Guide to Japanese Castles

Contributions aplenty !

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:00:00 PST

I finished off some picture contributions that have been waiting for a while. Apologies for taking so long.

Futamata Castle - adding 14 pictures by RaymondW
Haga Castle - Photos by Frank T.
Kamioka Castle - Photos by Frank T.
Kawanoe Castle - Photos by Frank T.
Ikeda Castle - Photos By Jonathan E.
Thanks everyone! Keep them coming. I'll post any new castles I get as soon a I can.

Kannonji Castle

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:00:00 PST

I added Kannnonji Castle, the visit, from my November trip to Shiga Pref. This was one of the most fun castle sites that I've visited. I like castles and hiking so this was perfect. There are ruins scattered all over the mountaintop in varying states and some of the trails are not well marked. Even though it was a fairly busy day with many people visiting the temples and enjoying some autumn hiking in the good weather, there were trails that had no people on them too. I will definitely go back sometime, with a better map and take my time exploring all the ruins. Despite the long time I spent there, I think I still missed some things even in the areas I did visit.

Tobayama Castle and Yogai Castle

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:00:00 PST

Added Tobayama Castle and Yougai Castle. All photos for Tobayama Castle were donated by RaymondW and Kris donated the photos and text for Yougai Castle. Thanks Ray and Kris ! Yougai Castle is one that has been on my list for awhile. You could probably do Kofu Castle, Tsutsujigasaki Castle and Yougai Castle all in one day. Both times I was in Kofu though I ran out of time and couldn't catch the bus to Yougai Castle. Next time I'll start there first.

Azuchi Castle

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 07:00:00 PST

Added all new photos to Azuchi Castle from my November trip to Mie & Shiga. Azuchi Castle is a fantastic site to visit. They've done an amazing job excavating the ruins and rebuilding the stone walls throughout the site. Since I was last there in 2004 they rebuilt all the stonework foundations around the base of the mountain. There are still many inaccessible ruins around the mountain so I hope they continue these efforts and open up more of the castle soon. Even though there are only ruins I have to give 4 stars due to the extent of ruins, signage, and the maintenance and ongoing excavations. This site is really a must see for any castle fans.

Tsu Castle

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:00:00 PST

I updated Tsu Castle with pictures from my trip to Mie Pref. Tsu Castle is one I've wanted to visit for awhile because of it's connection to Todo Takatora, the famous castle architect. Today, Tsu castle has just the one reconstructed yagura, but the moat and stone alls of the Honmaru and Nishinomaru baileys are well preserved. It does not look like the reconstructed yagura is open to the public. There are also many other castle ruins in the area so it is well worth a stop on your tour of Mie Castles.

Matsusaka Castle

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:00:00 PST

Today, I added the Matsusaka Castle photos from my November castle trip. This castle is a must-see for stone wall fans. All the extant baileys are fortified with stone walls and you can see some unique structures like the Honmaru sekirui and the very well fortified gates. There are no fences or "don't enter" signs atop the stone walls so you can get very close to the edges. I also recommend you stop by the rice warehouse and samurai homes. You can also explore nearby Tamaru Castle to see 2 great examples of castle ruins with many stone walls.

Tamaru Castle

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 07:00:00 PST

Back in November, I went down to Mie Pref to visit some castles for a day. The first castle of that trip was Tamaru Castle. This was actually highly recommended by RaymondW a frequent user of this site. I was really surprised how well preserved the stone walls and baileys are. I can also highly recommend it for any castle fans.

Kasugayama Castle

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 07:00:00 PST

I added the last castle from my Niigata Castle trip, Kasugayama Castle. There aren't many structures or stone walls to impress you but the castle grounds are well kept and very vast. In addition to the main part of the castle ruins, there are two museums nearby, Rinsenji Temple, and the Eastern Fortress area. If you have the time, I highly recommend you begin your exploration of the castle from the Ote-do Road. It is a road the winds up the side of the mountain past several historical sites. It was the main road used to enter and exit the castle. Also be sure to visit the nearby Takada Castle for a most fulfilling day of castle exploring.

Takada Castle

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 08:00:00 PDT

The second day of my recent trip to Niigata took me to Takada Castle in the morning. The sun was in my eyes for some of the best shots so maybe this castle is better visited in the afternoon.

Murakami Castle

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 08:00:00 PDT

After Shibata Castle, I visited Murakami Castle on my tour of famous Niigata Castles. If you visit Shibata Castle, I also highly recommend Murakami Castle. There are many nice stone walls and the Honmaru bailey stone walls are nearly complete. The atmosphere reminds me of Takatori Castle in Nara even though it's not quite the same scale. Parts of the stone walls are under restoration but it shouldn't harm your enjoyment of this castle. The town also has 5 splendid samurai homes that are highly recommendable.