Azuchi Castle

What it is

• A mountain castle site in Shiga Prefecture designated as a Special National Historic Site
• Built by Oda Nobunaga starting in 1576 as the first castle with a large keep
• The fortress was destroyed by fire in 1582 and officially abandoned in 1585
• Construction was overseen by Niwa Nagahide with stonework by the Ano-shu group

What to see

• Original stone walls built by the specialized Ano-shu stonemason group
• A surviving three-story pagoda and the historic Nio-mon gate
• The mausoleum dedicated to Oda Nobunaga located in the second bailey
• The site where the massive thirty-two meter tall main keep once stood

Getting there

• The castle ruins are a 20-minute walk from JR Azuchi Station

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.