Kubota Castle

Kubota Castle was the seat of the Satake clan, a distinguished branch of the Seiwa Genji line, and served as the home castle for 12 generations. It is a hilltop flatland castle built on the Shimmei-yama ridge with multiple baileys. Known for having very few stone walls, it was instead protected by moats and earthen ramparts, and it is also famous for never having had a main keep (tenshu) built from the start. A large portion of the structures were lost to a fire in 1880, and the only building that survived was the Omotsugashira Gobansho, the guardhouse for the ashigaru unit leader responsible for opening and closing the Ninomons, castle-town security, and firefighting. In 1989, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of municipal administration, the Osumi Yagura—originally located at the northwest corner of the Honmaru and used as a lookout and armory—was reconstructed as a three-tier, four-story replica turret (the original form was a two-tier turret, but an observation room was added). Later, in 2002, the Honmaru Omote-mon (main gate) was also rebuilt. Inside the buildings, panel exhibits explain the history of the Satake clan. Today, the site is maintained as Senshu Park, a lush green sightseeing spot beloved by locals. Because it sits on higher ground, you can also enjoy panoramic views over Akita City from the castle ruins. Access is about a 10-minute walk from JR Akita Station.