Most viewed - Wakayama Castle 和歌山城 |
Wakayama Castle is a short bus ride from JR Wakayama Station. The East Moat (東堀) is what you see when you get off at the Koen-mae bus stop. The Ichinohashi Bridge at Otemon Gate is on the right.485 views
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Map of Wakayama Castle.290 views
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Wakayama Castle as seen from Inui Turret. 253 views
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Cherry blossoms and Wakayama Castle tower.246 views
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Wakayama Castle's main castle tower is connected to a corridor leading to two other turrets. On the left is the entrance to this castle tower complex (tenshu-kuruwa 天守郭).242 views
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Wakayama Castle226 views
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221 views
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Sakura along the east moat.192 views
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Ichinohashi Bridge (一の橋) leading to Otemon Gate (大手門) is the main entrance to the Wakayama Castle, open 9 am - 5:30 pm. Closed Dec. 29-31. Both the bridge and gate were reconstructed in 1983.166 views
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Wakayama Castle is famous for cherry blossoms in early April. I visited when it was in full bloom. 158 views
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Path to Omotezaka entrance.158 views
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Wakayama Castle tower was destroyed again by World War II bombing on July 9, 1945. It was reconstructed in ferro-concrete in Oct. 1958.153 views
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A partial maze to make it harder for any attackers to enter the castle. 一中門跡144 views
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The Ura-zaka sloping path to the castle tower is a mild climb up.141 views
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Sakura near Okaguchi-mon Gate.141 views
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In 1619, Tokugawa Yorinobu, Ieyasu's 10th son, became the castle lord establishing the Kii clan, one of three key Tokugawa Gosanke clans (along with Owari and Mito).140 views
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140 views
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Almost to the castle tower.138 views
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Wakayama Castle in April.138 views
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Wakayama Castle's Ohashiroka Bridge is a covered corridor connecting Ninomaru and Nishinomaru. Only the castle lord's immediate attendants could cross the bridge, and so it was completely covered. 御橋廊下137 views
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Castle tower overlooks Ninomaru.136 views
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Wakayama Castle is noted for various styles of castle wall. 野面積み136 views
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Kusunoki-mon Gate (front side), reconstructed in 1950. This gate was lost along with the castle tower in July 1945. 楠門136 views
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Entrance to Ura-zaka Nobori-guchi sloping path to the tenshukaku castle tower (donjon). 裏坂登り口135 views
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135 views
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135 views
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Wakayama Castle is on 48.9-meter-high Mt. Torafusu (虎伏) which resembles a tiger lying on its side when seen from the ocean. The castle is also called Torafusu-jo (lying tiger castle). This tiger statue was created in 1959.133 views
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Ninomaru Garden is full of cherries. The Ninomaru was the site of the castle palace where the lord and his ladies resided. 二の丸庭園132 views
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Steps up to the castle tower.132 views
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Samurai armor, etc., are displayed.132 views
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Model of Wakayama Castle132 views
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Castle foundation wall131 views
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The 50-year-old castle tower is in need of a paint job.131 views
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The castle tower is in need of a paint job.131 views
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Steps tp Kusunoki-mon Gate.131 views
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Oimawashimon Gate. Renovated in 1985. 追廻門131 views
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Tree growing on castle wall.130 views
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Castle tower entrance roof has a Chinese cusped gable (karahafu). 唐破風130 views
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Wakayama Castle tower is now a modern museum with three stories.129 views
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Inui Turret 乾櫓129 views
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Stairs to Inui Turret. 129 views
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View of Wakayama castle tower from Inui Turret.129 views
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Inside Inui Turret 乾櫓129 views
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Wakayama Castle tower was struck by lightning in 1846 and destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in 1850 by special permission from the shogunate which normally did not allow castles to be rebuilt.128 views
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128 views
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Pistol128 views
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Inside Wakayama Castle tower, a museum.128 views
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Entrance to Ohashiroka Bridge which was completed in April 2006. Free admission.128 views
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Okaguchi-mon Gate, seen from the outside. In 1960, it was disassembled and repaired.128 views
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Finally we see the main castle tower amid cherry blossoms.127 views
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Entrance to the castle tower complex is via this gate called Kusunoki-mon. 楠門127 views
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Wakayama Castle tower (donjon) and cherry blossoms.127 views
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Kusunoki-mon 楠門127 views
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Wakayama Castle tower (donjon).127 views
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Inui Turret127 views
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View from inside Ohashiroka Bridge, looking toward the North Moat.127 views
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Site of Ichinomon Gate. 一の門跡126 views
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Top floor of Wakayama Castle tower with a nice balcony for fine views of Wakayama.126 views
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On the lookout deck of Wakayama Castle, looking toward Kusunoki Gate and Ninomon Turret.126 views
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Inside Ninomon Turret, totally modern with hardly any views. Caged windows do not help at all. 二の門櫓126 views
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Corridor leading to Inui Turret.126 views
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Tree growing on castle stone foundation.126 views
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Castle tower stone foundation wall.125 views
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Looking toward Inui Turret125 views
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The Ohashiroka Bridge is made of wood with a slight slope. It is a rare castle structure. 御橋廊下125 views
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Path to Okaguchi-mon Gate, the castle's back entrance built by Tokugawa Yorinobu.125 views
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Wakayama Castle was originally built in 1585 by Toyotomi Hidenaga upon the order of elder brother Hideyoshi. The construction was directed by renown castle architect Lord Todo Takatora, native of Omi (Shiga Prefecture).124 views
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Cherries droop over a castle wall.124 views
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Stairs to Ninomon Turret.124 views
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124 views
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Cherry blossoms on the way to the castle tower.123 views
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Lookimg toward Omotemon Gate.123 views
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Markings can be found on the stones.123 views
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From the North Moat, we see the Ohashiroka Bridge which was completed in April 2006.123 views
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View from inside Ohashiroka Bridge, looking toward the castle tower.123 views
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Nishinomaru Teien Garden was originally built by Tokugawa Yorinobu. Renovated in 1973. Noted for maple leaves in fall, a pond, and a floating pavilion called the Engyokaku (鳶魚閣) (left).123 views
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Okaguchi-mon Gate, an Important Cultural Property. One of the few structures still remaining from the Edo Period. 岡口門123 views
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Panoramic view of cherry blossoms and Okaguchi-mon Gate.123 views
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Cherry blossoms as seen from Okaguchi-mon Gate.123 views
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Stone foundation wall of the castle tower.122 views
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Castle tower exit122 views
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Portrait of Tokugawa Yorinobu. His descendants went on to produce six Tokugawa shoguns: Yoshimune, Ieshige, Ieharu, Ienari, Ieyoshi, and Iemochi (Yoshitomi).122 views
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Corridor to Ninomon Turret. The corridor is connected to the main castle tower (donjon).122 views
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122 views
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The final corridor leads to the exit.122 views
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Wakayama Castle122 views
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Inside Ohashiroka Bridge. The floor has planks of wood whose edges are kind of painful for bare feet. (You have to take off your shoes to enter.)122 views
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Ninomaru122 views
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Inside the Engyokaku pavilion (no entry).122 views
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Entrance to Nishinomaru Teien Garden. Also called Momijidani Teien Garden.122 views
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From the lookout deck of Wakayama Castle, you can see the connected corridors leading to the two turrets.121 views
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Portrait of Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune who was from Wakayama.121 views
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Wakayama Castle's Ohashiroka Bridge and the castle tower. The bridge is a corridor connecting Ninomaru and Nishinomaru. 御橋廊下121 views
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120 views
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120 views
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120 views
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Ohashiroka Bridge entrance on the other end.120 views
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Kusunoki-mon (back side) 楠門119 views
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Inui Turret and cherry blossoms. 乾櫓119 views
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Basement steps119 views
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North Moat 北堀119 views
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Wakayama Castle marker outside Okaguchi-mon Gate.119 views
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Wakayama's industrial complex in the distance.118 views
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118 views
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Nishinomaru Teien Garden 118 views
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Nishinomaru Teien Garden pond. The garden is a National Scenic Place.118 views
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Wakayama Castle tower and Kusunoki-mon Gate.117 views
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Looking toward Inui Turret117 views
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117 views
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117 views
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Okaguchi-mon Gate and cherry blossoms. This part of the castle has the heaviest concentration of sakura.117 views
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Omote-zaka steps to the castle tower.116 views
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Wakayama Castle as seen from inside the tower complex.115 views
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