Near the popular Mt. Adachi in Kitakyushu city, Fukuoka pref. sits Mt. Takakura. The peak is not worth writing home about, but hiding in the forest here you can find Takakura fort (高蔵堡塁).
One of a few in the area, Takakura Fort is my clear favorite because of its relative remoteness and its size. Unlike other sites, you have to hike up a mountain to reach it. I’ve been twice and both times I’ve had the place to myself. This remoteness may also explain the complete lack of graffiti and the absence of trash.
The fort was completed in December 1900. It was built after the 1st Sino-Japanese War to keep watch over the Kanmon Straits (関門海峡). 12 cannons were placed here, but thankfully never needed to fire a single shot.
There are no signs or blocks to prevent people entering the various brick buildings on the site. The main building (storehouse) consists of 8 large rooms connected by a corridor that runs along the back. Each room is around 10m x 20m with a ceiling around 3m high.
Behind here are other smaller buildings and stone bases for the (now absent) cannons. The place is overgrown so it’s hard to see the view of the straits the cannons once had. Check out some of my pictures below.
The first time I visited (2019/01/27) was part of long Mt. Adachi hike. Starting from Myouken Shrine, I climbed Mt. Adachi and then traversed to Mt. Takakura. There are one or two tricky spots with rope, but it’s not so difficult. Mt. Adachi is a nice mountain, so if you wanted a good hike I would recommend this course.
The second time I visited (2020/05/23), I just wanted to see the fort. I started from Takakurasan Forest Park and climbed straight up Mt. Takakura to the fort. This is a much quicker route, but the views along the way aren’t as good. Some of the trail is a little steep and narrow, so some hiking experience is recommended. Prepare for the possibility of a little snow in winter.
Watch me wander around the fort in my video below!
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If you too would like to visit the fort and have any questions, I’m happy to try and answer them. If you’ve already been here, I’d love to hear what you thought! I may consider taking a small group someday, so let me know if you’d be interested in that, too.
Mt. Adachi – Mt. Takakura course activity data and trail map:
https://yamap.com/activities/3042923
Myouken Shrine (plenty of parking):
https://goo.gl/maps/YQt89GKaWPSvUWC88
Closest bus stop is Kurobaru 1-chome (about a 10min walk to shrine):
https://goo.gl/maps/5oBXSkcYWKzHkDAE9
Direct Takakura course activity data and trail map:
https://yamap.com/activities/6416574
Takakurasan Forest Park (parking space for 2 or 3 cars):
https://goo.gl/maps/XHiMotGmHdU5cd76A
Closest bus stop is Yoshida Danchi Dai-2 (about a 45min walk to the park):
https://goo.gl/maps/VVr2cRQHMFxsQcqG7
Thanks for reading/watching and I’ll see you in the next hike!
Kyushu Trail 