CastleHilltop castle (hirayamajiro)Next 100 Fine Castles No. 169
What makes this castle distinctive
Stand on the keep's stone base and you can turn a full circle taking in Mt. Daisen, Lake Nakaumi, the Sea of Japan and the city of Yonago.
Why?
Yonago Castle placed its main enclosure on the top of Mt. Minato, a hill about 90 m high that juts into Lake Nakaumi. The buildings are gone, but the stone walls survive well, and from the keep site you can see mountains, sea, lake and city all at once. The city notes that on clear mornings around February 20 and October 22, the sun rises right over the summit of Mt. Daisen, a sight called "Diamond Daisen."[1][2]
The main tenshu base on the summit of Mt. Minato, in the main enclosure (honmaru)
What to look at
Mt. Daisen to the east, the Yumigahama peninsula and the Sea of Japan to the north, Lake Nakaumi and the Shimane Peninsula to the west, and the keep's foundation stones at your feet
Why it's interesting
A five-tiered keep (tenshu) once stood here. Only its foundation stones remain, but the view makes it obvious that the castle controlled both sea and land. The city notes that from mid-April to late August the sun sets across Lake Nakaumi, laying a path of light on the water on clear days.[1][2][3]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideOpen at any time (bring a light at night, as there are no street lamps). There is a shelter and benches on top.
The tightly fitted, squared stones of the kirikomi-hagi masonry, and the "forgotten stone" set in the corner
Why it's interesting
Yonago had two keeps: the five-tiered main keep and a four-story secondary keep called the Shiju Yagura (four-story turret). Its stone base was repaired late in the Edo period; according to the city, a wealthy local merchant family, the Kashima, paid for a major repair in 1852.[1][2]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideFreely visible from outside. Do not climb the walls.
The ridge from Naizen-maru, in the north, up to the lookout turret site in the main enclosure
What to look at
A wall that runs straight up the slope from bottom to top
Why it's interesting
A nobori-ishigaki (climbing wall) runs up a slope to stop attackers from moving sideways across the hill. At Yonago it formed the defensive line on the Lake Nakaumi side. From the lookout turret site at its top you look down on the lake, and turning around you see the keep base towering above.[2]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideVisible from the paths in the castle grounds.
At a glance for visitors
Nearest station
15 min walk from JR Yonago Station
Climb
Some climbing
Time neededEditors' estimate
Allow 1 to 1.5 hours to climb from the Masugata to the keep site, look around and come back down.
Admission
Free
Hours
8:30–17:00
Access
Open to visitors
The castle grounds are open to walk at any time, including at night (no street lamps). Cars cannot drive up. On October 2, 2026 (October 5 if it rains), part of the trail is closed all day for moving felled trees, with a detour.
Yonago Castle was built on Mt. Minato (about 90 m) and Mt. Ii (about 60 m), two hills that jut into Lake Nakaumi. A stone-walled main enclosure crowned the summit, the government office stood in the second enclosure at the foot, and rice storehouses filled the third enclosure. Moats fed by the lake surrounded it all, and an enclosure (kuruwa) for the lord's navy faced the Fukaura inlet.[1][4]
02
Historical record
Begun by Kikkawa, finished by Nakamura
Tradition says a small fort stood on Mt. Ii by the 1470s. Full construction on Mt. Minato began in 1591 under Kikkawa Hiroie, a member of the Mori clan. After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, however, Hiroie was moved to Iwakuni, and a record says the work was only about 70% done. Nakamura Kazutada, the new lord of Hoki province, finished the castle around 1602.[1][4]
03
Historical record
Spared by the one-castle rule
Nakamura Kazutada died suddenly in 1609 at the age of 20, and his line ended. Kato Sadayasu and then Ikeda Yoshiyuki followed as lords. When the shogunate issued its "one province, one castle" rule in 1615, Yonago was allowed to stay, and from 1632 the Arao family, senior retainers of the Tottori domain, held the castle for generations until the Meiji era.[1]
04
Historical record
Buildings sold, walls left
In the Meiji era the castle was sold off; most of its buildings were sold in 1873 and torn down a few years later. The moats of the third enclosure were filled in and built over, but the stone walls on the hill still look much as they did in the Edo period.[1][4]
05
Historical record
Excavation and restoration
The main and second enclosures were made a National Historic Site in 2006, and in 2021 part of the third enclosure, a former baseball ground, was added. Excavations in 2015 found a previously unknown enclosure jutting out southwest of the main enclosure. The third enclosure has been landscaped as a lawn plaza that protects the building remains underground, and it opens in October 2026.[1][2][4][7]
The castle had a five-tiered keep and a four-story secondary keep (Shiju Yagura), both torn down in the Meiji era. Their stone bases and foundation stones remain.
The site today
A castle-ruin park with stone walls surviving in the main enclosure, Naizen-maru, the second enclosure and elsewhere on Mt. Minato. The third enclosure's moats were filled in and built over; part of it was landscaped as a lawn plaza in 2026.
Main buildings
Lost
Main keep (tenshu)
Five tiers. Torn down in the Meiji era; the base and foundation stones remain.[1][4]
Lost
Shiju Yagura (secondary keep)
Repaired with its base in 1852; torn down in the Meiji era, leaving the stone base.[1][2]
Original, relocated
Former Ohara family nagaya gate
The gate of the Ohara family, retainers of the Arao, moved from the castle town into the second enclosure.[2]
Key facts
Type
Castle
Setting
Hilltop castle (hirayamajiro)built on a low hill rising from the plainEditorial article
Period
Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu)
Keep lostthe castle had a keep, but it no longer stands (its stone base may remain)Editorial article
Built by
Kikkawa Hiroie, Yamana clanJapan Castle Foundation
Stone walls, Fortified gateways (koguchi), Vertical moats (tatebori), Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Keep base (tenshudai), GatesEditorial article
Designation
National Historic Site (Yonago Castle ruins) (2006)Editorial article
Selection
Next 100 Fine Castles No. 169Japan Castle Foundation
Visiting
Access
Open to visitors
The castle grounds are open to walk at any time, including at night (no street lamps). Cars cannot drive up. On October 2, 2026 (October 5 if it rains), part of the trail is closed all day for moving felled trees, with a detour.
JR Yonago StationJR San'in Line, Hakubi Line, Sakai Line
about 15 min walk · Some climbing
About 15 minutes on foot from the station to the Masugata entrance, then about 20 more minutes uphill on slopes and stone steps to the keep site. Alternatively, take the Dandan Bus History Course from stop 1 at the station bus terminal to "Yonago-jo-mae" and walk about 3 minutes to the Masugata.[3][6]
Sannomaru Parking (30 spaces including 3 accessible, 5 for buses; free, 24 hours) and Minatoyama Park Parking (about 100 spaces, free; 9:00–19:00 April–October, 9:00–17:00 November–March). About 10 minutes from the Yonago-Naka or Yonago-Nishi interchanges on the San'in Expressway. Sannomaru Parking is unavailable on October 17–18, 2026, when it hosts an event.[3][6][7]
Checked: 2026-10-04
Grounds opening hours
The grounds are open around the clock (bring a light at night).[3]Checked: 2026-10-04
Time neededEditors' estimate
Allow 1 to 1.5 hours to climb from the Masugata to the keep site, look around and come back down.
Steps, slopes and footing
About 20 minutes of slopes and stone steps from the Masugata to the top; the city says you can even climb it in a suit.[1][3]
Wheelchairs and strollers
Sannomaru Parking has 3 accessible spaces. Step-free access to the summit could not be confirmed.[6]Checked: 2026-10-04
Toilets and rest
Toilets are in Sannomaru Parking at the foot of the hill; there are none on the hill itself.[3]
English signs / audio guide
The official Yonago Castle website offers English, Korean and Chinese. English signage on site is not confirmed.[2]
Seasons
Cherry blossoms in spring. "Diamond Daisen" sunrises around February 20 and October 22; sunsets over Lake Nakaumi from mid-April to late August, with a path of light on the water in early-to-late May and late July to early August. Light-ups are held irregularly.[2][3]
Photography
The city says photography is free and you may post your photos on social media.[3]
Works, closures and restrictions
Sannomaru Plaza opening festival: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 17:00–21:00 (eve event) and Sunday, October 18, 10:00–15:00. Sannomaru Parking is closed on both days. The San'in Historical Museum closes for an extended period from November 1, 2026.[7][10]Checked: 2026-10-04
Suggested routes
Two-hour walk through the old castle town 120 min
Site of Yabune Bridge, one of seven bridges over the outer moat
Teppo Koji lane
The old Kamo River, with 75 small bridges in about 200 m
Teramachi-dori, lined with nine temples
Myokoji temple, grave of senior retainer Yokota Naizen
Kyobashi, the oldest bridge over the outer moat
Goto family house, a merchant shipper's home and Important Cultural Property
Storehouses near Tenjin Bridge
Key stops taken from the 18 "castle town spots" on the official website; the time is the site's own figure and does not include the castle hill.
A 1930 Western-style building displaying the Shiju Yagura's roof ornaments (shachi), a model of the keep and more; the castle stamp is also here. Open 9:30–18:00; closed Tuesdays, the day after national holidays and over the New Year; permanent exhibits free. After a castle feature exhibition (October 4–31), it closes for an extended period from November 1, 2026.[10][9][11]
Checked: 2026-10-04
Editors' guide
An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.
Who will enjoy it
Good for view lovers, stone-wall enthusiasts and anyone who wants a taste of a hilltop castle in a short time. It is walkable from the station, so no car is needed.
What makes it interesting
Stand on the main keep base and turn a full circle: Daisen, Nakaumi, the sea and the city. Next door, compare the precisely cut late-Edo stonework of the Shiju Yagura base. Then look up from Naizen-maru at the climbing wall and the keep base to see how the castle was defended.
Before you go
There are no toilets on the hill, so use the ones at Sannomaru Parking first. There are no coin lockers either, so leave big bags at the station or your hotel. Restoration work sometimes closes paths, so check the official website before you go.
Ways to enjoy it
Climb in the late afternoon to watch the sun set over Lake Nakaumi (bring a light for the walk down). Afterward, stroll the old castle town with its moat bridges, temple street and merchant houses to see how the castle and town fit together.
Photos
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Open questions
The fort's origin on Mt. Ii around 1467 under the Yamana is a tradition; the first written mention of Yonago Castle dates from 1470.
Completion "around 1602" is based on tradition; the exact year is unknown.
Whether the outdoor stamp at the San'in Historical Museum stays available after the museum closes, and the days the Sannomaru guardhouse is closed, could not be confirmed.
Step-free access to the summit and English signage on site could not be confirmed.
ReggaemanCC BY-SA 3.0Wikimedia Commons
