Oldest Castle in Japan

Japan is well known for many things, but one of its most fascinating features is its architecture. This country is home to some of the most beautiful buildings in the world, among which are several old castles.

In this article, we’re going to look more closely at some of the oldest castles in Japan, where they are located, and what their histories are.

Let’s dive in and take a closer look.

6 Oldest Castles in Japan

6. Hirosaki Castle

The Hirosaki Castle was the Tsugaru clan’s primary home, and it was built by them as well. This castle is located in Hirosaki, in the Aomori Prefecture of Japan. Its origin story is quite interesting as well! This castle was built after a feudal lord named Ōura Tamenobu was awarded a large sum of money for the role he played in the Battle of Odawara. Although his name was Ōura Tamenobu, he took the family name of Tsugaru.

He began to construct the castle, but its construction stopped abruptly for a time after he died. It was later completed by a man named Tsugaru Nobuhira, who was his successor. Since the construction had been paused temporarily, Tsugaru Nobuhira raided and stripped the Horikoshi castle of its materials to complete this castle’s building much faster!

Did you know?

The Hirosaki Castle has been praised and called one of the Seven Famous Castles of Japan by the celebrated author Shiba Ryōtarō.

5. Matsumoto Castle

The Matsumoto Castle is one of the oldest castles in Japan, and it was constructed back in 1594. It is located in the Nagano Prefecture, in the city of Matsumoto. One of the most interesting features of this castle is the fact that although it was built several centuries ago, it still has its stunning external stonework and internal woodwork. Along with eleven other castles, this castle is one of the only surviving tenshu in Japan.

When researchers have worked on tracing the history of this castle, they discovered that its origins go all the way back to the Sengoku period. Over the decades and centuries, various internal and political struggles saw the castle change hands from one family to another, and finally, during the Edo period, the military government known as the the Tokugawa shogunate established a domain.

Did you know?

The Matsumoto Castle has been labeled a National Treasure of Japan.

4. Maruoka Castle

Maruoka Castle is one of the oldest castles in Japan, and it was built over 400 years ago! This castle is located in a city called Sakai, in the Fukui Prefecture. It was constructed and built by Shibata Katsutoyo. Although we don’t know how far this is true, we discovered during our research that this castle was actually constructed with a human pillar! This statement was made during the recitation of a legend called “O-shizu, Hitobashira.”

In the present day, this castle is known to be one of the twelve castles in Japan that has its original tenshu. It is also a popular tourist attraction, though the castle grounds have been incorporated in Kasumigajo Park.

Did you know?

Maruoka Castle has an unusually heavy roof, thanks to the stone tiles that replaced the wooden shingles that it was originally built with.

3. Inuyama Castle

Inuyama Castle is another of the oldest castles in Japan! This particular castle is known for where it is located, which is the city Inuyama, in the Aichi Prefecture, and it overlooks the Kiso River. One of the most interesting features of this castle is its design. Although its primary tower is quite small, it was built with a lot of complex features, making its silhouettes appear in different shapes based on the angle that one viewed.

There was a period of time when this castle was governed by a clan called Naruse. They ruled over the Inuyama domain as daimyō, or feudal lords. It’s also fascinating to note that although the Meiji government seized this castle in 1871, it was later returned to the Naruse family after a few decades.

Did you know?

The Inuyama Castle was one of the only castles in Japan to be privately owned.

2. Kumamoto Castle

The Kumamoto Castle is another of the oldest castles in Japan, with many considering it to be the oldest castle in the country. One of the most interesting features of this castle is that its history stretches all the way back to the 15th century. Its construction took place in sections and happened over several decades.

It’s interesting to note that this castle was besieged during the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, where various parts of the castle, like its keep, were burned to the ground. However, the strength of its construction was shown during this time, since it was able to withstand the weapons of the 19th century and not fall down!

Did you know?

The Kumamoto Castle is considered to be one of Japan’s premier castles.

Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is another of the oldest castles in Japan. This castle is located in the in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. It is a particularly fascinating example of architecture in Japan, and is considered to be one of the finest buildings in the country! The reason for this is that this castle consists of 83 different rooms, each designed to withstand the various advanced defensive systems of the feudal period.

We can trace the history of this castle back to 1333. During this time, a samurai named Akamatsu Norimura built a fortress at the top of a hill. Some years later, the fortress was taken apart and rebuilt as the castle that currently exists today.

Did you know?

The Himeji Castle is the most visited and the most famous castle in all of Japan.

Conclusion

In this article, we look at a few of the oldest castles in Japan. Given how long ago these castles were built, we found it tremendously fascinating that these castles have withstood the test of time, and that they have remained preserved and cared for throughout these past centuries. We hope that you enjoyed this article, and we hope that you learned something new from it as well today.