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
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Kubota Castle
The founder of the castle is considered to be Satake Yoshinobu (1570–1633). Yoshinobu was one of the six great generals of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During the Odawara Campaign of 1590, he took part in the siege of Oshi Castle under the command of Ishida Mitsunari, with whom Yoshinobu developed a good relationship.
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Kavanhoe Castle
Kawanoe Castle is located on the small Wasi-yama hill near the port area of the Kawanoe district in the city of Shikokuchuo, occupying a central position along the northern coast of Shikoku Island. Kawanoe was also known as Butsuden Castle. The term “butsuden” in Japan refers to temple halls, and for this reason it is believed that a Buddhist temple once stood on the site before the castle was built. Due to its location at the junction of four provinces on Shikoku Island, Kawanoe held significant strategic importance and was repeatedly targeted by rival forces seeking military control over the region.
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Yokote Castle
The founder of the castle is considered to be the Onodera clan. The Onodera were originally a minor clan from Shimotsuke Province and served Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the founder of the first shogunate. The Onodera distinguished themselves in battle against the Fujiwara clan of the Ōshū branch and were rewarded with lands around Yokote. Around the 14th century, the Onodera moved to Yokote as their permanent residence. Their original stronghold was Numadate Castle, but after a series of clashes with the powerful Nambu clan, they relocated their base to the site of present-day Yokote Castle. It was likely during this time that the first fortifications appeared at the castle.
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Wakayama Castle
Wakayama Castle was built in 1585, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered his uterine brother, Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hidenaga, to construct a castle on the site of the recently captured Ota Castle. The purpose of this construction was to secure control over the likewise newly conquered Province of Kii. Following an already established tradition, Hidenaga entrusted the project to his castle-building expert, Todo Takatora. Takatora carefully inspected the future castle site, personally drew up several designs, created a model of the planned castle, and took part in the work of laying out the grounds (nawabari). For the construction he brought in more than 10,000 workers and completed the large-scale project within a single year, which was considered extremely fast by the standards of the time.
Toyama Castle
Toyama Castle is located almost in the very center of the former province of Etchū and is surrounded by a wide plain with a large number of rivers. The very first castle on the banks of the Jinzu River was built in 1543 by Jimbo Nagamoto. The Jimbo clan were vassals of the Hatakeyama clan and governed the western part of Etchū Province. The eastern part of the province belonged to their rivals, the Shiina clan, who were also Hatakeyama vassals. Beginning in the 15th century, the influence of the ancient Hatakeyama clan gradually weakened, and as a result, the Jimbo and the Shiina fought constant wars for control of the province. Meanwhile, the forces of the Ikkō-ikki movement periodically intervened, helping first one side and then the other.
Takada Castle
During the Sengoku period, the lands where Takada Castle would later be built were part of Echigo Province and were controlled by the Uesugi clan.
Kishiwada Castle
The celebrated 14th-century military commander Kusunoki Masashige (1294–1336), who owned extensive lands south of what is now the city of Osaka, ordered one of his vassals, Kishiwada Osamu, to build a fortified residence. This order was carried out around 1336. These fortifications became the first structures on the site of what would later become Kishiwada Castle. From the beginning, the castle stood in a strategically important location—roughly halfway between the cities of Wakayama and Osaka, south of the key port of Sakai. Because of this position, it changed hands several times during periods of warfare.
Kaminoyama Castle
Kamino-yama Castle stood at the center of an important logistics hub, in the middle of the Yonezawa Plain, which served as the gateway to the western part of the Tohoku region. Roads connecting the Aizu, Fukushima, and Yamagata areas intersected here.
