Castles

Matsumoto Castle has the oldest existing five-tiered, six-story donjon in Japan. (designated as a National Treasure). With the faraway Japan Alps rising in the background, the castle provides spectacular views.

Donjon highlights

Moon-viewing Pavilion

The Moon-viewing Pavilion was constructed for the entertainment of the Shogun whenever he visited. The building is not armed because it was constructed during a time of peace.

Built in 1537, the castle’s donjon is the oldest of its style remaining in Japan today. The view from the top floor of the donjon—built on top of a hill near a river—is truly superb. Below the castle lies the old-time streetscape of the castle town.

Donjon highlights

Views from the topmost floor

Go out onto the balcony to enjoy a spectacular 360° panoramic view of the Inuyama cityscape and flow of the Kiso River.

This three-tiered, three-story flatland-hilltop castle was built 400 years ago on the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The interior of the existing donjon is said to have been preserved in the best condition of any remaining castle donjon in Japan.

Donjon highlights

Largest number of gables of the 12 donjon existing today

Hikone Castle is characterized by it's beautiful appearance, created by the combination of Kirizuma-hafu, Irimoya-hafu, and Kara-hafu gables.

Nagoya Castle is known as the “zenith of early modern castle design and construction”. After Tokugawa Ieyasu had the castle built in order to show his authority to the world, it proudly prospered as the residence of the Owari-Tokugawa family. (Currently, the donjon is out of order due to ongoing wooden restoration.)

Kiyomasa Stone

This is the largest stone in NagoyaCastle’s stone walls.

Kinshachi

There dazzling golden roof ornaments are Nagoya Castle’s symbols.

This is the castle where Tokugawa Ieyasu was born. The donjon was reconstructed 60 years ago and now houses a museum.

Historical views

Daiju-ji Temple

Daiju-ji Temple is the only temple in Japan where life-sized memorial tablets for successive shoguns of the Tokugawa Shogunate are enshrined. The view of Okazaki Castle seen from Daiju-ji Temple is like a framed picture. Designated as National Important Cultural Properties, the paintings on the sliding doors in the Shogun Onari-no-Ma room, which only the Shogun was allowed to enter, are a must-see.

In 1555, Lord Oda Nobunaga came from Nagoya Castle and took possession of Kiyosu Castle. In 1560, he was victorious in the Battle of Okehazama, launching his first move towards unifying Japan from Kiyosu Castle. Rebuilt in 1989, the current main tower of the castle has various exhibits and images introducing the history of Kiyosu for visitors to view.

In 1567 (or 1564 by some accounts), Lord Oda Nobunaga captured this castle, then known as “”Inabayama Castle”, and took control of the surrounding region. Subsequently, he changed the name of the region to “Gifu”, and Gifu Castle became his main base for unifying Japan. The current castle structure was rebuilt in 1956, and it is possible to travel by ropeway to the Castle Tower on the top of Mt. Kinka.

Featuring a four-story tower—a rarity among Japanese castles—Ogaki Castle was the site of a heroic battle during the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. The current castle structure was rebuilt in 1959 after the original was razed to the ground during WWII.

Built as a fortress in 1559, at the end of the Warring States Period, Gujo Hachiman Castle is a popular mountain-top castle providing sweeping views of the castle town below. Here you can also experience nature’s four seasons, and the castle grounds are a popular walking course. It is also one of Japan's few castles in the clouds. Early morning only on misty days late in the year the castle appears as though it is floating among the clouds.

Iwamura Castle was a virtually impregnable mountaintop castle built at an altitude of 717 m and utilizing to advantage the steepness of the mountain, which has a difference in elevation of 180 m, as a natural defense. The often-misty climate was also used to advantage in building the castle, which was also referred to as “Misty Castle”. Constructed around 1221, the castle has a long history, and today visitors can view the ruins of Iwamura Castle, including magnificent six-level stone walls.

Naegi Castle was built on Shiroyama mountain (432 m), soaring over the right bank of the Kiso River, which flows east-west through the center of Nagatsugawa City in Gifu Prefecture. Said to be unusual among Japanese castes, the stone walls of Naegi Castle incorporated enormous naturally occurring boulders. The lookout constructed on the ruins of the castle tower provide spectacular sweeping 360 degree views of Mt. Ena, the Kiso River, and the towns below.

Takato Castle is one of Japan's Top 100 Castles and the former castle of Takeda, a warlord who fought against Oda Nobunaga. Today the site is famous as one of Japan's top cherry blossom views spots. The variety of cherry blossom is unique and known as Takatohiganzakura, with somewhat small red flowers. In the cherry blossom season, the entire castle is dyed pink, and the Kohiganzakura, that bloom in unison, is said to be the most beautiful in all the world.

Iga-Ueno Castle was built in 1585 and renovated later by the master castle builder Takatora Todo. It is known as Hakuho (White Phoenix) Castle because of its stunning three-story white castle walls, which resemble a phoenix resting on its wings. Iga-Ueno Castle's stone walls are among the tallest in Japan. Today, the castle and its surrounding area, Ueno Park, are popular sightseeing spots in Iga-Ueno and are home to the Basho Memorial Museum and the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum.