Japanese Castle Guide

[Castle name] Urado Castle Urado castle was the base of Tosa’s Sengoku daimyo (Japanese territorial lord in the Sengoku period), Motochika and Morichika Chosokabe. [Explanation] Chosokabe-shi’s original base was Oko castle, but they move...

[Castle name] Matsue Castle Matsue castle continued to exist in the central area of the Sanin region, from Yoshiharu Horio to Kyogoku-shi to Matsudaira-shi. [Explanation] Matsue castle was a flat mountain castle that was located in Matsu...

[Castle name] Himeji Castle Himeji Castle is a UNESCO world heritage site, and is also a national treasure with existing castle tower. Also known as Hakuro castle with beautiful white walls. [Explanation] Himeji Castle was originally the...

[Castle name] Siryokaku Shiryokaku was a western style fort, along with Goryokaku, that was built by the former shogunate forces [Explanatin] Shiryokaku was a fort that was built in the city of Hakodate in southern Hokkaido, Japan, by th...

[Castle name] Tsuwano Castle (Sanbonmatsu Castle) Tsuwano castle was where Masanori Came resided, also known as a castle in the sky in Sanin region [Explanation] Tsuwano castle was a mountain castle located in Tsuwano in Shimane prefectu...

[Castle name] Kofu Castle Kofu castle was built as an important base for Kanto region after Shingen and Katsuyori Takeda were defeated [Explanation] Kofu castle was located in Kofu-shi, Yamanashi prefecture. It was a flat mountain castle...

[Castle name] Nihonmatsu Castle Nihonmatsu castle was owned by Niwa-shi, and it was also where the tragedy of Nihonmatsu Shonentai (an army consisting of teenagers who fought in the Boshin war) happened at the end of Edo period [Explanat...

[Castle name] Nagahama Castle Nagahama castle was the Asai family’s old territory, also known as the castle where Hideyoshi Hashiba became the owner for the first time appointed by Nobunaga. [Explanation] Nagahama castle was located in N...

[Castle name] Odawara Castle Odawara castle was owned by five generations of the Hojo family, starting from Soun Hojo. [Explanation] It is widely known that Odawara castle was the base for the Hojo family, starting from Soun Hojo. There ...

[Castle name] Otaki Castle Otaki castle was owned by Tadakatsu Honda, who was one of the Tokugawa Shitenno (the 4 great generals serving Tokugawa). [Explanation] The beginning of Otaki castle was when Nobukiyo Mariyatsu built a castle ca...

[Castle name] Yuki Castle Yuki castle was where Ujitomo Yuki’s one year besiegement against the Ashikaga Bakufu troops occurred [Explanation] Yuki castle was a castle that Yuki-shi continued to own. When Kamakura Kubo’s Mochiuji Ashikaga...

[Castle name] Iwamura Castle Iwamura castle was a mountain castle that was built at the highest place of all the castles in Japan, and it was owned by Kageto Toyama. [Explanation] Iwamura castle was a mountain castle that was located in ...

[Castle name] Iga Ueno Castle Iga Ueno castle was built by Takatora Todo, to suppress the Toyotomi family. [Explanation] Iga Ueno castle was a flat mountain castle that existed in Uenomarunouchi in Iga, Mie prefecture. There was Nitsuki-...

[Castle name] Shoryuji Castle Shoryuji castle was located in Nagaoka in Yamashiro no Kuni, and was owned by Fujitaka Hosokawa. [Explanation] Shoryuji castle was a castle located in current Shoryuji, Nagaokoa-shi in Kyoto. It existed from...

[Castle name] Hachioji Castle Hachioji castle was where Ujiteru Hojo, who was defeated by Toyotomi troops, resided. One of Japan’s 100 famous castles. [Explanation] Hachioji Castle was located in Musashi no Kuni (current Hachioji in Toky...

[Castle name] Kitanosho Castle It was destroyed with its residents Shibata Katsuie and Oichinokata when Hashiba Hideyoshi attacked it. [Description] Kitanosho Castle used to stand in Chuo, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture. Oda Nobunaga's ret...

[Castle name] Kiso Fukushima Castle Its head betrayed Takeda Katsuyori and guided the Oda army in Kosyu Conquest. Finally, its residents were transferred to Boso Ajito Castle and it was destroyed. [Description] Kiso Fukushima Castle used...

[Castle name] Izushi Castle (Arikoyama Castle) Yamana Suketoyo, who was defeated by Hashiba Hideyoshi in Tajima conquest, lived in it. [Description] Izushi Castle used to stand in Izushi, Toyooka, Hyogo. When the Yamana family was in its...

[Castle name] Kimotsuki Castle (Takayama Castle) Kimotsuki Kanetsugu was a strong lord in Osumi Province, but he surrendered when the Shimazu family attacked the castle. [Description] Kimotsuki Castle used to stand in a mountain in curre...

[Castle name] Kuwabara Castle It was a sub castle of Suwa Yorishige's Uehara Castle. [Description] Kuwabara Castle used to stand in current Kuwabara, Shiga, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture from the Middle Age to the Warring States period. W...