Japanese Castles

About this book

30 castles · all 12 surviving original keeps · 234 photographs · a plan or location map for every castle

Thirty great castles. Twelve original keeps. One complete journey through Japan's age of fortresses.

From Hirosaki in the snowy north to Shuri, the red palace of the Ryukyu kings in Okinawa, this guide covers 30 of Japan's greatest castles — including all twelve main keeps that survive from the feudal period, the rebuilt giants of Osaka, Nagoya and Kumamoto, the shogun's palace-fortress at Nijo, the vanished citadel beneath Tokyo's Imperial Palace, and Takeda, the mountaintop "castle in the sky".

Every chapter gives you the full story: three fact-checked highlights, the essential record at a glance — castle type, keep, founder, heritage status and coordinates — a complete account of the castle's history, layout and defences, and two licensed photographs with full credits. A dedicated chapter explains the twelve original keeps and why so few survive, and a practical section shows you how to read a Japanese castle when you visit.

Whether you are planning a castle journey across Japan or reading from your armchair, this is the story of the strongholds that shaped the country — white egrets and black ravens, stone walls and castle towns, survival, destruction and rebirth.

Inside: 30 chapters in 7 regional parts · all 12 surviving original keeps · 234 licensed photographs · a castle plan, historical map or location map in every chapter · an appendix listing all 100 Fine Castles of Japan, with the 30 castles in this book marked · original introductions and explanations · a guide to visiting castles today.

Written and created in Japan by Japanese author Aki Wakamatsu. Published by Takikawa TOKOTOKO Kids LLC, a Japanese publisher in Hokkaido, Japan. Authentic Japanese content, carefully made in Japan — not mass-produced.