Most viewed - Wakayama city 和歌山市 |
Wakayama Castle is a short bus ride from JR Wakayama Station. The East Moat (東堀) is what you see when you get off at the Koen-mae bus stop. The Ichinohashi Bridge at Otemon Gate is on the right.478 views
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Map of Wakayama Castle.283 views
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Wakayama Castle as seen from Inui Turret. 250 views
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Cherry blossoms and Wakayama Castle tower.241 views
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Wakayama Castle's main castle tower is connected to a corridor leading to two other turrets. On the left is the entrance to this castle tower complex (tenshu-kuruwa 天守郭).238 views
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Wakayama Castle223 views
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217 views
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Sakura along the east moat.190 views
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Ichinohashi Bridge (一の橋) leading to Otemon Gate (大手門) is the main entrance to the Wakayama Castle, open 9 am - 5:30 pm. Closed Dec. 29-31. Both the bridge and gate were reconstructed in 1983.162 views
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Wakayama Castle is famous for cherry blossoms in early April. I visited when it was in full bloom. 155 views
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Path to Omotezaka entrance.154 views
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Wakayama Castle tower was destroyed again by World War II bombing on July 9, 1945. It was reconstructed in ferro-concrete in Oct. 1958.147 views
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A partial maze to make it harder for any attackers to enter the castle. 一中門跡142 views
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Sakura near Okaguchi-mon Gate.138 views
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The Ura-zaka sloping path to the castle tower is a mild climb up.137 views
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137 views
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In 1619, Tokugawa Yorinobu, Ieyasu's 10th son, became the castle lord establishing the Kii clan, one of three key Tokugawa Gosanke clans (along with Owari and Mito).135 views
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Almost to the castle tower.135 views
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Wakayama Castle in April.133 views
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Wakayama Castle's Ohashiroka Bridge is a covered corridor connecting Ninomaru and Nishinomaru. Only the castle lord's immediate attendants could cross the bridge, and so it was completely covered. 御橋廊下133 views
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Entrance to Ura-zaka Nobori-guchi sloping path to the tenshukaku castle tower (donjon). 裏坂登り口131 views
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Wakayama Castle is noted for various styles of castle wall. 野面積み131 views
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Kusunoki-mon Gate (front side), reconstructed in 1950. This gate was lost along with the castle tower in July 1945. 楠門131 views
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131 views
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Castle tower overlooks Ninomaru.130 views
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Ninomaru Garden is full of cherries. The Ninomaru was the site of the castle palace where the lord and his ladies resided. 二の丸庭園130 views
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Wakayama Castle is on 48.9-meter-high Mt. Torafusu (虎伏) which resembles a tiger lying on its side when seen from the ocean. The castle is also called Torafusu-jo (lying tiger castle). This tiger statue was created in 1959.130 views
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130 views
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Castle foundation wall129 views
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Steps up to the castle tower.129 views
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Castle tower entrance roof has a Chinese cusped gable (karahafu). 唐破風129 views
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Samurai armor, etc., are displayed.129 views
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Model of Wakayama Castle129 views
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View of Wakayama castle tower from Inui Turret.128 views
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The 50-year-old castle tower is in need of a paint job.127 views
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Oimawashimon Gate. Renovated in 1985. 追廻門127 views
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Wakayama Castle tower was struck by lightning in 1846 and destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in 1850 by special permission from the shogunate which normally did not allow castles to be rebuilt.126 views
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Finally we see the main castle tower amid cherry blossoms.126 views
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The castle tower is in need of a paint job.126 views
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Steps tp Kusunoki-mon Gate.126 views
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Pistol126 views
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Inside Wakayama Castle tower, a museum.126 views
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Tree growing on castle wall.125 views
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Wakayama Castle tower (donjon) and cherry blossoms.125 views
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125 views
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On the lookout deck of Wakayama Castle, looking toward Kusunoki Gate and Ninomon Turret.125 views
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Inside Inui Turret 乾櫓125 views
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Site of Ichinomon Gate. 一の門跡124 views
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Wakayama Castle tower is now a modern museum with three stories.124 views
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Entrance to the castle tower complex is via this gate called Kusunoki-mon. 楠門124 views
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Kusunoki-mon 楠門124 views
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Wakayama Castle tower (donjon).124 views
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Entrance to Ohashiroka Bridge which was completed in April 2006. Free admission.124 views
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The Ohashiroka Bridge is made of wood with a slight slope. It is a rare castle structure. 御橋廊下123 views
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Tree growing on castle stone foundation.123 views
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Inui Turret123 views
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Path to Okaguchi-mon Gate, the castle's back entrance built by Tokugawa Yorinobu.123 views
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Okaguchi-mon Gate, seen from the outside. In 1960, it was disassembled and repaired.123 views
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Cherries droop over a castle wall.122 views
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Castle tower stone foundation wall.122 views
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Top floor of Wakayama Castle tower with a nice balcony for fine views of Wakayama.122 views
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Looking toward Inui Turret122 views
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Inside Ninomon Turret, totally modern with hardly any views. Caged windows do not help at all. 二の門櫓122 views
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Stairs to Inui Turret. 122 views
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Wakayama Castle was originally built in 1585 by Toyotomi Hidenaga upon the order of elder brother Hideyoshi. The construction was directed by renown castle architect Lord Todo Takatora, native of Omi (Shiga Prefecture).121 views
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Cherry blossoms on the way to the castle tower.121 views
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Stone foundation wall of the castle tower.121 views
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Inui Turret 乾櫓121 views
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Lookimg toward Omotemon Gate.121 views
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Corridor leading to Inui Turret.121 views
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Markings can be found on the stones.121 views
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View from inside Ohashiroka Bridge, looking toward the North Moat.121 views
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View from inside Ohashiroka Bridge, looking toward the castle tower.121 views
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Nishinomaru Teien Garden was originally built by Tokugawa Yorinobu. Renovated in 1973. Noted for maple leaves in fall, a pond, and a floating pavilion called the Engyokaku (鳶魚閣) (left).121 views
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Panoramic view of cherry blossoms and Okaguchi-mon Gate.121 views
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Cherry blossoms as seen from Okaguchi-mon Gate.121 views
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Castle tower exit120 views
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Corridor to Ninomon Turret. The corridor is connected to the main castle tower (donjon).120 views
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Wakayama Castle120 views
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Entrance to Nishinomaru Teien Garden. Also called Momijidani Teien Garden.120 views
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From the lookout deck of Wakayama Castle, you can see the connected corridors leading to the two turrets.119 views
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119 views
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Portrait of Tokugawa Yorinobu. His descendants went on to produce six Tokugawa shoguns: Yoshimune, Ieshige, Ieharu, Ienari, Ieyoshi, and Iemochi (Yoshitomi).119 views
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Portrait of Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune who was from Wakayama.119 views
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Stairs to Ninomon Turret.119 views
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The final corridor leads to the exit.119 views
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Wakayama Castle's Ohashiroka Bridge and the castle tower. The bridge is a corridor connecting Ninomaru and Nishinomaru. 御橋廊下119 views
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Inside Ohashiroka Bridge. The floor has planks of wood whose edges are kind of painful for bare feet. (You have to take off your shoes to enter.)119 views
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119 views
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118 views
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118 views
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From the North Moat, we see the Ohashiroka Bridge which was completed in April 2006.118 views
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Inside the Engyokaku pavilion (no entry).118 views
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Okaguchi-mon Gate, an Important Cultural Property. One of the few structures still remaining from the Edo Period. 岡口門118 views
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Kusunoki-mon (back side) 楠門117 views
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Basement steps117 views
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117 views
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Ninomaru117 views
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Nishinomaru Teien Garden pond. The garden is a National Scenic Place.117 views
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Wakayama Castle tower and Kusunoki-mon Gate.116 views
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North Moat 北堀116 views
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Wakayama Castle marker outside Okaguchi-mon Gate.116 views
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Looking toward Inui Turret115 views
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Wakayama's industrial complex in the distance.115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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Nishinomaru Teien Garden 115 views
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Ohashiroka Bridge entrance on the other end.115 views
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114 views
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Wakayama Castle as seen from inside the tower complex.113 views
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Inui Turret and cherry blossoms. 乾櫓113 views
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Omote-zaka steps to the castle tower.113 views
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Okaguchi-mon Gate and cherry blossoms. This part of the castle has the heaviest concentration of sakura.113 views
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