Castle & Palace · Azuchi (Omihachiman)

Azuchi Castle Ruins 安土城

Hilltop ruins of Oda Nobunaga's revolutionary castle (1579) above the Lake Biwa plain; Special Historic Site and Top 100 Castle.

Getting thereJR Azuchi Station, about 25 min walk

Time needed1-2 hours

Best timeSpring and autumn

AddressAzuchicho Shimotoyoura, Omihachiman, Shiga

About

Azuchi Castle was the first castle with a towering multi-storey keep and set the model for later Japanese castles, but it burned in 1582 just after Nobunaga's death. Today a long stone stairway climbs past the sites of retainers' mansions to the keep foundation with its original base stones. The nearby Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum and Nobunaga no Yakata show reconstructions.

Highlights

Great stone stairway (Daidoku)
Original foundation stones of the keep
Sohken-ji temple ruins and three-storied pagoda
Views over the former inner lake

Tips

The climb is steep and takes about 30 min one way
Rent a bicycle at JR Azuchi Station
Visit the Nobunaga no Yakata to see the reconstructed top floors

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-11

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Azuchi Castle Ruins 安土城

About

Highlights

Tips

Nearby