Every once in a while there’s a place that is just so easy to remember, in this case because of the name. Wakayama-jô (Wakayama Castle) is in the center of Wakayama City in Wakayama Prefecture. There’s something to that name which makes it SO much fun to say. Wakayama-jô was unfortunately a casualty of WWII and the stone walls are all that remains from the original structure. The keep was rebuilt in the 1950s with additional minor embellishments like bridges and gates added on over the years. The castle was first built at the end of the Sengoku Period (late 16th century) by command of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the second of the Three Great Unifiers of Japan, and was overseen by his brother Hidenaga. In the Edo period (1614 C.E.- 1869 C.E.), Wakayama-jô was a major base for the Tokugawa Shogunate and was known for training many top generals under their command.

On a side note, a waka is a “Japanese poem,” or at least that’s what the kanji means. A waka is essentially a longer haiku. While a haiku is 3 lines measured 5, 7, then 5 syllables, a waka is 5 lines measured 5, 7, 5, 7 and 7 syllables long. So the name Wakayama means “poetry mountains.”

For visitors: 5.

So let me clarify something before we get too far along: I see the number I chose for ranking this castle, but I think that it’s not only harsh, it’s an easy number to misunderstand. So first, this is not a castle that has something overly dramatic or important to show to the world. It’s a reconstruction and is therefore only a representation of what the castle would have looked like. Second, it’s not in a city that draws a lot of attention from people seeking to see Japan in a short period. Finally, it has to compete with Nijo-jô, Osaka-jô, and Himeji-jô, all of which I would recommend over this castle. So no, it’s not an important castle to see if you have a limited time in Japan let alone the Kansai area. That being said. . .

I love this castle and the city around it. The castle grounds are well kept and I found the walk up to the keep very gentle and relaxing. Unlike most of the castles I have written about so far, the way to the keep is not vertical but it does wind about. The castle grounds felt more like a park than an old military fortress and I felt like I had a moment to breathe and really enjoy the environment. The keep, though not an original, is still very beautiful. Unlike castles which left the grounds bare or reconstructed only the most basic of structures, Wakayama-jô has a full and proper castle keep with rooms and displays to illustrate what kinds of armaments were stored, what defenses would be used, and where some hidden weapons might be unleashed. As an added bonus, the view from the top of the keep looks out over the city, the bay, and has breathtaking views of Shikoku and Awaji Islands as the sun sets behind them.

All in all, the castle is, understandably so, overlooked by most people traveling through the Kansai area, but if you are in Wakayama, I feel that there is little to no reason why anyone should not take the short walk from Wakayama station over to the castle.