Most who envision Kumamoto Castle summon up the massive donjon topping Chausuyama (茶臼山), part of a string of volcanic mounts which stretch from Unzen to Aso, and Kato Kiyomasa, the first Edo lord of Kumamoto who built it. In fact, he was adding on to a more ancient structure known as Chibajyo (千葉城), built by the then-dominant Kikuchi clan, in around 1485. The name survives in Chibajyo Machi, the area around the NHK studio, though the castle itself was built on the opposite side of the current structure, much of it having been absorbed by Daiichi High School. (Disclaimer: both my children were born across a narrow street at Fukuda Hospital.) A long, narrow park exists in what used to be the moat, but plans are to restore this to its former glory. I love the quite ancientness of this forgotten corner and highly recommend a visit. Take the streetcar to Senbabashi（洗馬橋）, the stop just in front of the post office, and happy wandering. - William