From the first forts to the rebuilt keeps
Where the castles came from, the great building years, the long peace, and what happened to the castles after 1868.
Jump to: The first castles | Hideyoshi and Osaka | The great building years | The Edo period | After 1868 | The 20th century | Repairs and rebuilding today | For teachers
The first castles
JNTO’s World Heritage page says the castle was first established in 1346. JNTO: Himeji Castle (UNESCO) JNTO’s Himeji page says the first fortifications were built sometime in the 1400s. JNTO: Himeji Castle
JNTO says the Bitchu Matsuyama complex dates back to 1240. JNTO: Discover Japan’s Twelve Original Castles
JNTO says the Ideta clan laid the first foundations of the castle in 1467. JNTO: Kumamoto Castle
The castle’s history begins in 1504, when Shimadachi Sadanaga built Fukashi Castle on the site. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle Ogasawara Sadayoshi took back the castle and gave the area a new name: Matsumoto. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle
JNTO’s leaflet says Inuyama Castle was built in 1537. JNTO: Castles in Japan (Tourist Information Center leaflet, April 2024)
Oda Nobunaga lived in an older castle on the site until 1555. Nagoya Castle official website: Nagoya Castle
Hideyoshi and Osaka
Toyotomi Hideyoshi began building Osaka Castle in 1583, on the site of the Ishiyama Honganji temple. Osaka Castle Museum: English leaflet (April 2019) Hideyoshi’s first tower was decorated with gilded tiles. Japan Tourism Agency: Osaka Castle Main Tower
JNTO says Hideyoshi is known as the “Napoleon of Japan”. JNTO: Osaka Castle
Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a full-scale castle wall that became the base for today’s castle. JNTO: Himeji Castle (UNESCO)
Marugame Castle’s history dates back to 1587. JNTO: Discover Japan’s Twelve Original Castles
Matsumoto Castle’s website says the towering castle was built in 1594. Matsumoto Castle official website: About Matsumoto Castle Matsumoto City’s view is that the Ishikawa father and son built the keep, the Inui keep and Watari Tower in 1593 to 1594. Matsumoto Castle official website: The Keep and Its Structure
Matsumoto Castle is said to be one of the castles built to surround and watch Edo Castle, Tokugawa Ieyasu’s base. Japan Tourism Agency: Key Features of Matsumoto Castle
Our sources give Hideyoshi’s birth year differently: see when sources disagree.
The great building years
Kumamoto Castle as we see it was completed in 1607 by Kato Kiyomasa, its first daimyo. Kumamoto Castle official website: History Kato Kiyomasa lived from 1562 to 1611 and arrived in Higo Province at the age of 27. Kumamoto Castle official website: History
JNTO says the present castle was completed in 1609, under the daimyo Ikeda Terumasa. JNTO: Himeji Castle At the start of the Edo period the castle was renovated over nine years. JNTO: Himeji Castle (UNESCO)
Building began on Nagoya Castle in 1610, for Tokugawa Ieyasu’s ninth son, Yoshinao. Nagoya Castle official website: History The tower keeps and watchtowers were completed in 1612. Nagoya Castle official website: History
The people of Kiyosu were moved to the new castle town of Nagoya, which was complete by 1613. Nagoya Castle official website: History The wall stones carry the marks of the 20 daimyo who were ordered to build the castle. Nagoya Castle official website: Nagoya Castle
The largest stone is called the Kiyomasa Stone; legend says Kato Kiyomasa brought it to Nagoya. Nagoya Castle official website: Nagoya Castle
Matsue Castle was finished in 1611. JNTO: Matsue Castle JNTO says Hirosaki Castle was first built in 1611 by Nobuhira of the Tsugaru clan. JNTO: Discover Japan’s Twelve Original Castles
After Hideyoshi’s death, the castle fell in the Summer War in Osaka in 1615. Osaka Castle Museum: English leaflet (April 2019) Hideyoshi’s tower stood for just 30 years before it was burnt down in 1615. Japan Tourism Agency: Osaka Castle Main Tower
The Hommaru Palace was completed in 1615. Nagoya Castle official website: History
Rebuilding began in 1620, on the orders of the second shogun, Hidetada, and took 10 years. Osaka Castle Museum: English leaflet (April 2019) The second tower was finished in 1626 and burnt down after a lightning strike in 1665. Japan Tourism Agency: Osaka Castle Main Tower
Hikone Castle took 20 years to complete, and has stood for 400 years without significant damage. JNTO: Hikone Castle
The Edo period
Hikone was home to the Ii family of lords from 1622 until the feudal era ended in 1867. JNTO: Hikone Castle JNTO says the Hosokawa clan took charge in 1632 and ruled for more than 200 years. JNTO: Kumamoto Castle
In the Edo period, 23 lords from six families ruled Matsumoto Castle. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle
Matsudaira Naomasa built the Southeast Wing and the Moon-Viewing Tower after 1633. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle About 40 years later, in peaceful times, two towers were added with almost no defences. Matsumoto Castle official website: The Keep and Its Structure
Hirosaki’s keep was first a five-storey tower; it was struck by lightning and burnt down in 1627. JNTO: Hirosaki Castle In 1665 the main tower was destroyed by lightning. Osaka Castle Museum: English leaflet (April 2019)
After that, Osaka Castle stood without a main tower for more than two and a half centuries. Japan Tourism Agency: Osaka Castle Main Tower
In 1727 the Honmaru Goten palace burnt down. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle JNTO’s leaflet says Kochi Castle’s tower was rebuilt in 1749, after a fire. JNTO: Castles in Japan (Tourist Information Center leaflet, April 2024)
The keep standing today was rebuilt in 1811 as a three-storey tower. JNTO: Hirosaki Castle In Tohoku, Hirosaki is the only castle that was built during the Edo period, says JNTO. JNTO: Hirosaki Castle
In 1854 a powerful earthquake damaged many buildings at the castle and in the town. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle
Uwajima Castle was ruled by the Date clan, whose history in Uwajima spans 400 years. JNTO: Discover Japan’s Twelve Original Castles
Our sources end the Edo period in 1867 or 1868: see when sources disagree.
After 1868
The castle was the centre of a feudal domain for almost three centuries, until 1868, when the Shogun fell. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Himeji-jo JNTO says almost all Japan’s castles were taken down after 1868, when samurai rule ended, or lost in the Second World War. JNTO: Discover Japan’s Twelve Original Castles
It was nearly torn down in the Meiji era and was saved by local people. Matsumoto Castle official website: About Matsumoto Castle To raise money, a local society charged visitors to enter the Great Keep. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle
In autumn 1870, ordinary citizens were allowed through the castle gates for the first time. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle From 1876 the moats were filled in bit by bit; in 1997 work began to restore part of the outer moat. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Middle School stood in the castle’s second bailey until 1935. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle
In 1877 the castle withstood a fifty-day siege: 3,500 soldiers inside against a Satsuma army of 13,000. Kumamoto Castle official website: History In 1877 the main tower and the Honmaru Goten palace burnt down; the cause is still not known. Kumamoto Castle official website: History
The ginkgo burnt in the 1877 fire; today’s tree grew from a seedling planted afterwards. Kumamoto Castle official website: History
In 1882, fire destroyed the castle lord’s living quarters. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Himeji-jo
Inuyama was given back to its original owners in 1895, on condition that they repair damage from an 1891 earthquake. JNTO: Inuyama Castle
The 20th century
Matsumoto Castle was named a National Historic Site in 1930. Matsumoto Castle official website: History of Matsumoto Castle In 1930 the tower keeps, the Hommaru Palace and 24 structures were named National Treasures. Nagoya Castle official website: History
Nagoya’s keep was the first castle to be named a National Treasure, in 1930, says the castle’s website. Nagoya Castle official website: Tower Keep Restoration
In 1931, public efforts brought about the rebuilding of the main tower. Osaka Castle Museum: English leaflet (April 2019) The 1931 tower was paid for by public donations. Japan Tourism Agency: Osaka Castle Main Tower
The Japan Tourism Agency says today’s tower, built in 1931, is the third main tower on the site. Japan Tourism Agency: Osaka Castle Main Tower
Conservation projects at Himeji-jo have been carried out since 1934. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Himeji-jo
The castle buildings were named National Treasures on 20 April 1936. Matsumoto Castle official website: The Keep and Its Structure
Nagoya Castle was destroyed by firebombing in an air raid in 1945. Nagoya Castle official website: History Many of the palace’s painted panels were stored in the Nogi-soko storehouse during the war, and so were saved. Nagoya Castle official website: Nagoya Castle
Himeji was spared from damage during the Second World War. JNTO: Himeji Castle (UNESCO)
Maruoka Castle, the “mist castle”, was levelled by the Fukui earthquake of 1948 and put back together using eighty percent of its original materials. JNTO: Discover Japan’s Twelve Original Castles
After the war they were named National Treasures again, on 29 March 1950, says the castle’s website. Matsumoto Castle official website: The Keep and Its Structure The Japan Tourism Agency says Matsumoto was redesignated a National Treasure in 1952. Japan Tourism Agency: Key Features of Matsumoto Castle
In 1952 Nagoya Castle was named a Special National Historic Site. Nagoya Castle official website: Tower Keep Restoration
The castle towers were rebuilt in 1959. Nagoya Castle official website: History
In 1960 the castle towers were rebuilt in steel-framed reinforced concrete, paid for by Kumamoto citizens. Kumamoto Castle official website: History The rebuilt towers copied early Meiji photographs, down to the number of roof tiles. Kumamoto Castle official website: History
JNTO’s leaflet says Himeji was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1993. JNTO: Castles in Japan (Tourist Information Center leaflet, April 2024)
The main tower became a Registered Cultural Property of Japan in 1997. Osaka Castle Museum: English leaflet (April 2019)
Repairs and rebuilding today
Until 2004, Inuyama was the only privately owned castle in Japan. JNTO: Discover Japan’s Twelve Original Castles
For the castle’s 400th anniversary in 2007, the Honmaru Goten Great Hall was rebuilt. Kumamoto Castle official website: History JNTO says a decade of restorations finished in 2008. JNTO: Kumamoto Castle
After a five-year project that began in 2010, the castle fully reopened on 27 March 2015. JNTO: Himeji Castle JNTO’s leaflet says Matsue was built in 1611 and named a National Treasure in 2015. JNTO: Castles in Japan (Tourist Information Center leaflet, April 2024)
The 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake damaged the castle. Kumamoto Castle official website: History JNTO says almost a third of Kumamoto’s castle walls were damaged in 2016, and 10 percent collapsed completely. JNTO: Kumamoto Castle
In 2016 the stone wall under one turret crumbled, but its corner stones held it up: the “miracle stone pillar”. Kumamoto Castle official website: About Kumamoto Castle In the 2016 earthquake, tiles and the shachihoko, a half-tiger, half-fish roof ornament, fell from the top of the castle. Kumamoto Castle official website: About Kumamoto Castle
JNTO says the restoration was estimated to take twenty years, putting each boulder back in the right order. JNTO: Kumamoto Castle The main tower was fully restored by March 2021, as a symbol of recovery. Kumamoto Castle official website: History
Work to restore the Hommaru Palace began in 2009 and finished in 2018. Nagoya Castle official website: History
After 60 years, the 1959 concrete keeps were closed because of ageing and earthquake-resistance problems. Nagoya Castle official website: Tower Keep Restoration Nagoya City is planning to rebuild the tower keeps; its website describes a wooden restoration project. Nagoya Castle official website: Tower Keep Restoration
For teachers: where this fits
At KS2, the non-European society is one study chosen from early Islamic civilisation, Mayan civilisation or Benin; Japan is not one of the options. Department for Education: National curriculum in England, history programmes of study
At KS3, pupils should make at least one study of a significant society or issue in world history and its links with other world developments. Department for Education: National curriculum in England, history programmes of study The KS3 examples are given “for example”: Mughal India 1526 to 1857, China’s Qing dynasty 1644 to 1911, changing Russian empires and the USA in the 20th century. Department for Education: National curriculum in England, history programmes of study
The curriculum names concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance. Department for Education: National curriculum in England, history programmes of study
Our sources give dates and totals in different ways, and some disagree by a year or count different groups of towers. We copy each figure as its source gives it, rather than converting, so every figure matches its link. Every fact was checked against its source on the date shown on the sources page. See when sources disagree for the open questions side by side.
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