Odawara Castle, located in the city of Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is a reconstructed historical site with roots dating back to the Kamakura period (1185–1333). The current donjon (main keep) was rebuilt using reinforced concrete in 1960 on the stone foundation of the original structure, which was dismantled between 1870 and 1872 during the Meiji Restoration.
Odawara Castle has a long history, serving as a strategic stronghold during the Sengoku period. Initially fortified by the Doi clan in the Kamakura period, it later became the seat of power for the Odawara Hojo clan in 1495, after Ise Moritoki seized it from the Omori clan. Under the Hojo, the castle underwent significant expansion, transforming into a formidable fortress that withstood sieges from Uesugi Kenshin in 1561 and Takeda Shingen in 1569. In 1587, the Hojo further strengthened the castle in anticipation of conflict with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. However, during the Battle of Odawara in 1590, Hideyoshi successfully forced the Hojo to surrender through a combination of a three-month siege and psychological tactics, without launching a direct assault. Following this victory, Hideyoshi awarded the castle and surrounding lands to Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Tokugawa Ieyasu handed control of Odawara Castle to his retainer Okubo Tadayo, who reconstructed the castle on a smaller scale. Over the years, the castle was passed to several clans, including the Abe and Inaba, before the Okubo clan returned in 1686. The castle suffered extensive damage during major earthquakes in 1703, 1782, and 1853, but was rebuilt multiple times, including a restoration of the donjon in 1706.
During the Boshin War in the late 19th century, the castle's lord, Okubo Tadanori, allowed Imperial forces to pass through the region without resistance. After the war, the Meiji government ordered the destruction of feudal fortifications, and Odawara Castle was dismantled between 1870 and 1872. In the following years, the site was repurposed for various uses, including a Shinto shrine, the Odawara Imperial Villa, and later, a public park.
In 1938, the castle ruins were designated a National Historic Site, and further preservation efforts led to the reconstruction of two yagura (watchtowers) in 1934. Over the decades, more structures, such as the Tokiwagi Gate (1971), the Akagane Gate (1997), and the Umadashi Gate (2009), were restored to reflect the castle’s Edo-period layout.
Today, Odawara Castle Park features the reconstructed donjon, an art museum, a local history museum, a zoo, and various recreational facilities. The donjon was remodeled between 2015 and 2016 to enhance earthquake resistance, with the city donating all reopening-day entry fees to support Kumamoto Castle’s repairs following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. The castle remains a key cultural and historical landmark, listed among Japan's 100 Fine Castles in 2006.
See also
-
Nagoya Castle
Nagoya Castle, originally built by the Owari Domain in 1612 during the Edo period, stands on the site of an earlier Oda clan castle from the Sengoku period. It became the centerpiece of Nagoya-juku, a significant castle town on the Minoji road, which connected two major Edo Five Routes: the Tokaido and the Nakasendo. In 1930, ownership of the castle was transferred to the city by the Imperial Household Ministry, establishing it as the focal point of modern Nagoya. Although partially destroyed in the Pacific War in 1945, the castle has undergone continuous restoration and preservation efforts since 1957.
-
Matsushiro Castle
Matsushiro Castle, originally known as Kaizu Castle, is located in what was once Matsushiro town, now part of Nagano City. The site is recognized as a National Historic Site of Japan. Situated on the northern Shinano flatlands between the Chikuma River and a former riverbed that serves as a natural outer moat to the north, the castle and its surrounding town were prone to flooding due to their location.
-
Fushimi Castle
Fushimi Castle, also known as Momoyama Castle or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is located in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto. Originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1592 and 1594 as his retirement residence, the castle was destroyed by the 1596 Keichō–Fushimi earthquake and later rebuilt. However, it was demolished again in 1623, and its site now houses the tomb of Emperor Meiji. A replica of the castle was constructed nearby in 1964.
-
Shinpu Castle
Shinpu Castle was a Japanese hirayama-style fortress from the Sengoku period, situated in what is now Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture. It served as the main stronghold of warlord Takeda Katsuyori. Designated as a National Historic Site in 1973, the castle occupies a strategic position on a mountain with steep cliffs, overlooking the Kamanashi River to the west of Kofu, where Takeda Shingen’s Tsutsujigasaki Castle once stood.
-
Takato Castle
Takato Castle, located in the city of Ina in southern Nagano Prefecture, Japan, was a notable stronghold during the Sengoku period. By the end of the Edo period, it was the residence of a cadet branch of the Naito clan, the daimyo of the Takato Domain. Also known as Kabuto Castle, it was originally constructed in the 16th century and is now mostly in ruins.
-
Takatenjin Castle
Takatenjin Castle was a yamashiro-style fortress from Japan's Sengoku period, situated in the Kamihijikata and Shimohijikata districts of Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture. Designated a National Historic Site in 1975, with an expanded protected area in 2007, its ruins remain a significant historical landmark.
-
Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
-
Yamato Koriyama Castle
The impressive ruins of Koriyama Castle sit atop a small hill, surrounded by two rivers. The strategic positioning and strong layout of the castle served it well through the final years of the Sengoku period and the peaceful days of the Edo period.
