12 Castles in Saitama worth your time

Explore Kisai Castle ruins for a glimpse into Japan's Sengoku period history.

What it is

• A Japanese castle in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture.
• The remaining earthworks are a designated historic site.
• Excavations revealed a rare shoji-bori moat.

What to see

• A 3-meter high earthwork is the only remaining structure.
• A stone monument for 'Shishi Castle Ruins' stands here.
• The current castle-like building is a simulated keep.
• Many Seto ware and Mino ware tea bowls were found.
• Five Somin Shorai talismans were found in a well-like structure.
• Over 30 Sengoku period graves were found at the samurai residence site.

Read more about Kisai Castle

Explore Yamaguchi Castle ruins, a historic site with preserved earthworks and moats.

What it is

• A former castle, residence of the Yamaguchi clan for generations.
• Built by Yamaguchi Ietsugu of the Musashi Shichito Murayama Party.
• Designated a Saitama Prefecture historic site on October 1, 1962.
• Abandoned after the 1590 Odawara Campaign.

What to see

• A monument and signboard mark the castle ruins.
• Some earthworks and moats are preserved at the site.
• The castle was on the southern slope of the Sayama Hills.
• The Yanase River flows at the southern base of the site.

Read more about Yamaguchi Castle

Explore the ruins of a historic flatland castle, once central to samurai power struggles.

What it is

• A flatland castle built by the Shibukawa clan.
• Founded during Japan's Nanboku-cho period.
• Designated a Saitama Prefecture historic site.

What to see

• The main keep site is now Warabi Castle Ruins Park.
• Original inner moat area was 12,200 square meters.
• Outer bailey covered about 21,650 square meters.
• Castle was surrounded by swamps and deep rice paddies.

Getting there

• 0.7 kilometers from Warabi Station.
• A 10-minute walk from the station.

Read more about Warabi Castle

Explore Kawagoe Castle, a historic hirayamajiro with a preserved palace, significant in the Edo period.

What it is

• A Japanese castle in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture.
• Built in 1457 by order of Uesugi Mochitomo.
• Also known as Hatsukari Castle and Kirigakure Castle.
• One of the Kanto Seven Famous Castles and Japan's Top 100 Castles.

What to see

• The Honmaru Goten, built in 1848, still exists.
• The Honmaru Goten is a designated cultural property.
• The Fujimi-yagura served as a substitute for a main keep.
• The castle site was designated a historic site in 1924.

Official site

www.city.kawagoe.saitama.jp

Read more about Kawagoe Castle

Oshi Castle is a reconstructed 'floating castle' with a history of never being captured.

What it is

• A castle built by the Narita clan in the Muromachi period.
• Known as 'Floating Castle' or 'Turtle Castle'.
• Designated as a Saitama Prefecture historic site.
• Added to the Japan Heritage story in 2017.

What to see

• A reconstructed main keep at the main enclosure site.
• Some remaining original earthworks.
• Castle utilized extensive marshland and natural levees.

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Explore Iwatsuki Castle, a historic site with a unique layout and scenic park.

What it is

• A Japanese castle in Saitama City.
• It was the administrative center of the Iwatsuki Domain.
• Also known as Floating Castle and White Crane Castle.
• A prefectural designated historic site.

What to see

• Castle ruins include the main keep, second, and third bailey.
• See the rare sōguruwa-gata castle layout.
• The castle park has a vermilion Yatsuhashi bridge.

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Explore Sugaya Yakata, a rare medieval castle ruin and National Historic Site, for a glimpse into Japan's past.

What it is

• A Japanese castle in Saitama Prefecture.
• Known as Sugaya-jo.
• Designated a National Historic Site in 1973.
• Residence of Hatakeyama Shigetada.

What to see

• Saitama Prefectural Ranzan Shiseki-no-Hakubutsukan is on site.
• A flatland castle on a low plateau.
• Main enclosure is rectangular.
• Earthworks and moats.
• A rare example of a medieval castle ruin.

Read more about Sugaya Yakata

Explore a Sengoku period castle ruin, a National Historic Site with a museum.

What it is

• A Japanese castle from the Sengoku period.
• First built by Nagao Kageharu.
• Expanded by Hojo Ujikuni.
• Designated a National Historic Site in 1932.

What to see

• Castle structure was a renkaku-shiki hirayamajiro.
• Highest point is 122 meters above sea level.
• Maintained as Hachigata Castle Park.
• Hachigata Castle History Museum is within the park.

Read more about Hachigata Castle

Explore well-preserved ruins of a 14th-century castle with unique earthwork enclosures.

What it is

• A Japanese castle, built by Yamaguchi Takatada.
• Construction occurred between 1390 and 1428.
• Originally named Ryugajo or Shorakujijo.
• A Saitama Prefecture designated historic site.

What to see

• Well-preserved castle ruins.
• Double earthwork enclosures.
• Site was 150m north-south and 75m east-west.
• Castle consisted of 8 to 9 enclosures.

Read more about Negoya Castle

Explore Kawagoekan, a medieval castle ruin and National Historic Site, for a glimpse into Japan's past.

What it is

• A Japanese castle site.
• A medieval residence ruin.
• Designated a National Historic Site.
• Residence of the Kawagoe clan.

What to see

• Earthworks and moats.
• Historic Site Park opened in 2009.

Getting there

• 15-minute walk from Kasumigaseki Station.

Read more about Kawagoekan

Explore a 14th-century castle ruin, now a temple, with historical earthen mounds and graves.

What it is

• A Japanese castle, also known as Takasaka Castle.
• Founded in the 14th century by Takasaka Gyobutaifu.
• Now Kosai-ji Temple, a Saitama Prefecture important ruin.

What to see

• Earthen mounds and moats around Kosai-ji Temple.
• Graves of the Kagatsume clan on the earthen mound.

Read more about Takasaka Yakata

Explore a historic hilltop castle, a strategic point in feudal Japan's conflicts.

What it is

• A hirayamajiro (hilltop castle) built in 1399.
• Also known as Bushu Matsuyama Castle.
• A designated national historic site.

What to see

• Site of a strategic castle in Musashi Province.

Official site

www.matsuyamajo.jp

Read more about Matsuyama Castle