Inuyama Castle

犬山城

One of Japan's oldest surviving donjons and one of the Five National Treasure Castles, perched on a cliff above the Kiso River. Below it lies a castle town where you can snack as you stroll.

Inuyama Castle stands in Inuyama City, about 25 km north of Nagoya. Built in 1537 by Oda Nobuyasu, an uncle of Oda Nobunaga, it is the oldest of the twelve surviving pre-Edo-period donjons in Japan. Together with Matsumoto, Hikone, Himeji and Matsue Castles, it forms the "Five National Treasure Castles." Until 2004 it was the only castle in Japan privately owned by a single family, the Naruse family. The donjon has three stories and four levels and stands about 19 m tall. Its exterior is plain, but the wooden structure is intact, and the interior staircases are very steep. From the top gallery you get a 360-degree view of the Kiso River rushing below, Gifu Prefecture across the water and distant Mount Ontake. It is the most expansive view of any of the Five National Treasure Castles. Admission is ¥550.

Castle town: A 15–20 minute walk from Meitetsu Inuyama Station, Honmachi-dori preserves Edo-period townhouses (machiya). It is now the favorite weekend street for Nagoya locals to eat as they walk. Options include skewers, dengaku tofu, heart-shaped matcha sweets, wagyu sushi and the local specialty genkotsu ame. Many visitors stroll in yukata or kimono. Along the street are the former Isobe House and the Inuyama City Cultural History Museum, which displays the festival cart floats of the Inuyama Festival. Next to the castle, Sanko Inari Shrine has pink heart-shaped votive plaques and a "money-washing pool" and is a favorite photo spot on social media.

Nearby attractions include Meiji Mura, an open-air museum of Meiji-era buildings about 20 minutes away by bus, the Japan Monkey Centre, and cormorant fishing on the Kiso River (evenings, June to October). Getting there: The Meitetsu Inuyama Line runs from Nagoya Station to Inuyama Station in about 25–30 minutes by limited express, or you can walk 15 minutes from Inuyama-Yuen Station. Time needed: 1 hour for the castle, 1.5–2 hours for the castle town.

Note: The donjon's stairs are steep, so wear sturdy comfortable shoes and remove them at the entrance. During the Inuyama Festival and cherry blossom season, the queue to enter the castle exceeds one hour. Many shops in the castle town close around 5 pm.

Inuyama Castle

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby