The castle was built in the early 17C by the powerful Nabeshima clan in the Saga plain on the site of a fortified village. All that remains today of the initial construction is the massive stone Shachi Gate. In 2004, the main building was restored to its state of 1838. It remains the largest wooden castle reconstruction in Japan, representing a beautiful example of traditional architecture of the late Edo Period. Today it is the City History Museum.