Odawara Castle — Attraction in Odawara

Odawara Castle, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is a historic fortress with a rich legacy spanning centuries. Originally constructed in the mid-15th century, it served as the stronghold of the powerful Hojo clan during Japan’s Sengoku (Warring States) period. Its strategic location near the Hakone Mountains and Sagami Bay made it a critical defensive point, guarding the approaches to the Kanto region.

The castle is renowned for its massive stone walls, deep moats, and sprawling grounds, which reflect both military ingenuity and aesthetic design. Throughout history, Odawara Castle withstood multiple sieges, including the famous 1590 siege by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which ultimately led to the fall of the Hojo clan and the unification of Japan under Hideyoshi’s rule.

Though the original structures were destroyed over time due to wars and fires, the current castle features a reconstructed main keep, museum exhibits, and beautiful surrounding gardens. Today, Odawara Castle serves not only as a cultural and historical symbol but also as a popular destination for visitors interested in samurai history, traditional Japanese architecture, and scenic views, especially during the cherry blossom season.

The following is a collection of original documents preserved by our family, including the names of hereditary retainers and a list of military magistrates, spanning approximately 80 scanned pages. I will be uploading these documents to Google Maps. Above all, I sincerely hope that people from Western countries will take this opportunity to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Japanese history...

⚠️ Long winded subjective review ⚠️

Went weekday near closing time

By the way the main tower castle exhibits aren't the most English-friendly, most of the displays are in Japanese only (there are QR codes for the app guide, presumably available in English but did not peruse so I can't say for sure). The tower does not have lift/elevator/escalator facilities. They apparently allow guide dogs according to entrance sign. Lots of staircases, do be careful when wet, the stonework gets slippery. Inside is well lit and clean, they request no flash photography on most floors, regular photography allowed on most floors. I personally did not take photographs. The castle grounds had some boards with info available in English. The toilet facilities are available ONLY on the first floor in the main building, and if I understood and remembered correctly, the main tower was built in 2016. They are very nice toilets. There are toilets available outside the main tower too, did not use those so can't comment. Did not go to samurai exhibit on castle grounds in a building within the upper compound. The entrance staff said that most of the armory and stuff from inside the castle is in this samurai exhibit, while the main tower exhibits mostly to do with the main tower building itself. And the history of sieges around it or something. Like I said idk I didn't read anything. There were movie narratives on big screens on two different floors of the main tower which were reenactments/dramatisation of the history, with...

Visited in October 2021

Perhaps the best restored castle in Japan - it was heavily-damaged by earthquakes upon its abandonment at the end of the feudal era. Thankfully due to the wealth from the industrialization, the castle was restored and turned into a villa for the royal family, and later as exhibition for the public. Although the outward appearance still retains its former glory, the inside is far more modern and much less rustic compared to other preserved/restored castles. The absence of additional 'non-organic' structures like escalators (unlike ehrm...Nagoya Castle) is also a plus.

The exhibition on the history of the castle is also worth noting. Most notably, the videographics on how the castle was conquered during the Kamakura era, where the besieging forces built another castle (sadly abandoned soon after the victory) on a mountain adjacent to the fortress city in very short order. The sheer determination of the opposing forces made the Odawara castle defenders surrendered upon knowing its presence.

Just like any other castles in Japan, the sweeping view of Sagami Bay, the mountain facing Hakone area, and the city's skyline itself from the top of the castle is amazing. It is a popular outing destination for the locals throughout the Kanto area, so expect queue at most of the time, especially in weekends and...