Kakegawa Castle: "Famous Castle of Tokai" with Existing Castle Tower and Ninomaru Art Museum

Kakegawa Castle in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka is called the Famous Castle of Tokai. The current castle tower was rebuilt in 1994 as Japan first full-scale wooden reconstructed castle tower, a graceful white-plastered structure reproducing traditional construction techniques.

Kakegawa Castle and Yamauchi Kazutoyo

Kakegawa Castle is known as the castle once held by the warlord Yamauchi Kazutoyo during the Sengoku period. He built the castle tower and developed the castle town. The story of Kazutoyo and his wife Chiyo became the subject of the NHK historical drama Komyo ga Tsuji.

The Wooden Reconstructed Keep

The keep of Kakegawa Castle is a landmark structure, the first in Japan to be reconstructed in full-scale wooden form. Its elegant figure, with white plaster walls set off against the blue sky, has a beauty worthy of the name Famous Castle of Tokai. Climb the steep stairs inside the keep and stand on the top floor, and a refreshing view opens up over the castle town of Kakegawa and the surrounding mountains.

Kakegawa Castle Palace (Important Cultural Property)

The Ninomaru Palace adjacent to the castle tower was built in the late Edo era, designated a national important cultural property as one of the very few surviving castle palace structures in Japan, alongside sites such as Nijo Castle in Kyoto. Rooms with tatami mats convey the atmosphere of the domain administration and samurai life of the time.

Access and Basic Information

Kakegawa Castle is about a 7-minute walk from Kakegawa Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line and Tokaido Shinkansen, easily reached from both the Tokyo and Nagoya directions. By car, exit at the Kakegawa Interchange on the Tomei Expressway. Municipal parking lots are located around the site. Admission fees, opening hours, and parking details may change, so please check the official Kakegawa Castle website for current information.

The Best Season

Spring, when cherry blossoms adorn the keep, is a particularly beautiful and ideal season. The seasons of fresh greenery and autumn foliage also offer a calm, quiet charm. Kakegawa has a history as a flourishing post town on the Tokaido, and museums and other sights are dotted around the castle.

Practical Travel Notes

Allow about ninety minutes to tour both the castle tower and the Ninomaru Palace. The stairs inside the tower are steep, so comfortable shoes are recommended. Kakegawa is one of Japan leading tea regions, so enjoying the local deep-steamed tea or tea sweets after touring the castle is a pleasant option. Because Kakegawa Station is a stop for the Kodama Shinkansen, it makes a convenient base for combining the castle with the nearby Kakegawa tea fields and other attractions in a half-day to full-day visit.

One Piece of Advice

Touring the castle interior is relatively unaffected by weather, making it a good option on rainy days. Cherry blossom and autumn foliage timing, as well as event dates, shift from year to year, so check the official Kakegawa City or castle information in advance if you are timing your visit. Many restaurants near Kakegawa Station make it easy to drop by while waiting for a train. (TabiTabi JAPAN Editorial Team)

📚 Sources

This article is based on information published by Kakegawa City and Kakegawa Castle, guidance for the wooden-reconstructed keep and the Ninomaru Goten, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, and historical materials on the town's role as a Tokaido post town. Viewing fees and opening hours for the keep and Ninomaru Goten, and the location and fees of parking, may change, so please check the official Kakegawa Castle sources before you set out.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: About an hour and a half to see both the keep and the Ninomaru Goten
• Access: About a 7-minute walk from JR Kakegawa Station, a stop for the Kodama shinkansen
• What to bring: Comfortable shoes, as the stairs inside the keep are steep
• Points to note: See both the wooden-reconstructed keep and the surviving Ninomaru Goten
• Seasonal notes: Spring, when cherry blossoms adorn the keep, is ideal; dates vary by year
• Also enjoy: Fukamushi green tea, tea sweets, and the Kakegawa tea fields