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.