Mōri clan | Japan Castle Atlas

The main enclosure, with the original Edo-period keep at the back right and turrets, gates and walls rebuilt in 1997 in front. Photographed in 2026.

In-depth article

Takahashi, Okayama

Bitchū Matsuyama Castle

備中松山城

Of the 12 original Edo-period keeps left in Japan, this is the only one that stands on a mountaintop.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 68CastleMountain

高梁浩洋CC0Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Hiroshima

Hiroshima Castle

広島城

The keep felled by the atomic bomb was rebuilt in concrete as a symbol of recovery. In 2026 that keep closed its doors, and the city is now studying a rebuild in wood.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 73CastleFlatland

ノボホショコロトソCC BY 4.0Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Nagano, Nagano

Matsushiro Castle

松代城

Takeda Shingen built it as his front line in the Kawanakajima wars, and the Sanada family later lived here for 250 years.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 24CastleFlatland

baku13CC BY-SA 2.1 jpWikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: wikipedia

In-depth article

Tsuyama, Okayama

Tsuyama Castle

津山城

Only one turret stands today, yet the three tiers of stone walls wrapping an entire hill still show how big this castle was.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 67CastleHilltop

663highlandCC BY 2.5Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Hagi, Yamaguchi

Hagi Castle

萩城

The keep is gone, but its stone base, flaring out like an open fan, still reflects in the moat in front of Mt. Shizuki, a hill jutting into the sea.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 75CastleHilltop

renfield kurodaCC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Akō, Hyogo

Akō Castle

赤穂城

In the main enclosure, the floor plan of the palace where Oishi Kuranosuke and the Ako retainers of the Chushingura story gathered is laid out on the ground.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 60CastleFlatland

663highlandCC BY 2.5Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Yasugi, Shimane

Gassantoda Castle

月山富田城

From the lord's mid-slope palace to the summit runs a single steep switchback, Nanamagari, climbed under fire from above: the defenses of the Amago clan's impregnable mountain castle.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 65CastleMountain

MonadoCC BY-SA 2.5Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Akitakata, Hiroshima

Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle

郡山城

Mori Motonari turned an entire mountain into a castle, and ruled from its summit until the day he died.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 72CastleMountain

TT mk2CC BY-SA 3.0Wikimedia Commons

BuiltRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Akitakata, Hiroshima

Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle

郡山城

Mori Motonari turned an entire mountain into a castle, and ruled from its summit until the day he died.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 72CastleMountain

TT mk2CC BY-SA 3.0Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Ina, Nagano

Takatō Castle

高遠城

A castle site with no keep and no tall stone walls, filled instead with 1,500 cherry trees of a single variety.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 28CastleHilltop

MaedaAkihikoCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: wikipedia

Stone walls on a hilltop enclosure, with the surrounding mountains, June 2009. Iwamura Castle sits on a 717 m peak.

In-depth article

Ena, Gifu

Iwamura Castle

岩村城

On a 717-meter mountain, tiers of stone walls with no buildings left on them climb through the forest.

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 47CastleMountain

takami toraoPublic domainWikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: wikipedia

In-depth article

Kurume, Fukuoka

Kurume Castle

久留米城

On a hill where the Chikugo River makes a great bend, only the tall stone walls of the main enclosure remain to show the scale of the Arima family's 210,000-koku castle.

Next 100 Fine Castles No. 183CastleFlatland

上条ジョーPublic domainWikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Saiki, Oita

Saiki Castle

佐伯城

Climb Shiroyama, the hill in the middle of town, and a walled castle opens out on the summit above the Bungo Channel, while one Edo-period gate still stands at the foot.

Next 100 Fine Castles No. 192CastleMountain

MukaiCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

LordRecord source: jokaku

In-depth article

Fukuoka

Kokura Castle

小倉城

The top floor juts out wider than the floor below it. This karazukuri style was the hallmark of Hosokawa Tadaoki's keep, and the keep rebuilt in 1959 carries it on.

Next 100 Fine Castles No. 181CastleFlatland

SuicasmoCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

BuiltRecord source: wikipedia