seven days a week. There is free parking. Most suited to families with small children.