- Culture
- Shiga
Azuchi Castle Ruins
Reminiscent of a gorgeous bygone castle with a lofty castle tower
Azuchi Castle, the residence of the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), was constructed over three years from 1576. Located on Mount Azuchi (199-meter elevation) in Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, the ruins are now a nationally designated special historic site. Nearby are the Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum and Azuchi Castle Tenshu Nobunaga no Yakata Museum, where you can see the replica of the original keep of Azuchi Castle that was burned down.
Richly colored and innovative Tenshu architecture
The period of around 30 years in which warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi flourished is called the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1568-1603). Azuchi Castle was built as an opening of that period, but it was burned down after the Honno-ji Incident when Oda Nobunaga fell, and only the stone walls now remain. Studies have shown that the castle was unique and extravagant unlike any other castle before, and each tier of the castle's outer surface were vermilion, blue or white, and the uppermost tier was gold. Inside, rooms were said to have been decorated with ink brush paintings by Kano Eitoku, who was acclaimed as the era's best painter, and embellished with gold foils and rich colors, compiling the finest techniques and artistry in Japan at that time. The historic Azuchi Castle is said to be the beginning of the Tenshu architecture that many people now associate with castles in Japan.
Location
| Name | Azuchi Castle Ruins |
|---|---|
| Website | https://en.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/157 |
| Address | Shimotoira, Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman-shi, Shiga |
| Access | Approximately 25 minutes' walk from Azuchi Station on the JR Biwako Line |
| Inquiries | TEL: 0748-46-6594 (Azuchiyama Hoshokai) |