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Fukuchiyama Castle was mainly built by Akechi Mitsuhide in 1579 after he conquered this region for Oda Nobunaga.20-min. walk from JR Fukuchiyama Station. Open 9 am–5 pm, closed Tue. and Dec. 28th–31st, Jan. 4th–6th. Map: https://goo.gl/maps/8ZY7HHrDvoC2
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Flower Clock in front of Fukuchiyama Station.
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From Fukuchiyama Station, a straight road to Fukuchiyama Castle.
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Fukuchiyama manhole has Fukuchiyama Castle and dokkise dancers. In northern Kyoto Prefecture.
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Near Fukuchiyama City Hall, Fukuchiyama Castle in plain sight from the street. Like most other castles, the original Fukuchiyama Castle was ordered to be dismantled in 1873 by the Meiji government.
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Fukuchiyama Castle's main tower was reconstructed in 1986 funded mostly by donations by the public and subsidies from the Japanese government. Hardly any local tax money from Fukuchiyama was used.
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Near Fukuchiyama City Hall, Fukuchiyama Castle.
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Kyoto by the Sea promoting Fukuchiyama Castle.
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Turn right here. This is the Sato Taisei Memorial Museum, an art museum unrelated to the castle.
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Sato Taisei Memorial Museum
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Walk uphill to the castle.
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Walk uphill to the castle.
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Impressive stone work.
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Walk up a little more.
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Stone wall of the main castle tower.
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Rear view of Fukuchiyama Castle's main tenshu tower.
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About Fukuchiyama Castle.
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Rear view of Fukuchiyama Castle.
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Roof ornaments
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Fukuchiyama Castle is also noted for its stone walls using stones that were originally something else, like gravestones, stone lanterns, and even Buddha stone statues (転用石).Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture.
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You might think that castle lord did not have enough money to procure enough stones for the walls. Or maybe he was in a real hurry to build the castle and used any stones he could find. In such cases, it would be embarrassing for the lord.
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But these unconventional stones have been placed in prominent places so people can see them. So prevailing theory is, these stones (many are upside down) were to show that the castle lord and the local people were working together since only the local people could obtain these gravestones, etc. Gravestones and stone Buddhas also contain ancestral spirits so embedding them in the castle walls give more power to the castle.
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Front (entrance) view of Fukuchiyama Castle. Inside is a modern building housing a local history museum. Although Fukuchiyama Castle was occupied by a number of lords, it is most strongly associated with Akechi Mitsuhide who built it and occupied it for only three years before he was killed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1582 for assassinating Oda Nobunaga. Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture.
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In front of the castle tower is this deep well named Toyo-iwa-no-i. 豊磐の井
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Deep well (50 meters) named Toyo-iwa-no-i. 豊磐の井
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A Shinto shrine next to the castle.
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Shachi roof ornament replica of the one on the castle roof.
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About the Shachi roof ornament replica.
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Inside the castle tower is a modern building housing a local history museum. Photography is not allowed inside the castle museum.
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View of the front gate.
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Top floor of the castle tower.
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Top floor of the castle tower gives great views of the city. This is toward City Hall and Fukuchiyama Station.
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Views from Fukuchiyama Castle.
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Shachi roof ornaments on the smaller castle tower.
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Next to the main castle tower is the Akaganemon Bansho guardhouse that was located next to the Akaganemon Gate east of the city hall. 銅門脇番所
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Akaganemon Bansho guardhouse was moved here from its original location. 銅門脇番所
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Akaganemon Bansho guardhouse. 銅門脇番所
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About the Akaganemon Bansho guardhouse. 銅門脇番所
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When the castle tower was being reconstructed, they found over 500 of these unconventional stones originally from gravestones, stone lanterns, and even Buddha stone statues. (転用石)
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About Fukuchiyama Castle's unconventional stones. (転用石)
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Views of the city from the Honmaru.
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JR Fukuchiyama Station is the gateway to northern Kyoto Prefecture. It is a terminal station for Kyoto Tango Railway, the dominant train network in this area. From Fukuchiyama, you can get to Maizuru, Miyazu, Amanohashidate, and even Toyooka in Hyogo Prefecture. The JR San'in Line also stops at Fukuchiyama.
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At JR Fukuchiyama Station is this statue of Dokkoise bon dancers dancing to the Fukuchiyama Ondo. This song originated with "Dokkoise!" (ドッコイセ) shouted when local workers had to move something heavy (like the stones for the stone walls) while they were building Fukuchiyama Castle in the 16th century on the order of Akechi Mitsuhide.
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Inside JR Fukuchiyama Station.
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Fukuchiyama is really crazy about its connection with Akechi Mitsuhide. Here's a banner inside Fukuchiyama Station saying "The Town of Akechi Mitsuhide."In 2020, the year-long NHK TV Taiga Drama (「麒麟がくる」) will be about Mitsuhide.
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