Tsurumaru Castle is a prefecturally designated historic site located in Shiroyama-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Pref. It was built in 1601 by Shimazu Iehisa, who succeeded the clan after the defeat in the Battle of Sekigahara. According to the Satsuma style simple and sturdy philosophy, which is well represented by the words, “What defends the province is not a castle but men,” the castle was built in very simple style without a donjon. The name Tsurumaru (literally meaning a crane circle) came from the shape of the castle, which looked like a crane with its wings spreading. As the town of Kagoshima has been attacked by natural disasters many times, Tsurumaru Castle has also been destroyed or burned down and restored each time. During the Bombardment of Kagoshima, several cannonball shells were fired at Okugoten hall of the castle from the British battle ships. In 1871, the castle was destroyed by fire again and has never been restored. At the present time, the stone wall and the moats remain in the ruins. The remains of Saigo Takamori’s private school, Kagoshima prefectural historical museum “Reimeiken,” the prefectural library and the city museum are also located in the ruin.