All About Japan

All About Jcastle
Jcastle is a guide to the 210 castles in Japan I've personally visited and 124 donated by readers. My aim is to make it the most authoritative and comprehensive site available in English on Japanese castles.
Top 10 Castles in Tohoku

Top 10 Castles in Tohoku

Spared many of the fierce territorial battles of the Warring States Period, the castles of northeastern Japan are a little different from those you'll find to the south and west.

9 Castles to Hit in Hyogo after Himeji

9 Castles to Hit in Hyogo after Himeji

What do you do once you've seen the big attraction and still want more castle action? We've got nine answers right here!

The 4 Forts & Castles of Hokkaido

The 4 Forts & Castles of Hokkaido

Hokkaido has only one castle; the rest of its fortifications are actually relatively modern forts. And in the late 1860s, they were the site of the last hurrah of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Key Castle Vocabulary

Key Castle Vocabulary

Don't know a 'tenshu' from a 'hori'? We're here to help!

16 Splendid Shikoku Castles

16 Splendid Shikoku Castles

The island of Shikoku may be small, but who would've guessed it once contained 16 amazing castles, all in various shapes and forms!

Japan's 5 Greatest Castle Ruins

Japan's 5 Greatest Castle Ruins

Just because these castles are ruined doesn't mean they aren't spectacular!

The 5 Castles of Okinawa

The 5 Castles of Okinawa

Okinawa's castles bear testament to the three kingdoms that fought to dominate the island chain in the 14th and 15th centuries.

List: Japan's 12 Original-Construction Castles

List: Japan's 12 Original-Construction Castles

While Japan is home to over 300 castles, there are only 12 that still retain their original castle keep. These 12 so-called 'original construction' castles are the cream of the crop.

Japan's Top 11 Reconstructed Castles

Japan's Top 11 Reconstructed Castles

Like a phoenix rising from the flames, so too have these restored beauties come back to life to prosper again on our list of the best reconstructed castles across Japan.

Japan's 12 Best Keepless Castles

Japan's 12 Best Keepless Castles

These castles may not have keeps, but many of them are much older than any of Japan's so-called "original construction" castles.

know-before-you-go