Did you know that there are more than 5,000 castles in Japan? Have you ever wondered what Japanese castles are like? Which castles are available to visit in Japan today? In this complete guide to Japan’s castles, we will explain everything.
Table of Contents
What is a Japanese castle like?
Japanese castles were built during the wars in the Sengoku Period and Edo. These Japanese castles were true fortresses divided into several areas called kuruwa [曲輪].
Japanese castles are usually located near mountains or surrounded by moats and a giant stone wall. Inside the castle grounds, there are still other walls that separate the parts and buildings of the castle.
Only soldiers and family members could live on the castle grounds. The rest of the people in the region lived in small villages and towns around and near the castle.
Castle in Japanese is pronounced shiro [城], but we often hear the suffix jyou [城] after the name. Castles in the mountains are called yamashiro [山城], when located on a plain it is called hirashiro [平城], while those located in low mountains and plains are called hashigokaku [平山城].
Castles usually had 3 areas called honmaru [本丸], ninomaru [二の丸], and sannomaru [三の丸]. Some larger castles had areas called soto-guruwa.
Some castles had the rinkaku [輪郭] style where the honmaru is located at the center of everything. Another common style was the renkaku [連郭] where the honmaru is next to the ninomaru. A third style used in the mountains is called teikaku [梯郭] which looks like a staircase around the mountain.
The walls were called dobei [土塀] and the stone walls were called ishigaki [石垣]. In the walls, there were gaps called hasama [狭間] that allowed soldiers to defend the area and attack enemies through circular and triangular openings.
The owner of the Japanese castle does not live in the tall tower
The house of the castle owner is not that tall tower that people imagine. The soldiers and the castle family live in a normal house on the grounds. The tall tower is actually the place where the castle owner escapes to protect themselves from invaders.
The multi-story tall tower is called tenshukaku [天守閣] and is located in the honmaru [本丸]. This tall tower usually has at least 3 floors, but there are castles that exceed 5 floors. That place serves only for defense and to have a view of the area around the castle.
The first floors of this tower are protected by soldiers while the besieged castle owner stays on the top floor of the tower waiting for an invader to arrive. If enemies reach the top of the tower, the castle owner has the right to commit seppuku.
Seppuku is a suicide ritual where the person must cut their belly while the enemy or another person present cuts off their head to end their suffering. For samurai and leaders of the time, performing seppuku is to die with honor.
Unfortunately, many of these castles were destroyed by fires and in World War II. Others were demolished during the Meiji Restoration, when feudal castles were considered useless.
How to visit a castle in Japan?
There are thousands of castles scattered throughout Japan, some are just ruins, others have honmaru or tenshukaku restored. The only castle in Japan that still maintains the original tenshu (tower) is the one in Kakegawa.
Access to some castles is completely free, while others usually charge a fee that can range from 200 to over 1000 yen. Some castles charge for access only to the tenshu, others charge at the honmaru or even at the sannomaru.
Some castles require the removal of shoes to enter the tall tower. Large castles like those in Osaka and Nagoya are like a museum, full of art, models, costumes, and samurai weapons. Not all castles allow access to the top floor and view from the tower.
Remember that the tower is not the only interesting thing found in a castle. Most castles are surrounded by a beautiful park, some have a traditional Japanese garden, others provide access to the house and some buildings of the castle.
Besides the well-known castles, you can search for other castles using the Google Maps app. Just be careful not to follow the trail of a castle on the maps and end up in an empty place with nothing, as many are just ruins.
Himeji Castle – The largest castle in Japan
From now on, we will specifically talk about some popular castles in Japan. Let’s start with one of the main castles you need to know on your trip, the gigantic Himeji Castle.
Himeji Castle is considered the largest in Japan, it has 83 buildings, 3 moats, and is spread over a 233-hectare area. We have already written an article solely about this castle, which can be read by clicking here.
It was originally built in the 14th century, around 1346. It is located on a mountain in Himeji in the Kansai region. It was expanded in the 17th century by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the Daimyo responsible for unifying Japan.
Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle was built from 1504 to 1594. Since the Sengoku period, it was initially just a fortress called Fukashi. It is one of the 12 castles listed as National Treasures of Japan.
Matsumoto-jyou is one of the few castles built on plains. It is surrounded by a large lake full of swans and ducks. Some locals believe it is haunted by the ghost of a rebellious farmer.
Nagoya Castle
The Nagoya Castle is located in the center of the gigantic city of Nagoya. Its roots date back to 1520, surrounded by modern buildings and constructions from the 17th century. The castle is completely surrounded, requiring a fee to access.
The tower is not the only attraction of Nagoya Castle. You will also find the Hommaru Palace, which allows you to experience historical architectures of Japan with various panels painted by artists from different regions of the country.
The castle has some golden dolphins on the roof that represented a talisman to prevent fires; unfortunately, they burned in World War II but were restored.
Edo Castle – Imperial Palace of Tokyo
Edo Castle was the largest castle built in Japan, with an unimaginable scale. Its outer moat circled much of what is now the center of Tokyo. Unfortunately, Edo Castle was completely destroyed in a fire in 1873 and was demolished. What remains are its massive moats, walls, bridges, and guardhouses. Most of these were used in the design of the current Imperial Palace. Now, the site of Edo Castle is the garden that surrounds the entire Imperial Palace and is open to the public.
Osaka Castle
The Osaka Castle is a large castle that witnessed a large number of battles that changed the course of Japanese history. In World War II, the castle was used as an ammunition factory that employed 60,000 people.
It was completely destroyed by a bomb in 1945. Today, the castle has been rebuilt and looks much like it did in the 19th century. Many of the moats, walls, and houses managed to survive throughout history.
Fukuoka Castle – Maizuru Park
Unfortunately, only ruins remain of a large castle that once had 47 towers. Fukuoka Castle was dismantled in 1871. Several of the original towers, gates, walls, and parts of the castle moat remain to this day.
Fukuoka Castle is located near Ohori Park and Maizuru Park, where the ancient stone walls and barriers of the castle can be found. It is also known as Maizuru Castle (dancing cranes) because locals believe they see cranes (birds) dancing.
Be careful not to confuse Fukuoka Castle with Maizuru Castle in Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle in Kyoto is a testament to the power of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan during the Edo Period. It has two large moats. Inside, there are two palaces, surrounded by gardens that are owned by the Emperor.
The Shogun’s palace is open to the public. It is richly decorated with gold leaf and has floors designed to detect ninja attacks.
Inuyama Castle
Inuyama Castle is located on a mountain and is one of the oldest surviving castles in Japan, built in 1440 and renovated in 1620. The castle overlooks the Kiso River where the ancient cormorant fishing technique (ukai) is still practiced.
AizuWakamatsu Castle
AizuWakamatsu Castle is located in the center of the city of Aizuwakamatsu, in Fukushima Prefecture, in northern Japan. The castle was built by Ashina Naomori in 1384, named Kurokawa Castle [黒川城 Kurokawa-jō].
It served as a military and administrative center for the Aizu region until 1868 and witnessed numerous battles. It was reconstructed in concrete in 1965. Today it is surrounded by a large park full of stone walls and remnants of moats.
Hirosaki Castle
Hirosaki Castle [弘前城] was built in 1611. It was once the headquarters of the Tsugaru Clan that ruled Hirosaki, in the Mutsu province, which now belongs to Aomori. It measures 612 meters from east to west and 947 meters from north to south.
Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle is one of the three most famous in Japan and is located in Kumamoto, built around 1467. The castle was besieged during the Satsuma Rebellion (1877), having been looted and burned after a 53-day siege.
The central fortress of the castle was reconstructed in 1960. The curved stone walls, known as musha-gaeshi, were designed to prevent enemy entry. Rock falls were also used as defensive systems.
Sasayama Castle
Sasayama Castle is located in Hyogo. The construction was ordered by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1608 and was completed in six months. Ikeda Terumasa was in charge of the construction, and the planning was done by Tōdō Takatora.
It is said that twenty daimyos were mobilized during the construction. Unfortunately, the castle was destroyed, leaving only the Grand Hall, which was rebuilt in 2000.
Gifu Castle
The Gifu Castle [岐阜城 figu-jo] is located on top of Kinkazan (Mount Kinka), near the Nagara River. It was originally built by the Nikaidō clan between 1201 and 1204 during the Kamakura Period. Its first name was Inabayama Castle [稲葉山城]. Since then, it has undergone several renovations.
Hiroshima Castle
Hiroshima Castle was built in the 1590s and destroyed in World War II by an atomic bomb. It was rebuilt and turned into a museum.
Kakegawa Castle
Kakegawa Castle is one of the few castles in Japan where the Goten (daimyo mansion) remains intact. Not to mention that the castle tower remains entirely built in a traditional manner.
Kakegawa Castle was built in 1487 and is a famous point in Tokai. During the Meiji Period (1868-1912), the castle was demolished by the castle abolition law and was originally reconstructed in 1994.
Small Tsu Castle
The Tsu Castle [津城] is located in the city of Tsu in Mie Prefecture. The Tsu Castle was built by Hosono Fujiatsu in 1558. In 1568, the castle was taken by Oda Nobunaga and given to his younger brother Oda Nobukane.
In 1608, Takatora Todo became the lord of the castle. Situated in the middle of the city of Tsu, the castle underwent various renovations and was expanded in size. The castle had a tower (Tenshukaku) surrounded by many other buildings, which were built on top of walls to protect the castle from enemies.
In 1600, the castle tower was burned in a fire and was never rebuilt. The only thing that remains is this small 3-story castle, the moats, the gates, and some highlights. Today, Tsu Castle is located in the city center and has become a famous park.
The city of Tsu also suffered attacks during World War II. In 1871, the castle was demilitarized, and much of its structures were destroyed. The park also has historical monuments, green areas, and a small lake. Great for those who want to discover local history.
Where the main castle used to be is now a beautiful fountain. You can find a beautiful statue of Takatora Todo, the great architect of the castle, in the middle of the honmaru near the tenshudai. You can reach Tsu Castle from the Kintetsu Shintsumachi Station. If you are in Mie, we also recommend visiting the castles of Matsuzaka and Tamura.
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