( <i>Kokura-j</i>), a ten-minute walk from JR Kyushu's Kokura Station. Built by Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1602, it was the property of the Ogasawara clan which came from Harima (near ]) from 1632 to 1860. The castle was burnt down in 1865 in the war between the Kokura and Choshu clans. The keep was reconstructed in 1959, and the castle was fully restored in 1990. The Matsumoto Seicho museum and castle garden were opened in 1998. The keep contains a modern folkloric museum. Inside the castle you can see a video show about what Kokura was like during the Edo period, a display of Kokura Castle and its surroundings during the Edo period which is made of many lifelike tiny paper dolls, and you can also ride inside a palanquin like the castle lord would have when traveling. The box rocks back and forth to recreate the motion. It's amusing and free, so enjoy being the daimyo for a minute. You can also see two beautiful paintings of tigers with gold leaf on display. On one floor inside the castle there is a friendly older gentleman who is there to greet tourists. He makes scale models of Japan's castles out of toothpicks and his models are on display. If you can speak a little Japanese he is really kind and interesting to talk to. There is a gift shop and telescopes at the top floor (no ATM, bring your cash!) where you can buy souvenirs of the paintings inside the castle. There is a wheelchair lift sort of device also I think... Admission is charged to the keep (350), Japanese garden (300 yen) and Matsumoto Seicho museum (400). A joint ticket to the three attractions costs 700.