Inuyama Castle

Background

Inuyama Castle stands in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, on a small hill on the south bank of the Kiso River, which forms the border between Aichi and Gifu prefectures. The castle was first built in 1537 by Oda Hirochika; the Agency for Cultural Affairs online catalogue dates the keep to 1601, though it was modified afterwards. The keep is small, but its complex form shows a different silhouette from every angle. After the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, Oda Nobunaga's cousin Oda Nobukiyo held the castle with the support of the Saito clan of Mino, and Nobunaga recaptured it in 1564; it was the last obstacle to his unification of Owari. In the Edo period the Naruse family ruled Inuyama as vassals of the Owari Tokugawa until the Meiji Restoration; in 1871 the Meiji government demolished every auxiliary building except the keep. The castle was designated a National Historic Site in 2018, and the castle town below still keeps its old-street character.

Local customs

• Climb the keep and walk around the corridor to look out over the Kiso River and the castle town
• stroll the old streets of the castle town and try local snacks such as gohei-mochi and dengaku
• see the cherry blossoms in spring
• watch the karakuri puppet floats parade during the Inuyama Festival.

Travel tips

• The keep's stairs are steep, so visitors with limited mobility should judge their own ability
• weekends and the autumn foliage season are crowded, and admission fees and opening hours are as officially announced
• most castle-town shops open during the day, so visiting before evening is best.
• Take the Meitetsu Inuyama Line to Inuyama Station and walk from there, or walk from Meitetsu Inuyama-Yuen Station
• the trip from Nagoya takes about half an hour. Spring cherry blossoms and autumn foliage are the most popular
• winter brings fewer visitors and suits a leisurely look inside the keep.