Cooking classes have been taking off recently as a must-do while traveling.  It makes sense.  You go to a foreign country, love the food, and want to take it home with you.  However, let’s be honest. Our foreign food back home is completely adopted by our pallets! What better way to get the real deal than to learn it in-country and recreate it yourself!? BentoYa Cooking took it one step farther with their Japanese cooking class in Tokyo on vegan sweets made with Mikawa mirin (三河みりん).  It included a special presentation that taught the specifics behind a very unique ingredient!

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission from you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery Presentation

The future owner of the Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery Co., Ltd. was present to give us the history and process of making their Sanshu Mikawa Mirin (三州三河みりん).  She also gave us background on the many various uses.

While the company was started in 1910, according to ancient Japanese text, mirin has been around for five hundred years. During the Edo period (same time as all of the castles), it was an expensive beverage.

What is Mirin?

Mirin, a sweet rice wine, is a versatile seasoning that can add sweetness and texture to Japanese dishes. Similar to sake but with slightly lower alcohol content and higher sweetness. That sweet flavor comes from how it’s made, not because there is sugar added to it.

Though originally it was used as a beverage, eventually it began being used as a seasoning in Japanese cooking. It can be cooked down to make a lovely sweetener (think honey but not as thick).  We sampled two types of mirin that the company produces and I must say, I’d drink them!

The real deal: Mikawa Mirin (三河みりん)

Mikawa is located in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture. It has suitable conditions for brewing Mirin and has the largest number of brewers in Japan. Mikawa Mirin (三河みりん) is made from glutinous rice, rice malt, shochu and goes through a single distillation process. The Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery Co., Ltd. makes it with the traditional manufacturing method. This takes nearly two years to complete for the high-quality glutinous rice to be brewed and matured.

Sanshu Mikawa Mirin (三州三河みりん) has about 14% alcohol and is a deep amber color. The generic name for this “top-level” product is Hon-Mirin (本みりん). Hon means “true” or “origin”.

The impostors: Mirin and Mirin-like seasonings

The main difference between hon-mirin (which is what we used for this Japanese cooking class with the Sanshu Mikawa Mirin 三州三河みりん) and mirin, is that straight mirin uses sake instead of shochu in their ingredients. Because of this and other process differences (only a few months of processing), they tend to have a lighter coloring.

There are industrially made mirin on the market that has more additives and is not as “pure” as traditional methods. Industrial made is not as painstakingly made and is quickly brewed in a few months’ time. They still have similar alcohol levels but aren’t as high quality.

To make it even more complicated, during and after the war, liquor laws made it difficult for grocery stores to sell true mirin. Additionally, due to the high cost since rice was scarce. As such, “煮切り” (nikiri) came into existence, which is boiled down to reduce the alcohol content. There is also “塩みりん” or “salt mirin” that adds salt to bring down the alcohol content. These are referred to as “mirin like” products or みりん風調味料 (mirin fuchoumiryou) and are highly chemical seasonings with little (1%) or no alcohol.

If you are in the market for mirin, watch out to get the real deal! Check your ingredients -if there is added sugar, it’s not real mirin. If there isn’t alcohol, it isn’t real mirin.

How to use Mirin

There are many uses for mirin and it is a great condiment to have in any kitchen. Especially if you like to make japanese food.

1. Gives a gloss and luster to coatings better than that of sugar — think teriyaki sauces!
2. Draws out flavors of a dish
3. Can be used to tenderize meats (again, with your teriyaki)
4. Eliminates odors on smeller food items
5. Adds a mild sweetness
6. Is another way to add umami (miso can be used as a “secret” ingredient for that too.)

The company has a few different authentic mirin and the class used Sanshu Mikawa Mirin (三河みりん) as the sweetener in a few dessert items.

In dishes that call for honey, you can use mirin as sweetener instead, the class suggested.

BentoYa Online Japanese Cooking Classes

Since attending this Japanese cooking class, a lot has happened in the world. Including the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, like many others, BentoYa had to reevaluate its business model. Which included moving to online courses. And while it’s more fun to have the hands-on experience, now more people (i.e. those of you not in Tokyo!) can enjoy these vegan sweets (and their other vegan recipes) from the comfort of your home.

Their Japanese cooking class cost about 3300 yen. If you are looking for some quick and simple recipes, they also have a YouTube channel to check out.

BentoYa Japanese Cooking Class in Tokyo: Vegan Sweets made with Mirin

One nice thing about this Japanese cooking class in Tokyo? No prep work! I really love how there are community kitchens to use.  There are three cooking stations in this room similar to this one as well as the front display where the instructor normally is.

Making Mirin Pudding

This is a vegan class so we didn’t use any animal products.  It was interesting to learn about the different things you can use instead.  And the end product is so tasty.  This style of pudding is quite common as a dessert in Japan.  Simple and not too sweet.

Kanten (寒天) is a natural gelatinous product that comes from algae.  It is a great substitute for gelatin in the pudding.

Kudzuko (葛粉, sometimes Kuzu in English) starch comes from a root plant called Kuzu.  It’s an exceptional thickener.  I was surprised how fast it could take effect!  Sometimes brewed as a tea as it is actually very good for upset stomachs!

The sweetness comes from boiling down the Mirin.  You cook for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol and turn it into more of a syrup consistency.  We also add it to the top to give it that sheen.  Presentation taught so much!

You cook the ingredients all together for a few minutes to thicken it up and you’re done! Chill it for a bit in the freezer if you want it right away, else in the fridge works too.

Don’t forget to add the bit of sweetness on top!

A quick and easy Japanese lunch

As every class with Bentoya Cooking ends with trying out your creations, we also made some onigiri with soy meat.  Can’t just eat sweets for lunch! Well, you could, but your waistline might not like it.  However, cooking with mirin, there is no added sugar for all the sweetness so it’s actually healthier!

This soy product starts out dried, you cook it in water to reconstitute it and then ring out the excess water before cooking up and adding flavoring.

Hint for making onigiri.  Use saran wrap. Keeps your hands less sticky with the rice.  I’m starting to get better at them if I do say so myself! Another pro tip: don’t put too much filling or rice, a smaller portion is much easier to deal with!

I love how easy a good miso soup is.  Some homemade dashi made with seaweed for umami instead of fish flakes, add some leak and onion to it, drop in some miso and you are good to go!

The finished product! いただきます! Itadakimasu!  Thank you for the food, let’s eat!

Looking for another Japanese cooking class in Tokyo?  Check out my other experience with BentoYa Cooking.

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高知城, Kochi Castle, is the only of the 12 original Japanese castle that remains ALL of it’s original Edo period architecture in the main citadel. Like the other castles, this one was also finished in the 1600s and is located on Shikoku, the fourth-smallest of Japan’s main islands. Kochi is a cute oceanside town with old history abounding. Not only is it cute, but it is also unique. Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo didn’t just have military in the castle keep, it was also a palace.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission from you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

The best way to approach Kochi Castle

The best way to approach Kochi castle is through the Otemon Gate.  If you drove (don’t drive, it’s Japan! I kid, Shikoku is actually easier by car and a little easier as it’s more country so there seemed to be more parking. Trains are still easy to get around on though! Also, Koichi’s train station is beautiful), you’ll have to walk over to the gate but it’s also the way to go up to the castle so you shouldn’t miss it.

The Otemon gate is important because when the town was burned to the ground by a fire in the early 1700s, it was the only thing to remain (though it itself had some of its own work done in the 1660s). So if you are looking for 400 years of history, it’s in this structure.

Kochi Castle Main Keep – 3 or 6 floors?

After they were burned in the fire, the main castle keep at Kochi Castle along with the rest of the surrounding buildings took TWENTY FIVE years to rebuild. They were finished in 1753 to match the original specifications and managed to (mostly) avoid being torn down during the Meiji Era restoration efforts to remove all of the castles or any other disasters. Why mostly? Because the good majority of the castle buildings were removed.

While the keep or donjon may look like it is 3 stories, the interior is actually 6 floors.

Kochi Castle Unique amongst the 12

Kochi Castle is the only Japanese castle that has the Lord’s reception suite (how the pamphlets, in this case, decided to translate “御殿” or “palace”) still intact. Even amongst the 12 original castles still remaining in Japan.  It’s unique that the lord’s residence was among the military function of the keep.  Hence why it’s all there. This castle is more house than military in some aspects and you can see how the rooms went together.  It’s amazing.  (This one almost beat out Matsuyama as my favorite).

But what’s one palace when you can have THREE? The ni-no-maru (second bailey) which is the flat land before you head across the bridge to honmaru, had a palace as well. As did san-no-maru or third bailey. Those unfortunately were all disassembled during the Meiji restoration, but if you want to see a palace, check out Kawagoe, Kakegawa, Nagoya, or Nijo. There is also an imperial residence in Nikko.

As you can see from this picture, you get a sense of the minimalism Japan is famous for.  There wouldn’t have been much furnishings in these rooms.

I thought it was a little sad to learn when they turned it into a park in the Meiji period that they destroyed all the buildings in the 2nd and 3rd bailey. But the museum inside Kochi Castle has models of what it probably looked like and the main citadel more than makes up for it.

Kochi Castle Important Cultural Property

There are 15 buildings at Kochi Castle that are considered important cultural properties.

• 天守 – tenshu, main keep
• 懐徳館 – Kaitokukan, the name for the honmaru goten or palace
• 納戸蔵 – Storage Room
• 黒鉄門 – Black Iron Gate
• 西多聞 – Nishitamon
• 東多聞 – Higashitamon
• 詰門 – Closed Gate
• 廊下門 – Corridor Gate
• 追手門 – Pursuit Gate
• 天守東南矢狭間塀 – Tenshu Southeast Yasama Wall
• 天守西北矢狭間塀 – Tenshu South west Yasama Wall
• 黒鉄門西北矢狭間塀 – Kurotetsumon Nishikita Yasama Fence
• 黒鉄門東南矢狭間塀 – Kurotetsumon Southeast Yasama Fence
• 追手門西南矢狭間塀 – Otemon Southwest Yasama Fence
• 追手門東北矢狭間塀 – Otemon Tohoku Yasama Fence

Kochi’s whaling history

One recommendation for travel in general, and definitely in Japan, look for themes when you go places.  In Kochi, there were whale tails everywhere.  Random statues and nuances that just make you go, “huh”.

Apparently, Kochi was a whaling town and there was a display in one of the wings of the castle about it.  Though quasi gruesome and not to my liking, it’s a part of history and makes you respect what people went through to get food.  The display, though cartoonish, was very intense.  Not something you see every day.

Stamp Rally

Don’t forget to get your stamp for the 100 finest castles in Japan stamp rally. What’s that? The Japan Castle Foundation (日本城郭協会, Nihon Jōkaku Kyōkai) choose 100 Famous Castles in Japan (日本百名城, Nihon Hyaku Meijō) followed by another 100 after that!

As a goal-oriented person, it’s fun to check the castles off my list. But I would also just do it for the cute stamps! I recommend getting the books ahead of time. Some of the castles gift shops carry them but it’s not a guarantee. Yes, they are in Japanese, that gives it some clout I think!

TeamLab Kochi Castle Illumination

One thing I’m still sad about, especially if you know how much I love teamLab’s two Tokyo exhibits teamLab borderless and teamLab planets, is that teamLab did an exhibit in Kochi Castle! It was just a few months after I was there. Here is my plug for illuminations around Japan, something to keep in mind if you are traveling in winter! While teamLab may not do another Kochi Castle Illumination (they did both in 2018 and 2019!), that’s not to say there won’t be a different one.

Getting to Kochi Castle and the Kochi Information Center

If you are like me, you are going to be blown away by Kochi’s train station, it is BEAUTIFUL – but don’t get too distracted, Kochi Castle is too! There is an amazing tourist information center next to it where you could probably spend a few hours just there (even if you researched a lot for your japan trip, I highly recommend always checking out the information booths!). 

Inside the information center is a reproduction of the set of a popular period drama depicting the life of a samurai hero. You can dress up and walk around the set, taking photos. If you need some inspiration about Japan, there are plenty of shows and documentaries about Japan.

The castle is an easy 20-minute walk from Kochi Station, or you can take the tram. But be aware you’ll have to transfer.

The easiest way to Kochi Castle by train to get to Kochi Station is to take a limited express train from Okayama Station. It takes about 2.5 hours so make sure you get some onigiri, or a train bento and maybe a beer ;). I will break from my train love a little in Shikoku because it is a bit easier to get around by car in Shikoku but trains are still a good option, they just don’t run as often as larger areas of Japan.

As with all the castles, I have tons more research in my notes, so if you have questions, let me know in the comments below! I’ll try and point you in the right direction.

Other things to do in Kochi

This prefecture is not lacking in things to see and do!  Local to Kochi are a few things I’ll highlight.

日曜市 (literally, “Sunday City”) is a 300-year-old market that happens every, you guessed it, Sunday. Toted as one of Japan’s largest and stretches out over a kilometer from the Otemon Gate with hundreds of stalls to explore. There is also a smaller one on Thursday leading down to the water from Kochi Castle if you were to head to Yamauchi Jinja.

On your way to Yamauchi Jinja, you’ll notice a long building on the side of the road. This is the former Yamauchi Residence Shimoyashiki Nagaya Exhibition Hall (旧山内家下屋敷長屋展示館). A Shimoyashiki is the “suburban” residence of the daimyo or lord. Remember, three palaces were not enough! What remains is the lodging for the guards. Inside there is a display of various ship designs. Great for yours truly naval architecture love.

The original shrine where Yamauchi Jinya stands burned down during the war but afterwards in the 1970s was rebuilt to enshrine the Yamauchi line that ruled at Kochi castle. To be fair though, it’s very common for shinto shrines to be rebuilt every so often, even Izu, Japan’s most important, is rebuilt every 20 or so years so that the traditional building style can be kept alive but also as part ritual.

Another great thing for Kochi? They have a massive yosakoi festival in the summer. One of my things still to see. While you are walking around the city, you may notice a bright red vermillion bridge. A good photo spot it is the setting of a love story between a local monk and a young woman. It also is mentioned in some of the yosakoi songs.

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Welcome to Himeji Castle 姫路城. Nicknamed the White Heron (or white egret, apparently they couldn’t decide on a white bird…) Castle for its coloring. She (are castles like ships? Female? They are now!) is the 6th in my quest to see all 12 of the original Japanese castle. Himeji castle is, in fact, the largest castle in Japan, located in Hyogo Prefecture in Himeji City.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission from you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

A bit of history and designations

Himeji Castle dates back to the early 1300s when it started as a fort atop the hill.  Ripped down and built into a castle around 1346, it was again redone… have you been reading my castle posts in order?  Yup, you guessed it.  Around 1600.  It was later expanded on and has remained the same for 400 years.  Himeji City was burned to the ground during WWII but the castle survived.  She also survived some really massive earthquakes.  Most importantly, she didn’t get ripped down during the Meiji period as so many castles did.

Of the 83 buildings that make up the castle grounds, 74 are designated as Important Cultural Assets. SEVENTY FOUR! That’s insane. The other castles maxed out at 11 or so.  That equates to 11 corridors, 16 turrets, 15 gates, and 32 earthen walls.  Himeji Castle is not just an important cultural property though, it’s also a UNESCO world heritage site which was designated in 1993.  Japan’s first. Translation: Himeji Castle is Japan’s most visited Japanese castle.  With good reason!

And remember, that’s 83 buildings that are still existing at Himeji Castle. There used to be so many more!

The approach to Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle awes you the second you pull into Himeji Station. Generally speaking, when I get off the train somewhere, I’m trying to figure out which exit to leave from.  Not necessary here. Straight view of the castle as soon as we pulled in on the shinkansen.

Once you walk up the street from the station (or there are buses), you’ll come to this bridge and gate. The gate is called Sakuramon, so the bridge is Sakuramon bashi (bashi is the Japanese word for bridge). With the castle looming in the background, it’s a beautiful sight.

The moat? If you are visiting on the weekends, there are boat trips you can take along in. There aren’t very many though so get your tickets early.

Bring your walking shoes for this one (I love my Teva sandals for travel).  The overall castle is nearly a mile at the widest points in each direction.

The Main Keep

Unlike Kochi Castle, Himeji Castle’s main keep is all about the military function.  You have to remember with Japanese Castle keep’s that the tiers don’t always match the floors. So whereas from the outside it looks like five tiers, the inside has a basement and six floors – lots of stairs to climb!  If you were an invading army, there are all sorts of defenses INSIDE as well as the fact that you had to make it all the way to the keep in the first place!  武者隠し (mushakakushi) are little hiding holes throughout that you could be attacked from.

There were also platforms on some of the floor that I originally thought someone must stand on to give a speech or something.  The ceilings were super high, seemed to make sense.  In actuality, they are so that people could throw rocks out the windows at invading armies. Don’t forget the death holes for shooting guns and arrows.  (Actual name is loophole).

When you go inside, you’ll take off your shoes and carry them with you.  They give you plastic bags to use as you’ll leave at a different spot than you came in at.  The stairs that you walk up to enter the castle have, of course, been there forever and there’s a sign to call your attention to the fact that samurai and lords have walked up them barefoot just like you.  Kind of fun.

The first floor is nearly 6000 sq. ft. (?!?!?) with follow on floors slowly getting smaller until the top floor is “only” 1240 sq. ft. That’s twice as big as most people’s apartments in Japan! You’ll get to walk through the whole thing.  Its’ really neat with the lighting they have throughout.  It’s also surprising how tall the ceilings are.  The whole keep is just over 150 feet tall. The fact that they were able to make such a structure with just wood is amazing to me.

The Princesses Bailey

Sadly, the palaces are no longer in existence. Neither the main palace for the Lord or the one he made when his daughter married. If you want to see a palace, head to the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, Nijo Castle, Kawagoe Castle, Kakegawa Castle, or Nagoya Castle (though that one is a reconstruction). There’s also an imperial villa in Nikko. You can still see the long corridors that made up the princess servant’s living quarters though.  These are incorporated into the walls protecting the palace.  The princess also had her own quarters as a “retreat” or some such at the end of the corridors and this still is there.

How Much time do you need for Himeji Castle?

Give yourself at least 2 hours if it’s not busy, but lean towards a half day.  Probably more if it’s busy.  There is so much to see! During Cherry Blossom season they limit the number of tickets to 15,000 so be wary of that too. And because they get so busy, it’s like Disney, where they give you wait times to the ticket counter and the castle keep! If you get there late in the day and there are long waits, keep in mind that your ticket is only valid for the day you purchased it.

Also you can only purchase tickets to Himeji Castle at the ticket counter the day of visit. Tickets for Himeji Castle are 1,000 yen for adults at the time of writing this. You can add on the neighboring Japanese garden for 40 yen more!

One of the times I was at Himeji during the summer. It can be brutally hot, and with such large grounds to walk around in broad sunlight, please make sure that you have ample water supply. Luckily it’s Japan and you can find vending machines all over. But, seriously, drink up, lots of people were getting heatstroke that day!

Part of the reason you should stay in Himeji the whole day, is for the beautiful night views of Himeji Castle. Stop by an izakaya and then see it after dark. The paid portion of the grounds closes around 5 pm but you can see the unpaid version later. At different times of the year they have events there.

Getting your Castle Stamp

Don’t forget your stamp for the 100 finest castles while you are here! The 100 Famous Castles in Japan (日本百名城, Nihon Hyaku Meijyou) were chosen by the Japan Castle Foundation (日本城郭協会, Nihon Jōkaku Kyōkai) and include castles all over the country, including the 12 originals.

The stamps make for a fun souvenir as well as a record of all the castles you have been to. There is a guidebook that you can get to keep them in (and turn them in for a prize if you get them all!).

How to get to Himeji Castle

From any of the big tourist spots (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto) it is an easy shinkansen ride to get to Himeji, I love all trains in Japan! From Shin Osaka Station to Himeji Station take the Hikari Shinkansen in around 35 minutes. Taking the JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Kyoto to Himeji takes about an hour.

The longest is going to be from Tokyo. If you can take the Nozomi shinkansen, from Tokyo to Himeji is 3 hours. On the JR Rail Pass? It’ll be about 3.5-4 hours. I’d suggest going straight there and then making your way back to other sites in Kyoto and Osaka (if you are doing the “main circuit” as I like to call it). Or keep going from Himeji to some of the other 12 original castles of Japan. I’ll be working on full itinerary options for this soon! Make sure to sign up for the newsletter to keep posted.

The view from the shinkansen platform of the lead into the castle is very unique. You’ll take the north exit and it’s about a 1 km walk to get to Sakuramon bridge to get into the castle complex. Speaking of, there are tons of paths and parks around the castle to track your steps.

Is Himeji Castle Worth it?

Yes! Especially if you are interested in Japanese history and of course, Japanese castles. I will say though Himeji Castle is amazing, she’s not my favorite. Matsuyama Castle in Shikoku still holds that one.  Sometimes the crowds are right but it’s important to stick to your guns if you have a differing opinion.  That’s what makes the world interesting.

All that said, please, if you are only in Japan for a little while, go see Himeji Castle.  You won’t be disappointed. 

What is there to do near Himeji Castle?

One the castle grounds, you can visit the Edo period-style Kokoen gardens. You can get a combined entrance pass for both the castle and the gardens, adding the Japanese Gardens is all of 40 yen more! While not one of the top three gardens like the one in Okayama, they are beautiful nonetheless! In fact, Japanese gardens are very often a nice side quest to Japanese castles.

If you decide to walk to the castle, you can approach down the main drag, Otemae Street (which has lots of statues – Japan loves statues) or the Himeji Ekimae shopping street (with an arcade). Great way to keep out of the sun on those hot days but also good if it is raining!

Have you tried the rather simplistic but super delicious Japanese food, 玉かけめし (Tamakakemeshi or sometimes as tamakakegohan)? It’s a raw (don’t worry, they are safe!) egg on top of warm rice. Don’t knock it till you try it. Tamagoya across from the Sakuramon bridge has it. There is also a Cremia stand there in the summer, the best soft serve I’ve found in Japan.

While you are in Hyogo Prefecture, don’t forget to head over to Kobe for some Kobe Beef.

If you have been following along for a while, it should come as no surprise to you that I love Japanese castles! If you’ve missed the articles and IG posts until now, you may have seen the running tally of how many I’ve been to on the home page for Kristen Abroad. There are so many Japanese castles to visit, where do you start? While there are many not in this category I’d also recommend, if you have limited time for Japanese castle exploration, you really should start with 12 original Japanese castles remaining.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January of 2019 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

現存12天守 Quick Japanese Lesson

While it’s time-consuming thanks to my level of Japanese, I love doing research in Japanese. Though I still owe a debt of gratitude to Wanikani and the Minna no Nihongo series, along with so many other Japanese resources ( including my Japanese sensei at conversation classes)!

The 12 original Japanese castles are actually referring to the original Japanese castle keeps which in Japanese are usually referred to as 現存12天守. And because Japanese fascinates me, you get a quick lesson ;).

• 天守 = Tenshu, or castle tower. This term refers to the main castle keep as in Japanese castle design there are normally other towers on the complex as well. It is also sometimes referred to as “天守閣” or tenshukaku.
• 現存 = Genzon or “existing”. While that is true, they ARE existing, the English makes that somewhat confusing as there are other “Existing” Japanese castles that have been more recently re-constructed.

That said, when you see “the existing 12 Japanese castle keeps”, in Japanese they are referring to the Edo-period and older castles.

National Treasures, Important Cultural Properties, and Other titles

Most of the 12 have multiple designated titles of importance. Japan likes lists of 3 and 100. They all are considered as part of the 100 finest castles of Japan but there’s more that make these the Japanese castles to visit.

We’ll start with world clout. Himeji Castle was designated as Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nationwide, five of the 12 are considered National Treasures: Hakone, Himeji, Inuyama, Matsue, and Matsumoto. I like to call Inuyama the most pretentious of the bunch. In the other 11 castles, there is a reference to all 12 castles (usually in pictures lining the overhead of the lookout area of the castle). Inuyama? Just shows the five that are designated as National Treasures.

The other 7 are designated “only” as Important Cultural Properties. However, most all are part of the さくら名所100選 (100 Famous Sakura Places – there’s actually 134 locations, we like lists of 100 but they aren’t always exactly 100).

Which is the oldest of the 12 original Japanese castles

I think the funniest is that at least three of them claim “I’m the oldest” somewhere on their property. Keep a lookout for signs, the first one I was at that I saw “oldest” I was so excited. Then I saw it at another and was like, wait a second…

Inuyama is one of them. Hence back to my pretentious joke.

If you go solely by when they were originally made Bitchu-Matsuyama wins hands down with an 11th-century build. However, that was on a neighboring mountain and they moved it to its current location later. The keep itself, the important part of the “which is older” at Bitchu-Matsuyama is younger than the others.

You also have the matter that regardless of when they were originally built, most had at least some fire or damage from war over the years. If you factor in what and how much was rebuilt and when, it starts to get tricky.  And of course, are we talking about the castle or the keep? Which is where I think the good majority comes from.

And Inuyama Castle has them on the keep initial construction start date (yes, you have to be that specific. The oldest castle that started construction on a Tuesday 😉 – I kid).

A general aside: I can’t imagine the amount of work it is to move so much material without the help of modern machines!

On the note of these castles being so old, this is definitely a situation you will need to take your shoes off in Japan for!

Where have all the castles gone?

There was a massive push to building Japanese castles in the late 1500s and early 1600s. I joke that they sent out carrier pigeons because the timing is creepily similar for the spread of land with no mass communication like today. You may have noticed while researching a trip in Japan that Japan is basically the size of the eastern seaboard of America.

There are estimated thousands of castles across Japan at that point. However, once the Tokugawa took over, there was a “一國一城令” or “one country, one castle order”. Lots of the 300 or so daimyo lords across Japan had to consolidate into one castle and the rest destroyed.

During the Meiji Period, there was a force in the works to get rid of all the castles as part of the Meiji restoration, otherwise, we’d have a lot more original Japanese Castles to visit. 

廢城令, or terminate the castle’s decree. Seen as symbols of the old regime, most were dismantled.  Some left just to degrade into disrepair.  Many other original Japanese castles then succumbed to earthquakes or fires or wars.  What we have left today is a testimony to those that stood up for keeping the heritage.  Mostly local movements.

12 Original Japanese Castles to visit and their keeps

Here are the 12 original Japanese castles in alphabetical order, as to not cause contention. If you’ve followed my travels for a while, you know which I think are the best original Japanese castles. Click through to their individual posts for more information on each!

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle (備中松山城）

Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle (備中松山城) to not confuse it with the other Matsuyama castle in the list of original Japanese castles, this one is in Okayama Prefecture.  It is the only one on top of a true mountain and the highest for that reason. Which makes the name even funnier as it’s a ***** to get to.

There’s no easy way to get to the top, even if you get dropped by a taxi you’ll still have a section of the mountain to hike up but it is beautiful when you do. If you are lucky you’ll be above the clouds!

Hikone Castle (彦根城)

One of the national treasures, Hikone Castle (彦根城) is on the smaller side with only a three-tier donjon, however, I’d put it as my second favorite. Located in Shiga Prefecture. It has this beautiful garden and some unique features – like the fact it was made completely out of another near by castle. Talk about recycling!

It was on the docket to have been dismantled as part of the Meiji Restoration but was saved.

Himeji Castle (姫路城)

Considered the largest of the originals, and really, there shouldn’t be contention.  Himeji Castle (姫路城) consists of some 83 buildings and the main keep is a giant 5 stories. Located in Himeji City in Hyogo Prefecture. She’s also one of the National Treasures.

You’ll need a fair amount of time to explore it all, while I’m probably the weirdo that doesn’t place this as number 1 it is still absolutely breathtaking and in my top 3. Luckily, getting to Himeji is super easy as it has its own shinkansen station

Hirosaki Castle (弘前城)

The farthest north of the original 12 Japanese castles to visit in Aomori Prefecture is Hirosaki Castle. It was originally called Takaoka Castle (there’s another one of those in the continuing list of 100 famous Japanese castles) with an original keep that was 5 stories tall that was burned in a fire.

Another of the Tokugawa’s rules was about the size of the keeps so when it was rebuilt, they were only allowed to rebuild a 3 story one.   Hirosaki Castle (弘前城) is currently relocated to reinforce the walls.  A feat in itself.

With Hirosaki Castle off by itself, you’ll definitely want to hit some of the local attractions as well. I love Aomori and Hirosaki is known for all things apples – fruit, pies, curry, random apple decorations, you name it!

Inuyama Castle (犬山城）

The aforementioned pretentious castle, Inuyama Castle (犬山城).  One of the national treasures and self–claimed oldest. Located in Aichi Prefecture.

Don’t miss the shopping street immediately in front of the castle entrance while you are here for some local food and omiyage (souvenir) shopping.

Kōchi Castle（高知城)

One of the newer of the 12 due to a fire that burnt her down.  Kochi Castle (高知城) was still rebuilt before the “cut off” though.  Kochi is the most southern prefecture in Shikoku. Unique to Kochi is that the palace is still remaining and one of the few instances where it was attached to the castle. In fact, ALL of the honmaru (1st bailey) is intact.

It’s honestly quite hard to rank the twelve against each other but this is one of my favorites. The town of Kochi has an interesting history of whale hunting so if that’s something you are against, be forewarned there is a display in a section of the castle for it.

Marugame Castle (丸亀城）

The smallest of the lot but Marugame Castle (丸亀城) still with character. Prepare for a steep hike up the hill to see the keep.  Many of the original walls are still there and famous for the fan shapes. Located on the island of Shikoku in Kagawa Prefecture.

The view out to the sea from the top is pretty amazing. Just are the stone walls, at 60 meters high they are the tallest in Japan.

Maruoka Castle (丸岡城)

Located in Fukui Prefecture, Maruoka Castle (丸岡城) probably has the stretchiest claim to the 12 as it was nearly flattened in an earthquake during last century.  However, they were able to jigsaw her back together with most of her same parts. She’s located in Fukui Prefecture.

Best part about that sketchy claim? She’s another one that claims to be the oldest Japanese castle. Don’t miss her neighboring Kasumigajo park garden, while new, they are still very nice and you can have a cup of green tea or some beer like I did while you enjoy the view.

Matsue Castle (松江城)

The 2nd largest (Matsumoto might fight her on that one), 3rd tallest, and 5th oldest, Matsue Castle (松江城) is also the farthest west on mainland Japan in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture.

Matsue and neighboring Tottori have so much to see (don’t miss the sand dunes, sand dune museum, and another of the 100 famous castles, Tottori Castle).

Matsumoto Castle (松本城)

One of the five National Treasures. Matsumoto Castle (松本城) is also one of the contenders for the oldest. Oh, you know how Inuyama only shows the 5 national treasures on display and ignore the other 7? Yeah, Matsumoto doesn’t give a !@#$ about the other 11. Winner of most pretentious! 🙂

Matsumoto Castle from the outside looks like 5 stories but on the inside it is actually 6. It also has the feature that it is multiple towers smushed next to each other. Nicknamed the “Crow castle” for its black exterior, its large moat makes for some spectacular photos.

Another town that you’ll want to spend some time walking around the city in. Lots of older buildings and some great beer to check out as well.

Matsuyama Castle (松山城）

I know I said I wouldn’t mention my favorite, but this is it! Matsuyama Castle (松山城) takes the cake of any of them. Even Himeji which is probably the most widely known. Located on Shikoku in Ehime prefecture.

Fun fact: Ehime is the only Prefecture with more than one of the 12 original Japanese castles to visit.

Uwajima Castle (宇和島城)

Uwajima Castle (宇和島城) is definitely a baby castle but worth the visit as it finishes out the 12! Located in Ehime Prefecture as well, but still, a bit of a ride from Matsuyama, especially if it is like when I went and hue amounts of rain had taken out part of the train tracks.

Stamp Rally

Don’t forget to get your guidebook to add these to your stamp rally for the 100 Finest Castles of Japan!  The designation set by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006 and further in 2017.

12 Original Japanese Castles Map

As you can see by the below map, you aren’t going to be hitting these all in one day! Frankly, I love how much they are spread out because it gives you the opportunity to see so much more of this beautiful country.

Original Japanese Castles Hiking Courses

It is super easy to get exercise in Japan with all the walking around you can do. Having such a great public transportation system (between the buses, trains, and shinkansen) helps that. But also the general “culture” of Japan. Case in point – hiking courses (we’d call them trails but it’s courses in Japan). Most all Japanese castles to visit have courses mapped out for you already. Or you can make your own with your fitness device, I love my Garmin Fenix 6s.

Not that you necessarily need an extra route to hike when some of these castles are massive! But if you are staying in a particular city for a few days, I’d suggest giving it a go, there are always beautiful views and random artifacts hidden around.

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Matsuyama Castle (松山城, Matsuyamajyou) is officially my favorite Japanese Castle. One of the original twelve Edo period castles remaining, first constructed in the 1600s. It is located on Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four islands in Ehime prefecture.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

What does it mean to be an “original 12” Edo Period Castle?

There are 12 castles in Japan that are considered “original castles”. While there are bits and pieces of many of the estimated thousands of castles in Japan, and lots of reconstruction, the originals “made it out alive” so to speak. When the Meiji Restoration took hold in the 1860s, the castles were ordered to be dismantled. Want to unite a country under one central government? Take out all of the seats of power of the old system. Only the 12 were allowed to remain.

The castle keep while construction started early in the 1600s like most of the other castles, was completed in 1635 (my thoughts on why that was in a bit). It was struck by lightning in the late 1700s burning it to the ground, as wood structures are ought to do. The main keep was then rebuilt and finished in 1854. Just in the knick of time to have it all threatened to be torn down again!

Other Matsuyama Castles

When searching for details (though I hope I give you a good overview here!), make sure to look up the correct Matsuyama Castle. There are several others.

Next to the rather unique Yoshimi Hundred Caves in Saitama Prefecture s the castle remains of a different Matsuyama Castle. It holds the title of a historic site and is actually the location of several differently named castles over the years. What remains is just earthworks but it’s a fun little hike.

Another of the 12 original (現存12天守) is Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle in Okayama Prefecture has “Bitchu” on the front to distinguish it from Matsuyama Castle in Ehime. Bitchu is the city name, it also holds the title of highest of the 12 original castles.

Then two others I haven’t been to yet, Uda Matsuyama Castle in Nara Prefecture is only ruins remaining but part of the continuing 100 castle stamp quest. Another is in Gunma Prefecture.

Why so many castles with the same name? 松山 = Pine Mountain.

Matsuyama Castle: A castle on a hill

The honmaru (literally, “first circle” and corresponds to defense rings, normally translated as bailey) main keep of the castle sits on a 132-meter hill. With the maze of paths to get to the top, I’d have died 50 times over if I tried to get in. Multitudes of gates, giant reinforced walls, all sorts of ways to keep people out.

I wish I had gotten video of me “scaling” the castle as I’m sure it was a sight to see. You can truly feel like you are back in the 1600s with a samurai hiding around any corner while you are walking here. Matsuyama Castle matches Hikone Castle in that it has 登り石垣 or climbing stone walls, a style that is thought to have been learned from the Koreans (if you’ve been to Seoul, you’ve seen something similar).

Once you reach the top, there are amazing panoramas of the surrounding city and a great view of the Seto Inland Sea. But wait until you get to the main castle keep, it’s awe-inspiring. You really get a feel for what a castle is supposed to be in its full glory. Its style is unique to most other castles in which it has a sort of courtyard in the middle. Better to shoot the enemy at if they somehow managed to make it all the way here.

Speaking of, the castle keep was only really used in a siege scenario, the lord would have spent most of their time at the palace below.

Important Cultural Property

Matsuyama Castle obtained Important Cultural Property status in 1935. There are only five of the “original” castles that have “National Treasure” status but many with Important Cultural Property including some rebuilds, like Nagoya Castle and its palace (which unlike Kawagoe’s, has had extensive work done to it). Though honestly, it is interesting to me that Matsuyama is NOT a National Treasure, but I’m biased.

The main tower (tenshu) is what makes it “one of the 12” original castles. but it’s not the only important cultural property. There are 21 buildings in total that are important cultural properties at Matsuyama Castle.

1. 天守, tenshu, main tower
2. 三ノ門南櫓, Sannomon South Tower
3. 二ノ門南櫓, Ninomon South Tower
4. 一ノ門南櫓, Ichinomon South Tower
5. 乾櫓, Inui Tower
6. 野原櫓, Nohara Tower
7. 仕切門, Partition Gate
8. 三ノ門, Sannomon
9. 二ノ門, Ninomon
10. 一ノ門, Ichinomon
11. 紫竹門, Shichiku (Bamboo) mon
12. 隠門, Kakure (Hidden) Gate
13. 隠門続櫓, Kakure (Hidden) Gate Turret
14. 戸無門, Tonashi (Doorless) Gate
15. 仕切門内塀, Partition Gate Inner Wall
16. 三ノ門東塀, Sannomon East Wall
17. 筋鉄門東塀, Tetsumon East Wall
18. 二ノ門東塀, Ninomon East Wall
19. 一ノ門東塀, Ichinomon East Wall
20. 紫竹門東塀, Shichikumon East Wall
21. 紫竹門西塀, Shichikumon West Wall

Matsuyama Castle construction

You may have noticed in the pictures a rather flat area at the top of the hill (yes, it’s a “mountain” but not a very big one). Actually, that 132-meter hill used to be TWO hills at the top, but they filled in the gap between them, talk about a lot of work and why I think it took so long to make, though I haven’t seen anything that actually says that.

One question I had when I saw that little factoid, was where did all the stone come from? Can you imagine the amount of work that took? There was a note on the visitor brochure that women carried pebbles on baskets on their heads from Masaki to Matsuyama. That’s over SIX miles! Most of the larger stone came from an earlier castle’s foundation. Victors prize and a lot easier than moving large distances.

The inside of the castle has some museum aspects to it, like a neat display on the joiner work for all of the wood to make it stronger, but the main sight is to see this castle in its glory.

Ninomaru Historical Garden

Not to be missed is this Japanese Garden in the Ninomaru, or second circle/ bailey. Where once stood a giant palace, now the foundation outlines a garden. The flowers are changing throughout the year to give you another reason to keep coming back as if you will need one after seeing this place.

If you needed another thing to check off your list, there is a “Lover’s Sanctuary” spot here like the one in Ryusendo Caves. There are over 100 around the country to find!

Is there a moat at Matsuyama Castle?

The flat land park that you will pass on your way from the train station known as Horinouchi is surrounded by a moat to this day. It makes for some nice pictures looking at the mountain fortress.

Why is Matsuyama Castle my favorite Japanese castle?

Matsuyama Castles has a certain character to it that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Generally speaking, the keeps are all multi-floor structures (that don’t always match their exterior tiers), but Matsuyama has wings which are fairly uncommon in Japanese keeps. Next to Himeji Castle, it has the most complete representation of probably any in Japan which gives you a better feel for what it was actually like. And yes, Himeji is AMAZING, but Matsuyama just has a certain character about it.

It’s also one of the 100 finest castles of Japan so don’t forget your stamp!

Getting to Matsuyama Castle

If you aren’t keen on hiking the 132-meter hill (though if you are, there are several hiking courses to get your steps in, which I love tracking with my Garmin Fenix 6S), you can take a ropeway to the top. Similar to a ramen shop, you’ll get your tickets from a machine. If you have luggage with you, they have coin lockers for you to use.

Think of the ropeway as a gondola like you take getting to the black eggs at Owakudani in Hakone. Want something a little more “open-aired”? They also have a ski lift version that runs next to the ropeway with single seats.

In the station building, there is a display dedicated to the castle mascot. Japan loves their mascots and you could make a game of finding as many as you can. Matsuyama Castle’s is appropriately a samurai.

You’ll still have a bit of a walk to the castle keep from the ropeway landing. If you take the ropeway up, I suggest you take the hike back down the mountain. It’s worth it to see all the back and forth of the many defenses at this castle’s disposal. It’s also how you can get to Ninomaru Historical Gardens.

It’s about a mile from the main train station in Matsuyama to get to the castle or you can take a trolley. My suggestion would be to either go trolley (unless you need some more steps!) – ropeway – main keep – ninomaru gardens and walk back or that in reverse.

As someone who never a day in her life in America rode a bus, they can be intimidating. Sure, I used the subway or metro in bigger cities, but let’s face it, America’s public transportation sucks. Generally speaking, if you are using buses in Japan, you aren’t going somewhere easy (otherwise you’d be on a train, but we’ll also touch on highway buses!).  If it’s a mile away, I’ll walk, but start getting farther out, you really do need a bus. Throw in a very complicated written language, like Japanese, it’s even scarier. So here are 5 tips for using the bus that I hope helps you on your way!

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

5 tips for using buses in Japan

The key to remember is the more practice you have, the more comfortable you will become with using buses in Japan. While kanji can make it a bit more intimidating than other places, more and more buses in Japan are becoming more foreign-friendly with English (and normally Chinese) being used for the signs.

1) How to save money on buses in Japan

Remember when I talked about Pasmo and Suica pre-pay cards?  As long as you aren’t in the boonies, this is the easiest way to go.  You are receiving a small discount by using them, however, if you are somewhere that doesn’t do cards and you’re near the bus depot, pay for the roundtrip (if you are only going one place), you’ll save a few dollars depending on how far you’re going!  

When we took the 45–minute bus ride to Takayama Inari Shrine it was 900 yen one way.  Or 1500 yen round trip.  Something to check, because if you are going round trip anyway, you may as well save a bit!

In cities, often time there is flat rates or bus passes you can get.  Check at the bus station or tourist information center (my must when traveling in Japan) when you get there. A great way to get around Hirosaki and many other cities are the tourist “loop buses”.

2) How to navigate WHICH buses in Japan to use

This is the hard part.  Sometimes there is a whole army of buses at the depot heading off in different directions.  The best starting point is to look up where you are going.  If they have a website, they usually have an “access” page.  If they require a bus to get to them, you’ll be able to check which stop you are looking for, and hopefully, what bus line. 

As, like trains, there are multiple different options.  As far as knowing which stop it is, they are all actually named, and even farther out, they’ll have the name in English characters.  If you are worried about signaling to stop though (there are usually red buttons to press), it is helpful to know what the Kanji looks like as it will appear first.

Next, it’s just a matter to figure out what “platform” or bus name to look for.  Anywhere I’ve been that requires buses in Japan, I make sure to explain that in detail as I know I get stressed out by it so I want to make it as easy as possible for you! Getting to Ryusendo Caves coming to mind.

Lastly, where to get off the bus.  If there was a bus terminal, they should be able to provide you with a time schedule.  Though on roads, they are surprisingly close to the time expected. Yes, even the buses in Japan are punctual! If you have a phone with data (it would be nice if all transportation had WiFi!), you can also google map it to give you a better idea.

3) Reading bus schedules in Japan

There are apps for bus routes but best I’ve been able to find, they are all in Japanese.  Google-san (as it’s called in Japan) is your friend and is doing a better job with including bus routes as a direction option.

For routes, remember that they can differ between 休日 (kyuujitsu, “holidays”) and 平日 (heijitsu, weekdays). 休日 you will normally see listed as “休日 (土　日　祝日)” which means “Holiday (Saturday – Sunday – National Holiday)”. In this case, 土曜, Saturday, is shortened to 土, as 曜 (day) is understood.

If time tables between week days and week ends are different, you will see one of these characters at the top of the column. They normally change the color of the column as well to make it stand out.

This next graphic is a simplistic schedule. If weekday also included a 14:44 bus, for instance, there would be a “44” in the next column from the “24”. Note that not all areas will have English like this one, so it is helpful to learn the kanji or have screenshots of what you are looking for.

4) Getting on and off buses in Japan

Generally, you’ll get on from the back door of the bus but that’s not always the case. One hint, if both doors open, use the rear one.  Some queue lines are very exact and will give you an idea as well because the door will open right at the front of the line.  It’s Japan, we queue for everything.

If you are using a PASMO or other IC card (if that’s an option where you are), you’ll see a PASMO sensor to tap, just tap on and off the bus.  If you are somewhere that needs a ticket or to pay by cash, there will be a number dispenser.  This will be used to verify where you got on (though no one will actually check it). You will see a white piece of paper out of a machine, just grab one as you are getting onboard.

In this picture above, immediately next to the driver is where you pay.  Left of that is the dispenser for what stop you got on. They are in number order but don’t really refer to anything besides that. And in the overhead is the display board.

There will be a screen at the top of the buses in Japan, the price will change as you continue on the way.  Watch what it is for your number and you will drop your number and the exact amount of money in the machine when you step off the bus at your destination.  The machine in which you put your money also has the ability to change bills as necessary generally.  However, it’s a good idea to carry lots of change if you are somewhere that requires riding buses in Japan.

5) Getting back – not missing your bus

Assuming you are returning from where you departed the bus, it’s a good idea to double check the time table.  Even if you got one from the bus terminal.  I generally like to get back 5-10 minutes before the bus is expected in areas where they don’t run often.  They are punctual, but you never know if you might be the one running late!  If you’re getting on at a different location, definitely give yourself some time to locate the bus stop to save yourself some stress.

In this example, there are three bus routes that stop at this stand.  The hours are listed down the left-hand column and the minutes (in the corresponding hour) are listed in the columns per bus.

How to use Highway Buses in Japan

(At updating this article, the highway buses in Japan are currently suspended due to COVID-19 but hopefully, we can use them again soon!)

Highway buses (高速バス, kousoku bus) are often cheaper than taking the train (especially if you’d be taking the shinkansen) to your destination. They are good for medium and long distances. Many longer routes will run overnight, getting you to your destination first thing in the morning. Which works really well for getting to ski resorts, which is the instance I’ve used highway buses in Japan the most. They are also a good option if you tend to get train sick.

For long distance travel for the budget minded traveler in Japan, the overnight options can be great for you as you don’t have to worry about finding lodging – you just sleep on the bus.

You can use Kousoku Bus Net to search for highway bus routes in Japan. You can also save some money by getting one of the highway bus passes.

One of the nice things about highway buses in Japan is that there is room underneath for your luggage, but usually, you are limited to a few items. If there aren’t restrooms onboard, the bus driver will make stops along the way at the highway stations (more on those later).

To purchase your tickets, head to the bus station (normally co-located with train stations, but can have separate hubs like in Iwakuni). You can also purchase them from kiosks in convenience stores.

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Personally, I still don’t like buses.  I much prefer trains and walking (got to rank up my steps with my Garmin Fenix 6S after all!).  However, it’s a necessary evil sometimes. Hopefully, this helps put your mind at ease a bit while traveling around Japan.  There’s also this thing called highway buses in Japan, which I would liken to greyhound buses in the states, that will be a different topic.

What’s your experience with buses around the world?

Have a Japan rail pass and like castles? Or even better yet, just riding the trains? Have an excuse to go from Honshu through the tunnel to the southernmost main island, Kyushu, and visit Kokura Castle in Kitakyushu.

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

Kitakyushu (北九州)

The city of Kitakyushu, which literally means “North Kyushu”, is a fairly recent creation. In the 1960’s, the government combined five municipalities, including the ancient Kokura – what drew me to the area in the first place for Kokura Castle, to create Kitakyushu.

What resulted in nearly a million residents makes it the second-largest city in Kyushu, after it’s prefecture Fukuoka’s capital being first on the southern main island. Kitakyushu is broken up into 区 (ku, wards) similar to Tokyo (thought these are “special” ones, the address system in Japan is interesting).

There is a lot to see in Kitakyushu!

Continuing 100 Famous Castles of Japan

While not one of the original 100 finest, Kokura Castle in Kitakyushu, Japan is included in the second round of the Japan Castle Foundation (日本城郭協会, Nihon Jōkaku Kyōkai) finest castles. What’s that mean for you? You need to have your castle stamp book with you!

Don’t get thrown off though, the castle stamp is at the “Shiro Terrace” (しろテレス）, not the castle keep. This white building is on the castle grounds and serves as a tourism information spot, rest stop, and souvenir (or omiyage shop).

Or if you are like me, I tend to carry around a blank piece of paper and transfer it later. While that technically won’t let me get my “certification”, of getting all of them done, the reason being is that I always have one of my Nikon camera’s (I have 5, my go-to lately has been my D3400 because I like that it’s compact and lightweight) and my Samsung Galaxy 2-in-1 laptop on me. Adding a book starts getting heavy! It also gives me an excuse to go another time, I always learn something new, even if I’ve already been.

Different types of castle stamps

In addition to the 100 famous castles and continuing 100 famous castle stamps, there are also seal stamps similar to what you would get at shrines or temples. At shrines, they are called 御朱印 (Goshuin). The 御 or “Go” (in this case, it can also be pronounced “O” depending on if it’s an on-yomi or kun-yomi reading – Kanji is fascinating) is an honorific precursor. The second character is a word for red and the last means stamp. More on goshuin another time, but please note they are their own thing! I.e. Don’t put non-shrine stamps in your goshuin book.

At castles, you’ll look for something sometimes referred to as 御城印 (gojyouin) or “honorable castle stamp”. Which basically replaces “red” for “castle” but they do have different names depending on where you go. At Kokura Castle there are multiple options for you to purchase, which then you could put in a book similar to a shrine book (see above caution though!). You’ll have even more collecting to do with these ones as there are over 500 castles with 御城印 (gojyouin).

Kokura Castle (小倉城) History

With Kitakyushu’s proximity to the Kanmon strait between Honshu and Kyushu Islands, this area has always been a heavy defense region. While it’s gone by many names over the years, Kokura Castle (小倉城, Kokura-jyou) was originally built in 1602.

I joke that there must have been carrier pigeons that told all the warlords to start building castles at the same time because the timing always baffles me. You’d think that there were social media and “keeping up with the Jones” running rampant.

The main keep and a good chunk of the castle were lost to fire in 1837. The castle itself was fixed by 1839 but they left the keep off for some reason. Maybe to their benefit because in 1866 there was a battle here and they lost the whole castle again.

To top that off, the feudal domains were all abolished in 1871 with the creation of the prefectures. The main keep was brought back in an effort after WWII from the Japanese people to rebuild it. However, they apparently were worried it needed some more pazazz to get tourism going so the design isn’t what it originally looked like with the gables being new.

Special features of Kokura Castle

The style of this construction is called “karazukuri”, unique in that it has no eaves between the 4th and 5th floors of the keep. Whereas most Japanese castles look something like a wedding cake, this one actually has the 5th floor larger than the 4th. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the biggest top floors I’ve ever seen. Not surprisingly, as it is ranked 6th tallest out of all castles in Japan (Osaka Castle is first).

Also interesting to note, if you get the pleasure to visit, is the stone wall for the castle is all-natural, no hand-hewn stones like you’ll see on some others. This is called 野面積み (nozurazumi). Makes you wonder if that was on part of sympathy for the workers, “hey, you just have to stack them this time! No carving!”. Putting together these massive structures 400 years ago, even as an engineer, always impresses me.

Curious about castle wall building? NHK has a great program on-demand called “Samurai Wall” about the 15th-generation (!!) Japanese stonemason Suminori Awata using this style of construction for the Rolex building in Dallas, Texas. It’s part of my ever-growing list of documentaries and shows about Japan and fascinating to watch the tradition being brought to America.

Inside Kokura Castle

I personally have great disdain for concrete reconstructions of castles, and much prefer when the time was taken to “do it up right”, like Kakegawa Castle. However, there are a wide range of interiors for the concrete castles, and this one I like. On the bottom floor, you’ll find a small theater which goes over the history of the castle in about 10 minutes.

Also on the first floor is an area to dress in feudal clothing and take pictures!

The 2nd through 4th floor act as a museum telling you about the fuedal lord and area battles. The 4th floor is a rotating exhibit so don’t feel like there is reason not to go in the castle for a second visit!

The 5th floor is a beautiful observation deck of the surrounding city of Kitakyushu.

One plus of reconstruction like this though? Thanks to renovations completed in 2019 for its 60th anniversary, Kokura Castle in Kitakyushu is now more accessible to everyone as there is an elevator to utilize.

How to get to Kokura Castle

If you are primarily visiting the main island of Japan, Honshu, it’s actually not a stretch to reach the city of Kitakyushu, the very tip of Kyushu Island to visit Kokura Castle and the surrounding attractions. From Iwakuni, it is a 70-minute Shinkansen ride to Kitakyushu but only because it’s a “local”-shinkansen from that station (see this post for more on trains). From Hiroshima, it’s an easy 45-50 minute ride.

If you are coming from the Kyushu side, from Hakata (Kyushu’s biggest and busiest train hub) it’s a 15-minute ride on the shinkansen to get to Kitakyushu. The JR Rail Pass is great but don’t forget there are other options besides the full country version, smaller region = cheaper pass.

You’ll want to get off at the JR Kokura station, Kitakyushu’s central station. From there, the signage is very good to Kokura Castle. Some overhead but also look at your feet through the arcade (or Japanese shopping street as they are also known).

If you end up there on a rainy day, there is a path through what has to be one of the largest arcades in Japan that will get you nearly to the castle rain-free. (However, it’s always a good idea to carry an umbrella!) Stop in the Information Booth at the station for a map of Kitakyushu.

One of my top pro-tips – always stop by the tourism centers even if you have a plan while traveling in Japan.

Price to get in

Like most tourist locations in Japan, it pays to look out for grouped discounts, and that’s no different in Kitakyushu! A common ticket for the Kokura Castle, Kokura Castle Garden, and the Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum will run you about 700 yen. If you were to get those separately, that’s about the same cost as just the castle and gardens meaning you basically get the museum for free!

However, if you don’t want to go to the museum, I suppose it doesn’t matter, but it also helps if you changed your mind!

Other things to do in the area

1. Kokura Castle Garden

Kokura Castle Garden houses the reconstruction (If you are looking for an “original”, check out Kawagoe Honmaru) of the former residence of the daimyo (lord of the castle) exactly where it once was. Well. after the Hosokawa clan went through the effort of building Kokura Castle and then the Ogasawara clan took over as lord, that is. It’s a beautiful wooden mansion done in the Shoin-zukuri (書院造) style from the Edo period. Which fun fact, is the basis of design for Japanese houses still. It is called a 下屋敷 (shitayashiki) and serves as the castle annex or “second home”.

Kokura Castle Garden also includes a re-creation (I feel like I had to check that spelling too many times! All of my Japanese studies messes with my English sometimes!) of a traditional Japanese garden.

There is also an option for a tea ceremony at Kokura Castle Garden of matcha tea with wagashi, a Japanese confectionary that if you’ve never had one, is a perfect accompaniment.

If tea ceremonies intimidate you due to having to sit “seiza” (正座, is kneeling/sitting with the tops of your feet straight on the floor and takes some getting used to), you’re in luck! At Kokura Castle Carden Tea House, the tea is served while you are 立礼席 (ritsureiseki). Ritsurei by itself means a “standing bow”, so here you are sitting at a short table and chairs versus a typical tatami mat setting.

It is also possible depending on when you are there to see the actual tea making part or you can just enjoy tea and your sweet.

In the other side of the mansion from the tea house is a small museum about the Ogasawara Family highlighting their love of martial arts and etiquette.

2. Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum

On the Kokura Castle grounds, you will also find the Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum (松本清張記念館, Matsumoto Seichō Kinenkan). It feels slightly random but it’s common to put museums and/or government buildings on castle grounds. The Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum, if you couldn’t guess from the name, is dedicated to the life and work of Matsumoto Seicho. While perhaps not known to all foreigners, Matsumoto Seicho was the winner of the Akutagawa Literary Prize and known as one of the best detective authors in Japan.

Some of his more famous works that have been translated into English include “Inspector Imanishi Investigates” and “Points and Lines” but he wrote something like 1000 stories over his career. The museum is located here as he spent the first half of his life in Kokura and Kitakyushu.

The museum boasts giving wide insight into his works and even has moved his office from his home in Tokyo to see but honestly, though I had the pass to get in basically for free, I spend so much time in the castle and gardens that I didn’t have time to go so if you do, let me know what you think! It’s still on my list for next time.

3. Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社)

Immediately next to Kokura Castle on the other side of the moat, you will find Yasaka shrine (八坂神社). It is a branch of Yasaka Shrine located in the Gion district of Kyoto. If you are searching for it, make sure the address is Kitakyushu! As such, it was originally named 祇園社 (Gion shrine) like its namesake in Kyoto.

The name was eventually changed but the name of its 例大祭 (reiteisai, literally the “regular big festival”) did not. The Kokura 祇園祭 (Gion Festival) has been taking place since the 1600s. It’s the third weekend in July every year and while the Gion Festival in Kyoto takes place around the same time, the one at Kokura Castle is also well known.

The stone lanterns and shrine gate are designated as Prefectural Cultural Properties. It’s interesting that there is such a wide range of intellectual property designations!

4. Local Shopping Streets

On the way to Kokura Castle, there are three local shopping streets in Kitakyushu for you to explore: Kyomachi Gintengai (京町銀天街), Uomachi Gintengai (魚町銀天街) and Tanga Ichiba 旦過市場. They all sort of run into each other but you’ll see reference to the name changes if you look. They’ve been shopping areas for centuries and made up part of the path from the castle to the port…

The Gintengai part on the two first means, literally, “silver ceiling town” and harkens to the arcade’s above that cover the walkways. The aforementioned nice covered pathway to get you where you need to go in the rain! When Uomachi’s (literally fish town, which is what they sold in the olden days) arcade was completed in 1951 it was the first in Japan to span a street.

While Kyomachi Gintengai and Uomachi Gintengai have a lot of various shops, Tanga Ichiba is to this day known as “Kitakyushu’s kitchen” with lots of food specialty stores. You’ll find lots of restaurants and izakayas (Japanese bars) spread throughout.

5. Kokura Sign at Kokura Illumination

When there is a sign, of course, you get your picture with it! Pop-out from under the shopping arcades and use Ogaibashi (鴎外橋, named after another famous author) to cross over to Kokura castle during the Kokura Illumination (小倉イルミネーション) and you’ll find this sign along with some of the illumination pathway lights. I’d think it is probably up year-round but don’t quote me on that.

There are winter illuminations all over Japan to explore! Not only that but Kitakyushu is known for some of the best nighttime views in Japan. A non-profit called “New Three Major Night Views of Japan and the 100 Night Views of Japan Club (新日本三大夜景・夜景100選事務局)” decided on “the New Three Major Night Views of Japan (新日本三大夜景)” (new because there already was a list of three) and Kitakyushu from the surrounding mountains is one of them.

6. Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel

Part of the reason I made the trek over to Kokura Castle, minus the fact that it’s one of the 200 famous castles of Japan, is to take the shinkansen through the undersea tunnel that leads from Honshu to Kitakyushu. Or I suppose it’s the under-strait tunnel, since it’s the Kanmon Strait (関門海峡, Kanmon-kaikyō) it goes through.

Ah! But while writing this post I found there is a pedestrian undersea tunnel?! It’s 780 meters long and runs in line with the car tunnel above it. At the middle you’ll find signs to show you the split between Fukuoka and Yamaguchi prefectures.

It’s on my list. Would you walk it? It ranges from 55 to 60 meters below the surface!

7. Kitakyushu Manga Museum (北九州市漫画ミュージアム)

Many of my friends, as well as myself back in elementary school, first became interested in Japanese culture from watching anime or reading manga. While I tend to watch lots of Crunchyroll and not read as much manga, I still pick up manga from the local stores frequently.

The Kitakyushu Manga Museum is near the Kokura train station and highlights local artists. There’s also a manga reading corner which reminds me of manga cafes – which you should check out just for the experience.

Oh, and look out while you’re walking around Kitakyushu, there are a few character statues hanging around.

Kitakyushu’s local food specialties

This post is just touching on the tip of the iceberg, there’s plenty more in the area to spike your interest. A quick note on food – Kitakyushu’s local specialties include Yaki-udon and Yaki-curry, as well as many local fish cuisines like nukamiso-daki, which is miso on fish that’s been stewed in soy and mirin. Oh, and there are about 100 cows annually that pass the stringent requirements to be called Kokura Beef if you are looking for some wagyu.

Todaiji (東大寺), which literally means “eastern great temple”, was first constructed in 752 and is a waif of what it used to be. It has some crazy history behind it.  At one point it so powerful that it single-handedly moved the capital of Japan away from Nara. 

Check this one off your UNESCO World Heritage Site list while you’re visiting the deer in Nara.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Japan’s Largest Temple Gate

This whole post is going to be about a lot of “largest” or as I like to say, a competition of status (there’s a lot of that in Japan).  Walking through Nara Park from the station, you’ll enter the Todaiji complex through its “Great South Gate” which is the largest temple entrance in Japan.

There are 18 supports that hold the roof a staggering 25.46 meters in the air. Make sure you check out the guardians on your way through. They are referred to as 仁王 (ni-ou, two kings) and are the guardian gods of Buddhism who stand at the entrance of a Buddhist temple. These ones happen to date back to 1203 AD though!

大仏殿 Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall)

While there are many websites including Todai-ji, claiming that the main hall Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall), is the world’s largest wooden building, Guinness doesn’t back that up. The 1692 reconstruction isn’t to be missed though! (Like many things in a country where wood construction prevailed, it’s been rebuilt.)  Only two-thirds the original size (eek!) it’s a sight to be seen even if not it’s full original glory. Daibutsuden or the Big Buddha Hall at Todaiji height and depth remain the same but it originally was much wider.

That’s one big Buddha…

Speaking of skewed records, Nara’s own website claims that the Buddha housed inside is Japan’s largest Buddha statue. At just under 15 meters high, it’s big but a more proper designation would be Japan’s largest Vairocana Buddha.

In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of Śūnyatā. Sunyata means “emptiness” in Sanscrit.

What’s my beef with people calling it the largest? For one, Takaoka Daibutsu (高岡大仏) in Toyama Prefecture is 15.85 meters. Ibaraki Prefecture would also like to take that claim with Ushiku Daibutsu (牛久大仏). At a whopping 120 meters, I’d say it takes the cake.

Original Plans of Todaiji

The original complex also contained two giant pagodas, which would have been some of the tallest, if not THE tallest structures of the time. They burned along with the rest of the complex and were never rebuilt but you can see a model inside the great hall that includes them. 

Gaining Enlightenment from Buddha’s nostril

At the base of one of the wooden pillars, there is a square cut out referred to as the Buddha’s nostril.  At first, I didn’t think anything of it, “oh, wonder why there’s an opening in that one”.  Until the tourists in front of me got down on all fours and started crawling through it! 

This opening is called the Buddha’s nostril due to its size comparison with the bronze statue.  For whatever reason, it is said that if you can pass through, that you will gain enlightenment in the next life.  Enlightenment just handed to you? OK, I’ll jump, or crawl as it may be.

Todaiji vs. Todaiji Temple

By the way, the “ji” in Todaiji is the word for “temple” so no need to call it “Todaiji Temple”. You’d just be doubling your words.

Access to Todaiji

Entrance to the Great Buddha Hall is available every day of the year, just be sure to check the times as they shift slightly due to the seasons.  The cost is 500円 for adults and 300 円 for children.

Definitely add Todaiji Temple to your list of things to do in Japan.

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15 minutes on the Shinkansen or 50 minutes on the JR Sanyo line from Hiroshima and you will find yourself in the city of Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Great for a day trip after you’ve explored Miyajima and Hiroshima, especially if you have a thing for Japanese castles.

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

Getting to Iwakuni

If you are making max dollar value use of a JR Rail Pass (and/or just going for the time savings), you’ll want to take the JR Sanyo Shinkansen Line to Shin-Iwakuni Station (新岩国駅). Make sure if you are looking at Hyperdia (my train schedule app of choice, for that and lots of other info about trains, check here) you put “SHIN”-Iwakuni, otherwise you’ll 1) not be on the shinkansen and 2) not be close to the sights! This is the best option if you are coming from further out than Hiroshima.

To get to the sights, you’ll want to get on a local bus heading towards Kintaikyo Bus Terminal. The buses are right outside the shinkansen station. Or if you want a bit of hike/walk, it’s about 5 km. If you are making this a day trip, even though I walk super fast, I suggest the bus. There is a ton to see!

Your other option from Hiroshima is to take the (nearly 5 times!) slower local JR Sanyo line to JR Iwakuni Station (no precursor this time) which hugs the water a bit more. At JR Iwakuni, switch trains to the JR Gantoku Line and get off at JR Nishi-Iwakuni. It’s slower but costs 1/4 the price, so it will depend if you have the JR rail pass at your disposal or care about the difference – time is money after all. From there you can walk just over a mile or take the bus to Kintaikyo Bus Terminal, in this case, they are about the same time-wise.

Honke Matsugane Visitor Center

If you’ve been following along, you know that one of my first stops while traveling in Japan is the local visitor center. You can see what events are happening and get an idea of anything you might have missed when researching ahead of time.

However, this visitor center isn’t just for pamphlets. Honke Matsugane was originally a shop from the mid-1800s for hair oils used to harden the top knot of samurai. They refurbished it so you can get a feel for the times, there are some other older buildings close by to admire as well!

Inside you’ll also find some information about the local history and there are cultural events as well as the ability to try some local food and sake (for a fee). It’s on the same side of the river as the bus terminal so you’ll want to start here.

Public restrooms are honestly really easy to find in Japan and aren’t charged normally (unless you are climbing Mount Fuji) but if you need one, there is one here!

Kintaikyo (錦帯橋)

You will have seen Kintaikyo (錦帯橋) on your way to the visitor center. Time to see it up close and personal!

Kintaikyo (錦帯橋) or Kintai Bridge as it would be in English (bridge in Japanese 橋, can be pronounced “bashi” or “kyo”) is one of the most famous bridges in Japan, if not the world. As we like to have lists of top 3 (and top 100 for that matter) in Japan, Kintaikyo makes the list of 日本三名橋 (Nihon Sanmeikyo, Three Famous Bridges of Japan).

Your daily trivia from Kristen Abroad: What are the top 3 bridges of Japan? Kintaikyo (錦帯橋); Meganebashi (眼鏡橋) in Nagasaki; and the Nihonbashi (日本橋) in Tokyo. While those last two are sometimes contested, Kintaikyo is always on the “list”. Perhaps that contention is why there are also top 3 lists for the three oldest bridges and 3 strangest (which Kintaikyo is also on)! There are also three top sacred bridges…I’m going to stop researching…

What we now know as Kintaikyo (it’s had several names over the years) is the result of trial and error. The third lord (more on him in a bit) was tired of the bridge being washed away due to its wooden posts, and let’s face it, a lot of water coming through from the mountains. When Kintaikyo was built in 1673 with stone, it was cutting-edge technology and prized as “the bridge that would never be washed away”.

Which is ironic, as it did during a flood the following year. But with some tweaks to the construction, they got it right and there it stood for nearly 300 years when a monster typhoon hit in 1950. (It didn’t help it was in slight disrepair after being neglected during WWII).

The five arched bridge you see today was rebuilt by the people of Iwakuni in 1953 and further restored in 2004. The original use was to connect the two sides of the castle town that spanned the Nishiki river in the middle. But it wasn’t necessarily a complete convenience as the people of the area had to pay 橋でまえ (hashidemae, before the bridge) tax to keep up the bridge. It’s made of wood after all, very easy to rot. Which to be fair, you are kind of paying something similar with your admission fee!

As if the top 3 designation wasn’t enough for this beauty, in 2020, it was designated as an illuminated Night View Heritage (ライトアップ夜景遺産). There are four different “types” of night view heritages with a total of 226 in the country, more on that another time. It was also in 2020 designated as one of the top 100 moon views in the country (we love our lists of 100 here in Japan!). They are actually still working on completing the entire list but Iwakuni between Kintaikyo and the castle is number 54.

I recommend getting the combo pass for the bridge, ropeway, and castle entrance fees which you can get at the entrance to the Kintai Bridge for 970 yen (about $9 USD). This will save you a bit of money.

How to get to Iwakuni Castle: Ropeway or Hike?

Since the package deal on admissions you may have bought at the bridge include the ropeway and castle, we’ll discuss this first, as to get there you have to walk through or near many of the other things to see in Iwakuni.

The amount of activities I’m presenting to you doesn’t necessarily bode well for a hike added in time-wise if you are trying to do just a day trip, but if you’d like the extra exercise, it’s completely doable. Per All Trails, there are actually two ways up. The super steep option near the ropeway or a more leisurely slope. Either way, you’ll be connecting with the trail at the top to walk to the castle.

If it’s not too cold, I love hiking in my Teva Verra Sandal. They are low profile and lightweight. And yes, I’m a weirdo that hikes in sandals! They work great for urban hiking as well. Otherwise, I stick to my Merrell Vapor Gloves. As a side note, it’s always a good idea to have an umbrella on you in Japan, just in case. Especially if it is during the rainy season. For a daypack to carry things in, I’m an Osprey girl through and through, they have plenty of sizes to go with but I usually find the 13L option to be sufficient. Especially when I’m using a “hub” location, like Okayama to keep my stuff at.

If you don’t want to hike the 200 meters up Yokoyama mountain, you can try the ropeway! And as mentioned, the package will save you on the up and back trip. The ropeway runs every 20 minutes and takes just 3 minutes to get to the top. On clear days you can see out to the islands on the Seto Inland Sea which is beautiful (I even saw them on a cloudy/rainy day), including Miyajima.

If you decide to hike, paying for the bridge and castle separately ends up being around the same price as the package of the three.

Iwakuni Castle (岩国城)

Once you’re at the top by the ropeway, it’s a fairly short walk over to Iwakuni Castle. You’ll be heading right if you were looking at the mountain from the bottom and there are two paths to get there. I suggest doing it as a loop so you can see more, like the well on the backside of the mountain from town.

One of the 100 finest castles of Japan, Iwakuni Castle was built from 1603-1608 (what did I say about them all being built around the same time?). However, it didn’t make it to 10 years old on top of its perch on Yokoyama.

Not all castles are lost in wars or burned from fires, by the way. When the Tokugawa Feudal Government was put into place in Japan they passed a “One Castle per One Province Order”. It was strictly enforced so a good chunk of the castles were removed by this going into place. The ruins remained after all this time though and in the 1950s, along with all the other castle rebuilding, Iwakuni was done up.

Funnily though, they decided to move the castle about 50 meters from its original location so that you could see it from Kintaikyo below. Makes a better postcard, I suppose. They did some reconstruction work on the original foundation so you can get a feel for it when you visit.

Some of the original walls leading to the castle were never taken down though so you can still see those. I learned from one of the signs that it seems it was the lord “sticking it” to the policy under the guise of “it will fall down otherwise” and was left for the support of the embankments which makes me laugh.

Mechanical Clock (からくり時計) and Walking loop

On top of the mountain while you are waiting for your ropeway trip back down, try and catch one of the mechanical clock performances that happen every 15 minutes or so. The dolls inside will move and it plays music that is important to Iwakuni.

While I didn’t end up going, there is a walking loop towards the other side of the mountain as well with some other views. I considered those from the castle and the ropeway landing sufficient but who knows, I might have missed out! Next time, as I always say ;).

Kikko Park (吉香公園)

I could have just as easily listed these next couple of things before the castle, as you have to walk through Kikko Park to get to the ropeway. Whichever floats your boat! I’d choose based on the current weather to ensure some good views.

The Kikko Park is at the base of the “mountain” that holds Iwakuni Castle (200 meters isn’t very high). It is the former residence of the feudal lord and after you’ve passed over the Kintai Bridge, you’ll see a statue of a stately man – because Japan loves statues. This gentleman is Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, the third lord and also the one that started the bridge construction of stone.

Kikko Park was named one of the 100 top historical parks in the country (what did I say about lists of 100?). There’s actually a lot more than 100 now but who’s counting? They were on the original list.

Cormorant (ウミウ) and Festivals

A traditional way of fishing in the Nishiki river which flows under the Kintai Bridge is to use cormorant. A very large bird that you can see at the Cormorant Facility near the base of Yokoyama in Kikko Park.

Fishermen on barges burn fires on these long poles to attract the fish and use the birds to help catch them. It’s like they are walking a dog, but it’s a bird in the water with a leash around its neck. It dives down and grabs a fish, if they get one, the fisherman pulls the bird into the boat and gets the fish out of its mouth.

As someone who used to fish, it’s quite fascinating. In the summertime evenings, you can see this method, called 鵜飼い (ukai) in action. I’ve only seen the videos, I want to see the festival! They have boats you can get a spot on to see it up close!

You can also take rides at other times of the year (and surprisingly for me who loves boat rides, I left that one for the next time I’m in Iwakuni!).

Just for good measure, Iwakuni is also one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan if you happen to be there in Spring time. The trees line the river and many are in Kikko Park.

Kagawa Family Nagayamon (香川家長屋門)

Designated a cultural asset of the prefecture (not national like others), this gate and the two surrounding tenement houses are thought to date back to 1690. The Kagawa family was the minister of Iwakuni’s Lord Kikkawa. The architecture is a typical example of what you would see in a samurai house and with views of Kikko park, it is quite lovely.

The residence is still used (!) so you can’t see inside but you can see the gate at least.

Kikkawa Family Archives (吉川家文書)

In a stately looking building (similar to the gate above), you can see a museum which has a collection of about 7,000 historical materials, arts and crafts, which have been handed down through the Kikkawa family, which has a history of 800 years.

The Kikkawa family was a samurai clan, probably most famously that one of them was a general of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese shogun that was the “great unifier” of Japan.

The documents themselves are designated as important cultural assets. If you don’t have time though, the building by itself is quite beautiful.

Former Mekada Residence (旧目加田家住宅)

When the Kikkawa’s came to Iwakuni, so did the Mekada’s. For some more history of the area, check out this middle-class samurai residence, designated as an Important National Cultural Property in 1974. It is believed to be built in the 18th century and one of the few remaining “middle class” samurai homes (there’s plenty of “upper class” ones, I suppose).

You can’t go inside it but it is free to walk around the property.

Kikko Shrine (吉根神社)

Kikko Shrine was built to enshrine the 吉川氏 (Kikkawa) family spirits. Originally built in 1728, it was moved to its current position in 1885. It was the Kikkawa family residence until the clans were abolished, after that it became government offices which is pretty common, most castle grounds have government offices on them now! Those offices were moved shortly thereafter and that’s when the shrine was moved. Oh, and when I say residence, think a palace like Kawagoe’s.

The Kinunkaku 錦雲閣 building which is a 絵馬堂 (emadou), or a place where votive picture tablets are hung, sits on the corner of the shrine and is picture-perfect with the surrounding moat waters. It was built in 1885 and is one of the Important Cultural Properties (重要文化財) at the shrine (several of the buildings have this designation).

If shrines are your thing, there are plenty of small ones in the area as well.

Local foods of Iwakuni Japan

There are tons of local ice cream shops, some with 100 different flavor choices but if you want a real taste of Iwakuni, you should try their own traditional sushi which is layers of rice and locally sourced lotus root and fish, very similar to Okayama’s local sushi delicacy. The town tourism board has this convenient walking map of all the sushi restaurants. A few are on the second floor overlooking Kintaikyo! The area is also famous for lotus root.

Looking for a street food option? Get a lotus croquettes – which if you haven’t discovered Japanese croquettes yet, they are so delicious! While the croquettes are “street food”, general etiquette in Japan has you stand and eat near where you purchased it, vice walking around and eating.

Personally, I ended up going for Japanese curry near the station at a cafe called “Cafe and Curry Alice”. They cook their blend of 30 spices for three days before serving it up. And you probably have figured by now that I love Japanese curry, whether it’s a chain like Cocoichiban or a mom-and-pop establishment.

This one was delicious, I had the 石焼き (ishiyaki) or baking that’s done with hot stones. It’s similar to the hot lava bowl usually used for bibimbap, Korea’s mixed rice with meat and veg. So I normally call it Japan’s bibimbap when I see it. Completely different than you normally see Japanese curry presented. Served in a blazing hot stone bowl, the rice on the edges gets nice and crispy. Just make sure not to burn your mouth!

Where to find Iwakuni Souvenirs or Omiyage

In Japanese culture, you purchase omiyage (お土産) as a gift or souvenir when you travel somewhere for your family and even your co-workers. They are normally local specialty products and you will see omiyage stores all over the place when you are traveling in Japan.

If you are looking for some in Iwakuni, I found the shop at the bus stop had a good selection. There is also a small restaurant there to try out some of the local foods if you didn’t already decide on somewhere else.

Heading on? See JR Nishi-Iwakuni Station

If you took the shinkansen into Iwakuni and have the time to take the slow train to your next destination, instead of riding the bus back to JR Shin-Iwakuni station, take it the other direction to JR Nishi-Iwakuni Station. Or as I mentioned in the section on how to get there, it’s an easy walk! Why? Because JR Nishi-Iwakuni is a 登録有形文化財 or Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.

If you want a big “bucket list”, go with these, there are a few thousand ;).

It reached such designation because it helps contribute to Japan’s historical esthetic. If architecture is your thing, check it out.

Other things in Iwakuni to extend your trip

Technically everything above already is a jam packed day and if you don’t get an early start, you might need more than a day anyway! However, they aren’t the only things in the area. I am always one for “leaving something for next time”, so here are a few things that are on my bucket list for Iwakuni.

And of course, if one of these fits your mood better, pick and choose what works best for you!

• Take a sake brewery tour. Murashige Sake Brewery is located close to the shinkansen station. They have Japan’s largest 杉玉 or sugidama which is the cedar balls you see outside of sake breweries. As best I can tell, it’s their goal to keep that so I’d go just for that even. There is also Sakai Sake Brewing 酒井酒造 and Asahi Shuzo 旭酒造 which makes Dassai sake, one of the leading in the world.
• Visit Iwakuni Art Museum (now called Kashiwahara Museum) located immediately next to the ropeway. I had originally planned on going but then had lofty goals of hitting Kokura Castle at the north end of Kyushu (not in the original plan but I free flow most of the time anyway) and so it didn’t actually fit into my trip. Its collection of thousands of artifacts and art contains a National Treasure Katana and tons of samurai weapons and armor to keep you busy.
• Enjoy the views of Iwakuni while relaxing in an onsen. While hot spring baths are amazing in general, it is such a treat when there is also a view!
• Try 高森和牛 (Takamori Wagyu). There are three top kinds of beef (三大和牛, yes, that three-thing again): most American’s know of Kobe, but there are “named” beef’s all around the country. Takamori has won many awards over the years and is famous for being rare. Only a few hundred cattle a year are produced to very stringent standards.
• Hike Jakuchikyo for one of the 100 best waters (名水百選) and 100 best waterfalls of Japan (日本の滝百選)… if you haven’t figured out Japan loves numbered things yet! But it does make for good lists of things to do already curated for you based on your interests. Now that I’ve hit my goal of visiting every prefecture, I’m working towards hitting every one of the 200 top castles in Japan. If castles are your thing, I suggest starting with the remaining original 12 castles of Japan.

Things to do in Yamaguchi Prefecture

I don’t think Yamaguchi gets enough love, there is pleny on my list to see here. So for some ideas for you, it’s not close to Iwakuni but is in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Akiyoshido Cave is way up on my list after loving Ryusendo Cave so much. Akiyoshido is the largest limestone cave in Japan.

Like I said with Takayama Inari Shrine, Fushimi Inari-taisha (伏見稲荷大社) isn’t the only shrine with “1000 torii” experiences. Motonosumi Inari Shrine leads down to the sea and just looks absolutely amazing.

And with that, I hope this post gives you the information you need to have the utmost best day trip to Iwakuni or gives you some ideas for a longer adventure. Heck, even if you are just here for the wanderlust, I hope you enjoyed it!

I can’t wait to hear about your experiences!

The city of Okayama in Okayama Prefecture is about an hour from Kyoto and Osaka by shinkansen. Located next to the Seto Inland Sea, it has a history of industry. There’s easy transportation to the rest of the country, after all! What started as more traditional products such as tatami mats, indigo dying and boats have developed into more heavy industry of copper mining, iron, steel, and chemical plants.

And while I originally went solely for the castle and gardens (and easy jumping ground to other places), there are countless treasure troves of culture in the area to be found. Read on!

Okayama Castle: The second black crow

Okayama Castle (岡山城, Okayamajyou) main tower keep (tenshukaku, 天守閣), the symbolic shape known to Japanese castles, was originally finished in 1597. Have you read some of my other Japanese castle posts? Most of the castles were built around 1590-1605. So why do I call this the second black crow?

The black lacquer on the exterior walls of Okayama castle led to it being referred to as Crow Castle (烏城, U-jo). Not to be confused with Matsumoto Castle which is also known as crow castle with the exact same kanji but it’s pronounced 烏城, Karasu-jo. Because Japanese is fun. But also, Matsumoto is older so Okayama is the second we have today.

The current rendition was rebuilt in the 1960s and is part of the list of Japan’s top 100 castles but one of the turrets is original!

Korakuen Garden

Korakuen (後楽園) was what originally brought me to the city minus the fact that it is a great jumping ground to other prefectures, especially if you are trying to go to all 12 of the original castles of Japan – more on that in a bit. It is known as one of the 日本三名園 (Nihon Sanmeien) or “three famous gardens of Japan”, along with Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Kairakuen in Mito.

The construction of Korakuen started in 1687 and wasn’t complete until 1700! Minus a few slight changes, it is the exact same as it was all those years ago. While there, definitely enjoy the views with a cup of green tea and wagashi (Japanese sweet) snack at the teahouse. You can see koi in the ponds and sometimes rare red-crested white cranes during events at the garden.

What’s with all the statues? Legend of Momotaro

When you leave the station, you might notice a statue of a boy surrounded by animals. It’s not the only one in the city if you keep your eyes open (don’t forget to look down for manhole covers with his image!). Things like this always intrigue me (there’s a lot of weird statues in Japan) so here’s the story! He comes from a Japanese fairytale called Momotaro (桃太郎) or “Peach Boy”. It tells the story of an old couple that found a baby boy enclosed in a peach floating down the river. As always, we are quite original with names in Japanese but you’ve got to admit ingenious on imagination!

As he gets older, he decides to go fight demons on Onigashima (Demon Island) and his now adopted mother prepares him some kibi-dango to eat. The original kanji was different and referred to the Kibi region that Okayama was apart of back in the day but nowadays 吉備団子 (kibi dango) is a specialty wagashi (Japanese sweet) of millet-flour dumplings that you can find in Okayama. He then ends up feeding that to a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant and they become friends.

Long story short, the animals help him defeat the demons and everyone is happy. As such, you’ll always see him with animals. The animals can be found in statues by themselves as well!

Fruits and Fruit Parfait in Okayama

With a story about a peach boy, you can imagine they might have peaches in the area? Okayama is one of the leading fruit regions of Japan. It’s famous for its Muscat grapes and peaches, as well as having melons and strawberries. You can go fruit picking at several local farms in the area.

What else can you do with fruit? Have fruit parfait! Perhaps my most favorite Japanese dessert (probably completely to do with the corn flakes that are some time mixed in), there are all sorts of parfaits to try in Okayama!

Other foods to try in Okayama

A few other foods of choice to try while you are in Okayama:

• Barazushi – This dish has been around in Okayama for several hundred years and is more of a sushi plate than what you would think of as nigiri or a roll. It’s similar to chirashi-zushi and is vinegar rice (sushi rice) covered with veggies and seafood. You’ll also see it called Matsuri sushi as it is commonly eaten during celebrations.
• If you are looking for fish, try mamakari (ままかり) which is a local delicacy from the Inland Sea.

Also keep your eye out for local beers!

Okayama is the best jumping ground

While there are some ferries sporadically around to get you to parts of Shikoku, Okayama station is the starting point for the train lines entering the island. It is also super pretty when you pass over the Seto Inland Sea! So if you are looking to get to Matsuyama Castle (my absolute favorite!), Kochi Castle (which also counts as one of the remaining palaces), Tokushima for Awa-odori, or the countless other things to do on Shikoku, it’s a great option to have some time planned in Okayama as well.

Looking to go west? It is also super easy to get to Tottori, Matsue and Iwakuni from Okayama. I’ve used Okayama several times as my “hub” to leave luggage and the like and go exploring from there.

Getting around Okayama

The easiest option if you don’t want to get your 10,000 steps in as quickly, is to take one of the two tram lines. It’s 400 yen for a day pass. If you are looking to get to the castle or garden from the train station, look for the Higashiyama Line and get off at the Shiroshita stop.

Getting to Okayama

You know me, I love trains and Okayama is a major stop on the San’yo Shinkansen. From Tokyo you can take the Nozomi line and reach Okayama in about 3.5 hours. If you are on the Japan Rail Pass, the Hikari makes the trip in 4.25 hours. Not much longer for saving money!

One thing that is still on my list of things to do is to take the Sunrise Seto/Sunrise Izumo which runs overnight from JR Tokyo Station and gets to Okayama first thing in the morning. You can get some floor space to wait out the night or you can get a room! If you have a Japan Rail Pass, the floor space won’t cost you anything but a room will run you about $100 USD. Which when you stay in business hotels for around $50 USD/night like me, it’s more for the experience than the cost savings!