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The castle was first established by [[Shimazu Iehisa]] as an expansion of Ueyama castle. It is said that [[Shimazu Yoshihiro]] opposed the idea of having the domain's chief castle be so close to the sea, but his son [[Shimazu Tadatsune]] desired to use this site as the political center of the domain. The complex came to be known as Tsurumaru ("crane bailey") castle as it was said to resemble a crane with its wings outstretched.

The castle was first established by [[Shimazu Iehisa]] as an expansion of Ueyama castle. It is said that [[Shimazu Yoshihiro]] opposed the idea of having the domain's chief castle be so close to the sea, but his son [[Shimazu Tadatsune]] desired to use this site as the political center of the domain. The complex came to be known as Tsurumaru ("crane bailey") castle as it was said to resemble a crane with its wings outstretched.

The castle was distinctive for its lack of a ''[[tenshu]]'' or tower keep, and was constructed in a style known as ''[http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/y/yakatajiro.htm yakata-zukuri]'', combining some of the defensive elements of a castle with the architectural layout of a residential mansion.<ref>Gallery labels, permanent exhibition, [[Reimeikan Museum]], Kagoshima, Sept 2014.</ref> While most castles elsewhere in the realm had more extensive architectural defenses, Satsuma had a rather high proportion of ''[[goshi|gôshi]]'' (rural samurai), and the lords of Kagoshima said "the people are the stronghold." No map or diagram of the layout of the interior is known to survive, but the main audience hall is known to have been a room decorated with paintings of tigers and called the Tora-no-ma ("Tiger Room").<ref>Iwahana Yûki </ref>

The castle was distinctive for its lack of a ''[[tenshu]]'' or tower keep, and was constructed in a style known as ''[http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/y/yakatajiro.htm yakata-zukuri]'', combining some of the defensive elements of a castle with the architectural layout of a residential mansion.<ref>Gallery labels, permanent exhibition, [[Reimeikan Museum]], Kagoshima, Sept 2014.</ref> While most castles elsewhere in the realm had more extensive architectural defenses, Satsuma had a rather high proportion of ''[[goshi|gôshi]]'' (rural samurai), and the lords of Kagoshima said "the people are the stronghold." No map or diagram of the layout of the interior is known to survive, but the main audience hall is known to have been a room decorated with paintings of tigers and called the Tora-no-ma ("Tiger Room").<ref>Iwahana Yuki 岩花由貴, “Kagoshima ni okeru Ryūkyū shisetsu no girei ni tsuite” 「鹿児島における琉球使節の儀礼について」, Kamiya Nobuyuki (ed.), ''Kinsei Nihon ni okeru gaikoku shisetsu to shakai henyō 3: taikun gaikō kaitai o ou'' 近世日本における外国使節と社会変容３－大君外交解体を追う－, Tokyo: Waseda University Kamiya Nobuyuki kenkyūshitsu (2009), 67.</ref> The castle is also known to have maintained an abbreviated [[Noh]] stage. The Shimazu had professional Noh actors in their service throughout the [[Edo period]]. Noh dances or plays were frequently performed at the castle, both by these professional actors, and at times by the Shimazu lords themselves as well.<ref>Iwahana, 69-71.</ref>

The ''honmaru'' (central bailey), which housed the lord's residence, and offices of domain administration, burned down in [[1873]]. The ''ninomaru'' (second bailey), where the residences of retired lords and the lord's heir were located, was destroyed by the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] on [[1877]]/9/24, the final day of the [[Satsuma Rebellion]].<ref>"Tsurumaru-jô ninomaru ato," plaque on-site at the former castle grounds.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15230396461/sizes/l]</ref>

The ''honmaru'' (central bailey), which housed the lord's residence, and offices of domain administration, burned down in [[1873]]. The ''ninomaru'' (second bailey), where the residences of retired lords and the lord's heir were located, was destroyed by the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] on [[1877]]/9/24, the final day of the [[Satsuma Rebellion]].<ref>"Tsurumaru-jô ninomaru ato," plaque on-site at the former castle grounds.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15230396461/sizes/l]</ref>