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Odawara Castle was the home of the Hojo Clan from the 15th to 16th centuries during the feudal era. A short walk from Odawara Station. Tourist sign board after you get out of Odawara station.
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From Odawara, the Hojo Clan controlled much of the Kanto (Tokyo) area before they were defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590. Odawara Castle can be seen from the station.
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Odawara Castle as seen from the station.
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Went to Odawara Castle.
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Entering Odawara Castle Park.
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What used to be a baseball diamond is now an archaeological site.
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They think that this is the remains of the castle palace.
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Map of Odawara Castle.
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Odawara Castle. I went on an overcast day in late March 2013, but the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
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Odawara Castle main tower (donjon) reconstructed in 1960. Inside is a modern local samurai history museum.
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Odawara Castle Honmaru keep.
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Odawara Castle, Kanagawa Prefecture
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Go up these stairs to enter the main Castle tower.
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View from the steps.
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Photography is not allowed inside the museum.
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Inside the top floor of the castle tower is a souvenir shop and lookout veranda.
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Unfortunately the lookout deck outside has this high fence blocking your view.
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It's hard to take pictures with the fence obstructing the view.
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View of Manazuru Penninsula.
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View from Odawara Castle's lookout deck.
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Odawara Station as seen the castle.
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Steps going down from the castle tower.
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Map of castle park. It's quite large.
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Odawara Castle has this one little picnic spot nearby.
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Children's amusement park near the castle tower.
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Cherry Blossom flavored ice cream for 300 yen. Wasn't worth it.
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They used to be an elephant cage here.
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Now they only have a monkey cage.
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For a small fee, you can rent a traditional Japanese costume.
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This is where you can rent a kimono or samurai costume.
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These are all boys dressed in women's kimono. In recent years, it's common for women to wear a samurai costume.
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Tokiwagi Gate
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About Tokiwagi Gate
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Other side of Tokiwagi Gate
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Tokiwagi Gate
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About Tokiwagi Gate.
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Steps going to Tokiwagi Gate.
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Near Tokiwagi Gate.
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Honmaru East moat, now filled in.
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About the Honmaru East moat.
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Lotus in this moat.
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About lotus species here.
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Wisteria trellis
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About the wisteria
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Komine-bashi Bridge
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About Komine-bashi Bridge
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A guard house was here for the Southern Gate.
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About the guard house.
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Modern museum
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During cherry blossom season, food stalls operate.
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Stone marker indicating that Emperor Meiji visited here.
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Akagane-mon Gate, reconstructed in 1997.
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Akagane-mon Gate
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Akagane-mon Gate
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Akagane-mon Gate
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About the Akagane-mon Gate.
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This is the old public library, now used as a tourist information office.
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About Odawara Castle.
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Odawara Castle's moats are lined with numerous cherry trees.
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Too bad there wasn't any blue sky when I was there.
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A vermillion bridge nicely compliments the moat and cherry blossoms.
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At the corner of the most you can rent rowboats here.
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You can rent a rowboat for ¥500 per 30 minutes.
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About the Ninomaru East Moat
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National Historic Site for the location of the castle's earthen wall along the moat.
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About the earthen wall site.
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A short walk away is this little arcade.
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I'm heading for the gravesite of the Hojo clan.
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Gravesite of the Hojo Clan.
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About the Gravesite of the Hojo Clan.
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Good luck bells greet you at the gravesite.
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About the good luck bells.
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Hojo clan gravesite in Odawara. At the center are two small grave stones. The left one is for Hojo Ujiteru, and the right one is Hojo Ujimasa (they are brothers). The large gravestone on the right is for Ujimasa's wife.
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Identification of the Hojo Clan graves.
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Odawara manhole showing Odawara Castle.
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