Shibata Castle 新発田城

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Completed around 1654, Shibata Castle is the only castle in Niigata with Edo-Era structures still remaining. Two turrets were reconstructed in June 2004. The castle grounds is also occupied by the Ground Self-Defence Forces, making the area open to the public quite small. One of the reconstructed turrets is also inaccessible due to the military base. Still, it is one of Japan's 100 Famous Castles. Entrance to Shibata Castle.

Shibata Castle is also called Ayame Castle 菖蒲城.

Shibata Castle is the only castle in Niigata with Edo-era structures still standing.

Sangai Yagura Turret, Shibata Castle. Reconstructed in June 2004 with traditional building methods taking 2 years. 三階櫓

Shibata Castle, Niigata (Sangai Yagura Turret)

Sangai Yagura Turret, Shibata Castle 三階櫓

Sangai Yagura Turret, Shibata Castle 三階櫓, Niigata. The castle never had a tenshukaku castle tower (donjon), so this turret was the grandest castle structure.

Sangai Yagura Turret with three shachi sculptures on the T-shaped roof. Unique to Shibata Castle. Unfortunately, we cannot enter this turret since it is within the Ground Self-Defence Force base which occupies much of the castle grounds.

Moat leading to Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret

Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret, one of the two surviving Edo-Era structures. The castle originally had 11 turrets and 5 gates (no castle tower). The Meiji government ordered its destruction in 1872. All the structures were dismantled except two.

Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret. Toward the base above the stone wall, notice the "namako-kabe" pattern wall 海鼠壁. It resists snow. 旧二の丸隅櫓

Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret, an Important Cultural Property 旧二の丸隅櫓

Due to the Meiji government's castle destruction order, most of the castle moats were filled in except for this one next to the Honmaru. After World War II, US troops occupied the castle grounds for a short time..

Omotemon Gate, another Important Cultural Property

Omotemon Gate 表門

Omotemon Gate, one of two Edo-Era structures in Shibata Castle and an Important Cultural Property. 表門

Tatsumi Yagura Turret, reconstructed in June 2004. 辰巳櫓

Stone wall with perfectly-fitting stones. No gaps between the stones.

Statue of Lord Mizoguchi Hidekatsu (1548-1610), the first lord of Shibata Castle. 溝口秀勝

Steps to Tatsumi Yagura Turret, reconstructed in June 2004. 辰巳櫓

Tatsumi Yagura Turret 辰巳櫓

Inside Tatsumi Yagura Turret 辰巳櫓

Tatsumi Yagura Turret. Traditional building methods were used to reconstruct the turret.

Second floor of Tatsumi Yagura Turret

Ceiling of Tatsumi Yagura Turret

Stone dropping slot

Banner with the five-diamond clan crest. Sangai Yagura Turret in the distance

Ground Self-Defence Force base occupies half the castle site (since 1953). The reason why we cannot enter the Sangai Yagura Turret seen here within the base.

Sangai Yagura Turret

Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret 旧二の丸隅櫓

Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret, one of two Edo-Era castle structures. 旧二の丸隅櫓

Inside Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret

Second floor of Kyu-Ninomaru Sumi-yagura Turret

Entrance to upper floor of Omotemon Gate

Inside upper floor of Omotemon Gate 表門

View from upper floor of Omotemon Gate 表門

Across from the Omotemon Gate is a small park with a statue of Hirobe Yasubei who was from Shibata and one of the 47 ronin (masterless samurai) who avenged his master Lord Asano of Ako, dramatized in Chushingura.

Statue of Horibe Yasubei (1670-1703). He looks toward Edo (Tokyo).

Horibe Yasubei was also a master swordsman. 堀部安兵衛

Shibata Castle Park map

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