Inuyama Castle

In America, I could never imagine looking at a castle, any castle, and not feeling overly impressed. However, in Japan, castles are fairly commonplace. It seems wherever you go there is a castle within a hour's drive. Living in Nagoya there are at least four castles close by, but Inuyama castle would be worth a visit even if it were farther away.

Nagoya castle was nearly demolished during World War II when air raids caused extensive fires in the city. Thus, most of the castle was truly built in 1959 rather than the original Edo creation. In constrast, Inuyama castle maintains the oldest original castle tower in Japan. The interior is authentic and really gives an impression of the lives of samurai and their warriors in the Edo period.

Constructed in 1537, Inuyama castle is located on a small hill above the city of Inuyama where the Kiso river flows below. The views from the castle are breathtaking. Japan's misty mountains surround the city of Inuyama. One can see ancient and modern Japan connect. In summer, it is possible to see comorant fishing from the balcony of Inuyama castle. Fisherman in this city still take comorant birds out to catch fish and light fires. Lucky tourists can catch a ride on a boat and watch the action from the river.

The history of Inuyama castle is equally interesting. It was controlled by the Naruse lords during the fuedal period, and after some power struggles, is now the only privately owned castle in Japan as it now belongs to the Naruse family. Inside you can see Samurai armor, swords, ancient pottery, and photographs of other castles in Japan. None of these additions distract from the history of the building however, and the austerity of the castle allows visitors to feel a greater connection with the past.