Komaki Castle (Aichi Prefecture) Komaki Castle, properly known as Komakiyama Castle (Aichi Prefecture) was constructed in 1563 during the warlord Oda Nobunaga’s expansionist efforts. His plans were to defeat the neighboring warlord, Saito Tatsuoki, and take the province of Mino (Gifu Prefecture). Oda Nobunaga was a military genius, and realized that in order [...]

Ogaki Castle (Gifu Prefecture) Ogaki Castle in Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture was first built circa 1500 in the middle of a plain by Miyakawa Yasusada, and was originally named Ushiya Castle, as the Ushiya River once served as a natural moat, but was later known also known as Bi Castle and Kyoroku Castle. [...]

Osaka Castle (Osaka Prefecture) Toyotomi Osaka Castle Keep Osaka Castle is one of the many icons of Osaka City, and was constructed in 1853 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi on the site of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji temple-fortress, and the scene of a violent uprising by warrior monks and peasantry in [...]

Sadowara Castle（Miyazaki Prefecture） Sadowara Castle in Miyazaki Prefecture was a Yamajiro, mountaintop castle, first built during the Nanboku-Cho period (1334-1394) by the Tajima clan. Like most castles of the period, the mountain used, Mt. Kakusho, was shaved flat in terraced sections to create the various baileys, or kuruwa, and while there were various [...]

Kochi Castle (Kochi Prefecture) Kochi Castle is one of just 12 samurai castles with keeps in original condition. Yamanochi Kazutoyo (Yamauchi Katsutoyo), who was given Tosa Domain (modern-day Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku) following the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, commenced building a fine castle and residence there from 1601. Work took ten years [...]

Sasayama Castle (Hyogo Prefecture) Tamba Sasayama Castle, also known as Sasayama or Kirigajo (Mist Castle) is a Hira-jiro (flatland castle) built on a small rise in the Tamba region of Hyogo Prefecture. It was constructed as a stepping-stone in Tokugawa Ieyasu’s plan to attack Osaka and bring about the end of the Toyotomi clan. [...]

Uwajima Castle (Ehime Prefecture) Uwajima Castle in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku is one of just 12 castles across Japan with the keep remaining in original condition. It is recognized as having one of the smallest keeps too. Uwajima Castle is a relatively difficult to reach, and therefore rarely visited castle.   [...]

Nobeoka Castle and the 1,000 Enemy Killer Stone Walls One of Nobeoka Castle’s most impressive features is the 22 meter high stone wall around the central Hon-Maru citadel. The story goes that if the castle should ever come under attack and a certain keystone was moved, the wall would tumble, killing 1,000 invaders! [...]

Tsuyama Castle（Okayama Prefecture） Tsuyama Castle in Tsuyama city, Okayama Prefecture is known as one of Japan's top three major Hirayama (hilltop) styled castles, along with Himeji and Matsuyama Castles. Tsuyama Castle once consisted of 77 structures, including the main keep, various yagura (watch-towers), gates, and the palaces and living quarters. Hiroshima Castle by [...]

Iga Ueno castle（Mie Prefecture） Most international tourists head to Iga Ueno to see the ninja, without even realizing the heart of the city is Iga Ueno Castle, one of the finest examples of a Warring States period fortress, and that the ninja museum and Iga Ueno Castle share the same location, the modern [...]