Fushimi-Momoyama-jô

Fushimi-Momoyama-jô, Fushimi Castle, or Momoyama Castle was the former capital of Japan under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The castle does not have a storied history and spent the vast majority of its history as a pile of rubble and raw materials for other castles and temples. The name of the castle can be rather confusing, but fundamentally the castle is in the neighborhood of Fushimi in Kyoto Prefecture. However, following an earthquake that destroyed the castle only two years after its completion, the castle was rebuilt again with groves of peach trees which gave the area the name Momoyama meaning “peach mountain.”

The primary motive of the castle was never to be as a defensible structure, although it was designed with the basics all the same, the castle was really only meant to be the retirement palace for Toyotomi Hideyoshi once he named his successor. Because the castle is closely associated with Hideyoshi, and it was his seat of power in Kyoto, the time period of growing stability following the Sengoku Jidai (The Warring States Period) is called the Azuchi-Momoyama Period so named for the castles of Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi respectively. Following the death of Hideyoshi at Momoyama-jô, the castle was maintained by Torii Mototada, a loyal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu. During the power play that resulted with Tokugawa Ieyasu becoming shogun, Torii Mototada defended the castle in an eleven day siege which ended with Torii and his remaining forces committing seppuku. The siege was extremely usefull because it allowed Ieyasu to build up an army and take a decisive victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, a battle which effectively won Ieyasu control of Japan. The ritual suicides of Torii Mototada and his men stained the floorboards so much that it was noted the stain could not be removed later. Sections of the floorboards are still visible at several temples in the Kyoto area where they are prominently displayed as the ceiling boards.

In the Edo period, the castle was completely dismantled, and its materials used to build several temples and to supply other castles in the area. In the 20th century the castle was rebuilt as a tourist throw-back entertainment park on the west side of the hill. The castle was closed again in 2003 with only tentative plans to reopen it. The tombs of Emperor Meiji and his wife now stand where the original castle foundations were built.

For visitors: 2.

This is a very weird castle and outside of the interest in just seeing a full standing yet derelict castle, there’s not really any great motivation to visit. I think if it was fixed and reopened my opinion would likely change since my research spoke very highly about the castle’s gold leaf tea room. With that said, the castle that they built and maintained sounded like it was someplace that you would need to spend a great deal of money to enjoy rather than reveling in the castle experience remenicent of Osaka or Nijô. I will say that it’s a generally easy castle to get to with a train station nearby and only a short (albeit steep) walk to the castle itself. They do maintain the grounds at least, but the buildings are lacking. You can however enjoy watching people play all sorts of games on the various fields around the tower. If that doesn’t sound particularly appealing, then just keep riding the train to Uji for some tea and Byôdô-in or go even further and to go Nara. The choice is up to you.

My biggest regret is that I never knew that Emperor Meiji’s tomb was just on the other side of the hill, so now I really have to get back over there.

Sorry, a computer error deleted my only photos of the castle, so I leave the search to you.

Wakayama-jô

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.

 

Inuyama-jô

Inuyama-jô stands atop a hill looking down on the Kiso River, the river which divides Aichi and Gifu Prefectures. With the castle keep designated as a national treasure, it is one of five keeps that bear the prestigious distinction. The castle fortifications date back to the early 15th century making it one of the oldest standing fortifications in Japan. The current tower and fortifications were built under the control of Oda Nobuyasu, the uncle of Oda Nobunaga, the first of the Three Great Unifiers of Japan. Later in the Sengoku Period, the castle became the staging ground for Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his forces (Great Unifier #2) in his only military confrontation against Tokugawa Ieyasu (Great Unifier #3). During the Meiji Restoration, there was conflict over who would control Inuyama-jô in the post-feudal era. Instead of becoming property of the government like the rest of the castles, it remained in private hands and was the only privately controled castle in Japan following the Restoration until it joined a public trust in the early 21st century.

For visitors: 7.

Inuyama-jô is a lovely sight to behold especially as photos show it through the seasons. Unfortunately the castle grounds are on the smaller side of some of the other castles I’ve written about, but I would say that the view from the tower keep is still one of the better views around. During some of the seasonal travel times, the wait to get into the keep can take several hours. I would recommend spending some time around the castle grounds and enjoy the view, and for those history geeks out there, try and imagine an invading army attempting to take the keep. 

The real attraction to the castle is not actually the castle itself, but the old shopping street that leads up to the keep. The shops are in traditional city buildings and carry a variety of goods from traditional goods to foods and drinks. If anything, it’s fun to just walk around and see the different things available and also to watch the other people walking through.

 

Matsumoto-jô

Matsumoto Castle, in the city with the same name, is one of a handfull of remaining original castles still standing in Japan. With the castle tower standing intact, it is one of five castle towers designated as National Treasures by the Japanese government along with Himeji, Hikone, Inuyama, and Matsue Castles. Built in the late 15th century, the castle tower is one of the oldest still standing along with its corresponding turrets. Known for its black and gray exterior, Matsumoto Castle picked up the nickname of “Raven Castle” and has often been seen as one of the more stoic castles in Japan. What really makes this castle stand out is where it’s located, and I don’t mean where it is in greater Japan, I mean where it is geographically. Unlike most castles in Japan which were built upon hills or bluffs to grant a larger range of oversight, Matsumoto Castle is built on a flat plain and had no elevation advantage other than the height of the tower keep itself. Many castles used the hills they were built upon and their associated steep slopes to make it more difficult for an invading force to climb up to the tower keep, and therefore make it easier for archers, gunmen, and other defense forces to thin out attackers. Matsumoto Castle, on the other hand, used a series of canals to function as moats, filled by the melting snows from the Japanese Alps which loom above. Largely the castle didn’t need to make use of these fortifications in the long run, because shortly after the completion of the castle and its fortification, the Edo Period was founded and with it came 250 years of peace. As a result, a moon viewing room and an additional defense turret (for added drama) were constructed on the castle grounds.

For visitors: 9.

There are a couple of reasons why I really think that people should visit this castle and the first reason is because it’s not near any of the main cities. Being in Japan, it’s easy to get caught in the typical locations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, etc. These cities are wonderful but they now only present a small percentage of authentic Japanese culture and tradition. For this reason, I and many others recommend spending some time in the countryside of Japan. If going to the middle of nowhere isn’t your thing, places like Matsumoto are fantastic alternatives; it’s a major city within Nagano Prefecture, but it is so far from any of the other major centers that it still retains a large percentage of authentic culture. At the castle alone visitors can enjoy hanami (flower viewing parties) in spring, the Matsumoto Taiko Matsuri in July, Moon Viewing in early fall, and Takigi Noh performances by torchlight making the keep a lightning rod for local activities and traditions. Entering the keep is an equally interesting activity that grants access to several viewing platforms and rooms for the aforementioned activities, as well as displays of arms and armor which would have been used in the case of an attack.

Dramatic lighting for the Taiko Festival.

 

Hikone-jô

Hikone-jô is one of the icons of Shiga Prefecture, and one of only five castles in Japan designated as National Treasures. Constructed in 1622 over the course of 20 years, the castle stands atop a bluff overlooking the pass from Aichi and Gifu Prefectures into Shiga; an important choke point for any military force moving towards Kyoto from the East. Most notably, the castle keep overlooks Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan.

For visitors: 10.

At the mention of this castle being a National Treasure, you should already be wanting to go. Further more, it is one of only a few castles in Japan that were not taken down during the Meiji Restoration in 1868, a time when the new government removed almost all of the castles across the archipelago. Including the castle tower, many of the original walls and support structures are still standing. Men in samurai-style armor are available to take guests on rikisha tours around the lower castle grounds while another group of armor-clad men are available to pose with for a feudal lord-style photo. After paying the entrance fee to get in, enjoy a steep climb to the top of bluff which wraps around and across a wooden bridge into the castle tower. The castle is a popular travel destination for many in Japan, but it can get particularly busy during Japan’s annual travel seasons. After climbing the tower keep, make your way down to the gardens and villa below, and if you’re lucky, maybe you can watch a high school baseball game taking place at the sports grounds next door. The castle museum requires an additional ticket, but it will give you access to archived weapons, documents, and a multilingual tour of the castle’s history. At some point, you may even get the chance to get a photo taken with the city’s extremely popular mascot, Hikonyan, a white cat wearing a red kabuto (samurai helmet).

Photo image number 1614. Tee-hee ^.^

Group photo with people in samurai armor. The cat character on the back of the lady’s shirt is Hikonyan, the castle’s mascot, and a very popular mascot across Japan.

Lake Biwa.

 

Sumoto-jô

Sumoto-jô is a small castle on the island of Awaji which overlooks the port city of Sumoto. Though largely unused, the castle did spend a brief period of time as the seat of political power on the island. Sumoto would remain the primary city on the island through the Edo Period even after the castle was no longer in use. Traditionally, Awaji Island was its own prefecture throughout Japan’s history with the seat of political power residing in what is now the city of Minamiawaji. For the most part, Awaji was able to remain rather isolated from the political struggles on Honshu, but the Muromachi period signaled a failing in government leadership and control allowing for regional lords to establish themselves as daimyo, lords in command of their own fiefdoms, and individual samurai clans to declare their warlords and seek their fortune and prowess on the battlefield. Awaji was not immune to these advances and the government in Minamiawaji was overthrown. To combat potential threats, fortresses were contrstructed all across the island, mirroring the larger trend in the archipelago. The seat of authority on Awaji  jumped around these castles until it finally settled at Sumoto Castle, and to ensure it would not be leaping anytime soon, all other castles and fortifications were demolished. Though the tower keep is no longer standing, a small tower was rebuilt at the summit in 1928 to commemorate the coronation of Emperor Showa, making it the oldest replica tower in Japan. At night the tower is lit with flood lights and is a particularly good spot to watch the summer fireworks.

For visitors: 7.

I’m not going to lie, Sumoto-jô is not a classic castle and never really was. As the last standing of the major fortifications in this rural area, the fear of attack was not the same as with larger townships and the castle reflected that. In the early 17th century the castle was built up when it became the seat of political power on the island, but the following integration of Awaji Prefecture and Awa Prefecture (modern Tokusima Prefecture) plus subsequent regulations regarding fortifications led to the castle grounds being abandoned, material shipped to support Tokushima Castle (the new seat of power for both Awa and Awaji), and then finally falling into dissarray from lack of use. What was rebuilt in the early 20th century was minor decoration and foundation support. The tower is very small and the castle grounds are largely vacant aside from the stone foundations. But I encourage people to come visit this castle because it does have something that few other castles have been able to pull off: atmosphere. At the time that I’m writing this, I live a short drive away and it’s one of my favorite places to just sit, think, and breathe. The tower overlooks Osaka Bay and the beautiful blue waters below make for an exceptional sight. On cloudy or rainy days, the clouds float up the sides of the mountain, sticking to the trees as they make their way. Visitors may even be able to see the occasional monkey if you’re lucky. But all in all, the trees that stand on the grounds, and in some cases even grow through them, are beautiful and healthy. Photographers may find this location particularly nice in autumn when the maple leaves change, but few visitors means better photos with less interference. So don’t expect the grandeur of Himeji, but enjoy everything else this rural castle has to offer.

Awaji Island is known for its own unique style of roof tiles which are prominantly displayed adorning buildings both large and small.

 

Himeji-jô

Himeji-jô, or Himeji Castle, is one of the most prominant cultural locations in Japan. Though the current castle structure dates back to the turn of the 17th century, there has been a fortified encampment located atop Himeyama, Hime Hill, since the 14th century. Himeji Castle is most recognizable for the white plaster with which it is constructed, inspiring many throughout history to compare the fortified structure to a white heron in flight. The accolades of the castle are many in number and are all deserving of their praise. In fact, Himeji Castle is one of only 14 original castles to exist in Japan following the Meiji Restoration when the majority of castles were torn down. It has been a premier filming location for films both domestic and international (Kagemusha, You Only Live Twice, and Ran to name a few). Most importantly, it’s one of only five castle keeps in Japan to be given the title of National Treasure by the Japanese Government, and it was one of the first four sites to be categorized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan.

For visitors: 10.

Trust me when I say that there are so many amazing places to visit in Japan that it takes longer than a typical vacation to properly enjoy just a fraction of what is available. That being said, when visiting the Kansai area of Japan, Himeji Castle should be near the top of your list of places to visit. This photogenic castle is one of the few surviving examples of classic fortress architecture. Across Japan, locations like Osaka Castle are only faint remnants of the wonder they were before, but Himeji-jô survives today not only as an historical landmark, but also as an interactive work of art. The majority of castles across Japan have been stripped down to the stone foundations and exist more like a pretty site for a picnic than the base of operations for the great warlords of the past. As such, Himeji Castle is truly an amazing place to visit. With many of the fortifications still in place, its gaze still watching over the greater city area, and the twisting route to the keep, it’s very easy to imagine the castle as it was a few hundred years ago.

 

Nijô-jô

Nijô-jô (Nijo Castle) was constructed by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 when he first declared himself the new shogun of Japan. Though not necessarily constructed as a major defensible castle like one would in a designed castle town, it did have a main tower, defensible walls, and moats. Nijô-jô served as the Tokugawa base of operations when the shogun was in Kyoto, and was built with a vast garden and a luxurious palace on the castle grounds.

For visitors: 9.

There's no denying that Nijô-jô is a tourist trap. Apart from the main tower, which was removed, much of the castle grounds remain very much in great condition. Last I checked the castle is undergoing some renovations, and there might be plans for the tower to be rebuilt. (Honestly, I don't know about that last one since there are nationalist debates that are intertwined with that idea, but certainly the palace grounds are.) There are many reasons to go to the castle and enjoy it. From the architecture to the location, Nijô-jô is not one of the most castle-like castles, but it’s certainly one of the most opulent ones still standing in Japan. The Edo Period is renowned for its architecture which used bountiful colors and wooden carvings to create this sensation of overflowing joy and, most importantly, wealth. Gold accents highlight otherwise standard wooden supports and frames while the colors overwhelm the senses. But why is this important? Japanese architecture, and in particular the architecture of imperial and noble households in Kyoto, follows a very clean and simplistic style of elegant structures with brilliantly painted monochromatic paper screens. Some of you readers might have heard of the term wabi sabi, “refined simplicity.” Though this term and the popularized style it describes really grew during the Sengoku Jidai of the 16th century, many of the noble houses were not built with this idea in mind. Actually quite the opposite, these traditional noble households followed this style for hundreds of years until the warrior governments and the associated wave of overt displays of wealth pushed the aristocracy to adopt the growing trend as well. Edo Period architecture was the next step with more than just gold leaf screens, but the above mentioned accents and decorations applied to any and all available surfaces. Nijô-jô was built as a statement to the Kansai area with one message in mind: “Make no mistake, the Tokugawa clan holds the wealth and power here in Kyoto.” As a funny side note, look at where Nijô-jô is in Kyoto in reference to the Imperial palace and it becomes very clear what purpose the castle really holds in the heart of Kyoto.

 

Ôsaka-jô

Osaka-jô (Osaka Castle) was originally constructed in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi on the former site of Honganji Temple. Of all the castles that Hideyoshi would construct or support across the nation, Osaka-jô became his pride and the center of his domain. As he was a fan of gold, Osaka-jô was adorned both inside and outside with the precious metal. In 1615, Hideyoshi's son Hideyori, gathered allies to the castle to restore the Toyotomi family shogunate from Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu however was far more experienced and let his enemies gather in one place before going to war. Ieyasu destroyed the Toyotomi family, burned Osaka-jô to the ground, and lined the Tokkaido Highway from Kyoto to Tokyo with distance markers made from the severed heads of his enemies. Osaka-jô would later be rebuilt under the control of the Tokugawa family, but it would burn down several more times due to lightning strikes. In the early 20th century, Osaka-jô became a military staging ground for the Japanese army and would be burned down yet again in the fire bombs of WWII. The current tower, this time with proper lightning rods and grounding cables,  is a recreation of what the main tower was estimated to look like when it was first built by Hideyoshi.

For visitors: 8.

To begin, I used an accent on the upper case “O” in the title to emphasize that the “O” is stressed when pronounced correctly (Oh-saka). This is a common mistake made by foreigners which does not help garner any favor from the locals. Osaka-jô is a beautiful sight to see and a pretty cool location. As someone who grew up without castles within reasonable travel distance, coming across a castle has an accompanied rush of emotion to it. The castle is a very cool thing to see and I would recommend that people pay a visit if they're in the area. However, to be entirely honest, it's one of the biggest tourist traps in town. It's often very busy with foreigners and the souvenirs are rather pricey and cheesy. Going inside is nice be it a bit cramped. If you go in summer the tower is air conditioned for your comfort which is always nice considering Japanese summers are overwhelming humid. Over all the castle didn’t meet my expectations. The tower is pretty and the view from the top is great, but I didn't find myself wanting to visit again; probably because of how obviously it markets to foreigners. The main tower is the only real building on the castle foundations and everything else is either a restaurant or souvenier shop. I will say though that if you're interested, you can pay a photographer at the castle for a photo-op with the tower in the background while you wear samurai armor. No idea how much it costs but I'd guess it's a pretty penny.