Much like Europe, Japan is a land littered with castles. The Japanese feudal period was full of lords and emperors who wanted to make their mark on the land. They did so by building great castles, many of which were used as fortresses.
Now, of course, these castles are historical monuments and tourist attractions. Many of them are museums. They have all played a major role in local history and culture.
Visiting one of these original Japanese castles is an amazing lesson in the history of the local region, as well as a great chance to get a view of the landscape since they are often perched prominently on higher ground.
While there are castles that primarily consist of reconstructions, there are several that have most if not all of their original buildings.
Original castles (oldest castles that survived war, fire, and earthquake) in Japan are not as well-known as many other attractions in Japan, but here is a list of 12 great ones that still consist of their original buildings, as well as their locations and what you can expect when you visit them.
Take a look and see if they fit into your vacation plans! Please note that there are twelve designated original castles can be found in Japan, and here we are going to feature them all!
1) Himeji Castle, Hyogo
This 400-year-old castle is a registered World Heritage Site. Its central building is graceful and white, causing it to be occasionally referred to as the “white heron castle”. If you visit, you can see a number of amazing features and attractions.
The original architecture is still present throughout the castle, from its gate to its main building.
The castle sits on a high rise above the city and every inch of it was designed to give protection to Tadatoki Honda, who had the castle built, and Princess Sen, his wife.
Their garden is still there and still quite beautiful. There are also groups of performers who pose as armored warriors and even ninjas on weekends. The castle is quite elaborate and you should block out an entire day to see all of it.
A lot of tourists and locals alike visit the castle complex in the spring to see beautiful cherry blossoms. This without questions one of Japan’s top cherry blossom spots.
The fee to enter is 1,000 yen for adults and 300 yen for children, with younger children getting in for free.
2) Matsumoto Castle, Nagano
Unlike many other castles, this one was built on the plains instead of a mountain. It looks grand and dignified. It is the oldest castle in Japan and is known as “crow castle” because of its black exterior.
Explore the castle’s step wooden stairs and visit the elaborate defensive measure integrated into its architecture.
If you visit in mid-April, you can see the hundreds of cherry trees along the castle’s outer moat in full bloom.
Admission costs 610 yen. It is briefly closed from December 29th to December 31st.
3) Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, Okayama
This castle sits on a steep mountain north of the town center of Takahashi.
It is the only mountaintop castle that has survived intact. It is also the highest, with an elevation of 430 meters. It was originally constructed in 1240.
Getting to this castle is a bit of a hike from the parking lot. It should take you about 20 minutes. Inside, it is relatively small, consisting of only two stories.
Admission to the castle costs 300 yen. It is closed from December 28th to January 3rd.
4) Matsue Castle, Shimane
This castle dates back to 1611. It is sometimes referred to as the “black castle” because of its austere and dark exterior.
It was built to withstand war, though because of when it was built, it never saw a single battle, which helped preserve it over the centuries.
It is currently a museum displaying artifacts from the period. It has undergone many renovations to preserve it, though all the buildings are original.
Besides getting a tour of the castle and its grounds, you can also take a short cruise on the castle moat.
Boats leave every 15 to 20 minutes from several points around the castle. The boatmen also speak about the history of the area, though this is all in Japanese.
Admission costs 560 yen, though this is half off foreign tourists. The castle most boat cruises cost 830 yen, though again this is half off for foreign tourists. It is open year-round, including the castle moat boat cruises.
5) Inuyama Castle, Aichi
Inuyama castle was completed in 1440. It has been designated as a national treasure. It sits on a small hill near the Kiso River.
The main structure is composed almost entirely of wood and rocks. There are no modern additions, allowing visitors to get a feel for what one of these castles was really like when it was in use centuries ago.
If you walk to the lookout, you will get a spectacular view of the surrounding area. Admission to the castle costs 550 yen. It is closed briefly from December 29th to 31st.
6) Matsuyama Castle, Ehime
This is considered one of the most interesting and complex castles in the nation. It sits on Mount Katsuyama in the city center.
While in the castle grounds, you can get an excellent view of Matsuyama and the Seto Inland Sea. There are over 200 cherry trees on the castle grounds. It is an excellent place to view cherry blossoms around late March to early April.
Visit the Ninomaru garden, which lies at the southern base of Mount Katsuyama. Different kinds of trees and flowering plants can be seen here. In autumn, the garden looks picturesque with the fall colors.
There are a ropeway and a chairlift that help make this castle much more accessible even with its high steep location. Taking the time to explore this castle is an amazing experience, full of history and beauty.
Admission costs 510 yen. The only time this castle is closed is on the third Wednesday of December.
7) Hikone Castle, Shiga
Hikone castle’s main draw is its three-storied castle keep, which has a unique designed derived from multiple architectural styles. This is the primary reason that the castle has been designated as a national treasure.
As you tour the castle, you’ll notice many defensive structures and features. The bridge to the castle is easy to destroy in case of attack. The step stairs make it hard to for intruders to climb and exhausts them.
Like many other castles, there are many cherry trees on the rounds, making this an excellent place to see cherry blossoms in the spring.
Admission costs 600 yen, while if you want to visit the museum on the grounds it costs 100 yen. It is open year round.
8. Hirosaki Castle, Aomori
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One of the most famous cherry blossom spots in the Tohoku region is Hirosaki Castle. Built in 1611 by Nobuhira, lord of the Tsugaru clan, this iconic castle is worth a visit anytime of the year.
Even though the original main tower was struck by lightning and burnt down, it was reconstructed in 1811 during the Edo period.
It offers multiple seasonal events, most notable are the sakura festival in spring, neputa festival in summer, autumn leaves festival in autumn and snow lantern festival in the winter, takes place usually in February.
Being one of the most beautiful castles in Japan, Hirosaki castle will blow your mind with its beautiful sakura blossoms in spring. It becomes a must-see attraction in Aomori prefecture of Japan.
You can enjoy a leisurely stroll in Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden. The castle grounds feature trees and plants of 1500 species including seasonal flowers.
Admission fee for adult is ¥320 and children ¥100.
9. Kochi Castle, Kochi
Designated by the national government as important cultural properties, Kochi Castle is a historic landmark that you can’t miss exploring whenever you come to Kochi.
It was originally built in 1603 by Yamauchi Katsutoyo, lord of the Tosa domain. But unfortunately it was destroyed by a massive fire in 1727. The current castle tower that you see now was rebuilt in 1749.
This well preserved Japanese castle is a popular photo spot in Kochi. From the top floor of the castle keep, you can take pictures of downtown Kochi and other buildings on the castle grounds.
Please note in spring, castle grounds look gorgeous with beautiful cherry blossoms.
10. Maruoka Castle, Fukui
Maruoka Castle is another one of only 12 original castles in Japan, located in Sakai city of Fukui Prefecture. This castle is also known as “Mist Castle” by many.
The castle’s 3-story keep is said to be the oldest in Japan. It was originally built in 1576 by Shibata Katsutoyo.
In 1948 the structure was totally destroyed by an earthquake, but it was reconstructed in a few years later, in 1955 by using the original building materials.
If you come to Sakai city in spring, experience about 400 cherry trees that bloom between early and mid April on its grounds. You can see Yozakura in the evening!
Take a bus from Fukui Station for Maruokajō, get off at the last stop and from there the castle is a few minutes walk.
11. Uwajima Castle, Ehime
Uwajima castle was built by a feudal lord called Takatora Todo in between 1596 and 1601. It is located on a small hill, and an original castle along with Matsuyama Castle in Ehime Prefecture.
Although it is small in size than Matsuyama Castle, yet this castle fascinates you with its well-preserved wooden interiors and great views over Uwajima city, Uwajima Bay and mountains in the distance from its castle tower’s top floor.
Uwajima Castle is a 10-15 minute walk from Uwajima Station.
12. Marugame Castle, Kagawa
Here comes the last one! It is Marugame Castle. It was originally constructed between 1597 and 1602 by Ikoma Chikamasa. Over time, many of its castle buildings were destroyed but the main castle keep and several gates survived.
The castle’s stone walls are as impressive as the castle main keep. It boasts the highest (approximately 60 meters) stone walls in Japan.
The castle’s grounds are surrounded thousands of cherry trees. When spring arrives, they start to bloom, making the site a popular cherry blossom viewing spot in Kagawa Prefecture. An annual cherry blossom festival is held from late March to early April.
It takes time to stroll around the castle grounds, so bring a water bottle!
From JR Marugame Station, the castle is a 15-minute walk.
