Establishment: The Arima Memorial Museum is located inside the Honmaru (main) tower of Kurume Castle, a Municipally Designated Heritage Site. The exhibition room is on the second floor, and there is a restaurant on the first floor. Exhibits: The exhibitions are focused mainly on the Edo period when the Kurume Domain was ruled for 250 years under the Arima family. There are materials and arts and crafts related to the Kurume Domain. Amongst the items on display, you will find the armor, helmets, cloak of arms, and weapons of the 10th feudal lord, Yorito Arima and the 11th lord, Yorishige, as well as ‘ Naginata' swords, Hina dolls and cosmetic tools that belonged to their wives. These artifacts help us to understand Kurume as it is now, and as it was then. Kurume Castle Ruins: Starting with Toyoji Arima’s rule in 1621, the former Kurume Castle was the center of politics, up until Yorishige’s rule that saw the end of feudalization and the creation of Fukuoka prefecture. After this period, the castle was designated a branch of Yanagawa castle, under the Tanaka family. The castle underwent large-scale renovations that turned it in to a series of enclosures stretching to the south. The main castle is built in the Tamon style that lacks the castle tower (tenshukaku) commonly seen on Japanese castles, and has turrets positioned at key points. Today, the stone wall enclosure of the castle, as well as the moat, remain intact. At the beginning of the Meiji period, the castle’s facilities were all completely destroyed, but Toyoji Arima and his family were later enshrined at the nearby Sasayama Shrine. There are a number of monuments within the castle grounds, which recall the history of Kurume, and the changing seasons bring cherry blossoms and foliage, making the castle a peaceful escape for local residents.