Uto Turret
In the Edo period (1603–1867), Kumamoto Castle had five five-story turrets (yagura), of which Uto is the only one that has survived. Standing 19 meters tall on top of a 21-meter-high andesite base, it is not only the tallest castle turret in Japan, but also the fourth-highest original castle building of any kind in the country—after the keeps of Himeji, Matsumoto, and Matsue castles. It is nicknamed “Kumamoto Castle’s third keep” due to its size and antiquity. The 2016 earthquake damaged its plaster walls and floors and parts of the stone base suffered significant buckling. The tsuzuki-yagura adjoining turret, a long, low building that was connected to its south side, collapsed entirely.