Okayama Castle
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The renowned jet-black castle known as “Ujo (Crow Castle)”
Precious remains dating from before the Battle of Sekigahara
Okayama Castle was built around 1597 by Ukita Hideie, as the Sengoku period was drawing to a close.
One of the most distinctive features of the castle tower is its irregular pentagonal base. The first floor is pentagonal, but the shape gradually transitions into a square on the upper floors. As a result, the tower presents a remarkably varied and distinctive appearance depending on the angle from which it is viewed.
The exterior walls, clad in black-painted weatherboards, are also particularly striking, and the castle is still affectionately known by the nickname “Ujo (Crow Castle)”
Another highlight is the stone walls.
As ownership of the castle passed from the Ukita clan to the Kobayakawa clan and then to the Ikeda clan, Japan itself moved from the Sengoku period into the Edo period. The different stone-laying techniques used in each era can still be clearly seen today, revealing the technical evolution of stone wall construction.
This valuable jet-black castle tower, built before the Battle of Sekigahara, was destroyed in a U.S. air raid during World War II.
The present castle tower was reconstructed in reinforced concrete in 1966. The only surviving original structures are the Tsukimi Yagura, built in the early Edo period, and the Nishinomaru Nishite Yagura.
〒700-0823
2-3-1 Marunouchi, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
086-225-2096
Castles and Castle Ruins, Landmarks, Tourist Attractions, Historic Buildings, National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM (Last admission at 5:00 PM)
*Hours are extended during light-up events.
December 29-31
Adults (15 and older): 500 yen; Junior high school students and younger: Free
*Combined tickets for Korakuen Garden and the Hayashibara Museum of Art are available (see website)
From the Korakuen Exit (East Exit) Bus Terminal at JR Okayama Station, take the bus bound for “Okaden Bus Takaya” from Platforms 9 or 10 → Get off at “Kencho-mae” and walk 10 minutes
From in front of JR Okayama Station, take the streetcar bound for “Higashiyama” → Get off at “Jōka (Okayama Castle / Okayama Korakuen Exit)” and walk 10 minutes
※The written notice and information on this page are as of the date of publication. Please refer or confirm the latest information of each spot on individual introduced website.
