A comprehensive guide to the highlights of Okayama Castle, including the cafe inside the castle tower

Okayama Castle's main tower, which reopened after a major Reiwa renovation in 2022, has become a popular tourist spot, ranking fifth (※) in the nationwide castle visitor rankings.

• Table of contents
• What is Okayama Castle?
• Inside Okayama Castle's main tower (1st to 3rd floors)
• Inside Okayama Castle's main tower (4th to 6th floors)
• Experience the Sengoku and Edo periods in the experience corner
• Spots where you can take commemorative photos riding on horses or palanquins are also popular
• Enjoy a castle parfait at the cafe inside the castle tower
• Kinujojo Shoten (1st basement floor) offers a Toyotomi of Okayama souvenirs
• Anyone can rent out the castle tower
• You can experience Bizen Pottery at the castle
• Introducing the enthusiast's highlights
• Volunteer guides are also available
• Various events are held throughout the year
• Access to Okayama Castle
• Conclusion

What is Okayama Castle?

Okayama Castle was originally built by Ukita Naoie. His son Hideie, with the cooperation of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, completed the prototype of the current Okayama Castle. The castle tower, which was destroyed in a war disaster, was also completed at this time (around 1597), with a three-story exterior and six interior floors, and the exterior walls were covered with black boards, so it was also known as "Ujo (Crow Castle)(Crow Castle)." Later, under the successor lords Kobayakawa Hideaki and the Ikeda clan, the castle was gradually expanded and renovated to its current appearance. The exterior of the destroyed castle tower was restored in 1966, and was renewed in 2022 as part of the major Reiwa renovation.

Inside Okayama Castle's main tower (1st to 3rd floors)

The exterior has three floors, but the interior has seven floors, with the first floor being an experience photo corner called "Experience the Sengoku Period Picture Scroll," the second floor being themed around Ikeda Mitsumasa and Tsunamasa "Okayama in the Edo Period," and the third floor being "Each Sekigahara." On each floor, you can see exhibits and detailed explanations according to the theme.

Inside Okayama Castle's main tower (4th to 6th floors)

The fourth floor is dedicated to the Okayama Warring States period, with exhibits on "Ukita Naoie and Hideie," the fifth floor on "The Castle Town That Continues to the Present," and the sixth floor on "The Appearance of the Mogami ," the charm of Okayama Castle , the " Ujo (Crow Castle) Castle." On the first floor of the Shiogura building, there is a corner related to Okayama's ninjas, where you can also enjoy games. There is also the "Kinarasujo Shoten," where you can purchase Okayama souvenirs. The exhibits inside the castle tower are supervised by Professor Isoda Michifumi, a historian from Okayama City who is well known for his work in movies and television, and you can learn about the history of Okayama Castle while having fun.

Experience the Sengoku and Edo periods in the experience corner

At the experience corner on the first floor, you can try on princess and prince costumes for free, and you can also pick up swords and guns and feel their actual weight.

Spots where you can take commemorative photos riding on horses or palanquins are also popular

There are also spots where you can take commemorative photos while riding a horse or palanquin. Next to the palanquin is a replica of the toilets for the lords and princesses, and you can see the facilities based on historical accuracy.

Enjoy a castle parfait at the cafe inside the castle tower

On the first floor of the castle tower, you'll find Ujo (Crow Castle) Cafe, a rare cafe located inside the castle tower. The specialty is the "Castle Parfait," which changes with the seasons. You can enjoy melon parfaits, strawberry parfaits, and Okayama specialty Muscat parfaits and peach parfaits.

The parfait is topped with a castle-shaped monaka wafer. There is also the matcha-flavored "Ukita Parfait," which comes with a monaka wafer with the character "ko" (child), the emblem of the Ukita family. The peach parfait, available in the summer, is particularly highly acclaimed as an exquisite dish made with white peaches, a specialty of Okayama .

Kinujojo Shoten (1st basement floor) offers a Toyotomi of Okayama souvenirs

On the first basement floor, you'll find the Kinujojo Shoten, which has a wide selection of Okayama souvenirs. They stock a wide variety of products, from classic Okayama souvenirs like Kibi Dango , to Okayama-style products made with peaches, muscat grapes, and jeans, as well as local Okayama sake and beer, and original Okayama Castle merchandise. You can also purchase the popular castle seal here.

Anyone can rent out the castle tower

Okayama Castle offers a special service where you can rent the castle exclusively for the night for individuals or groups. This service has been used by many people since the castle reopened and has proven extremely popular. Prices are reasonable, and the castle is used for a variety of purposes, including weddings, various offline get-togethers, corporate and group meetings, ceremonies, and business entertainment. You can also eat and drink inside the castle tower, allowing you to enjoy the special space that only a private rental can provide.

You can experience Bizen Pottery at the castle

There is a Bizen Pottery workshop inside Ujo (Crow Castle) Park. Here, you can experience making small bowls, chopstick rests, square plates and more from clay using a potter's wheel. The experience takes about 30 minutes to an hour and is reasonably priced. Staff will provide thorough instruction, so even first-timers can enjoy the experience with peace of mind. Your creation will be fired in the workshop and delivered to you in approximately two months.

Okayama Castle Bizen Ware Workshop

700-0823 2-3-1 Marunouchi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture,...

Introducing the enthusiast's highlights

①The castle tower looks different depending on the direction

Okayama Castle main tower is a rare castle that looks completely different depending on the direction you view it from. From the square in front of the main tower or the Tsukimibashi direction leading to Okayama Korakuen Garden, which is where many people see it, it looks solid and stable, but when viewed from the east, it looks so slender and slim that it's hard to believe it's the same main tower. This is because the ground floor is not a square, but a scalene pentagon. If you take the Okayama Asahikawa Sightseeing Cruise, you can enjoy the view of Okayama Castle main tower from various angles.

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Ishigaki reappear for the first time in 100 years

A Ishigaki has been built along the moat on the west side of Okayama Castle 's Ninomaru bailey, but the Ishigaki inside the castle reappeared in 2023 for the first time in about 100 years. For unknown reasons, it had been filled in with earth during the Meiji period, but was discovered during excavations a few years ago, and repairs have been underway for the past three years. In this way, Okayama Castle is gradually regaining its former appearance.

3. Another existing turret other than the Tsukimi Turret

On the west side of the castle tower, in the middle section of the Okayama Castle, stands the three-story Tsukimi-yagura (Moon Viewing Tower), which escaped damage during the Okayama air raids. However, there is one other surviving turret at Okayama Castle. On the west side across the road from the former Okayama Civic Hall, in the former Nishinomaru (on the grounds of the former Uchisange Elementary School), stands the Nishinomaru Nishite-yagura (West Tower). Until a few years ago, it could only be seen from the east side, but since the apartment building in front of the turret was demolished, the west side of the turret can now be seen clearly from the Okayama Symphony Building side as well.

④Rengeseki, a power spot

It's not well known, but there's a power spot called Rengeishi at the top of the stone steps leading from Ninomaru to the Myobumon Gate. It's a stone carved with a lotus flower, and legend has it that if someone with a toothache prays there, the pain will be alleviated. However, according to a curator at Okayama Castle's main tower, although it's mentioned in the "Okayama Meisho Zue," it's difficult to pinpoint its exact location with current research.

⑤ Ishigaki from the Ukita era lie buried underground

On the steps inside the Honmaru where the Tsukimi Yagura Tower is located, there are two fenced-in staircases from which you can see the Ishigaki buried underground. These Ishigaki were built by Ukita Hideie when the castle was first built, and were discovered during excavations in 1993 after being buried during the expansion and renovation of Okayama Castle by the Ikeda family.

Volunteer guides are also available

The Okayama City Tourist Volunteer Information Center is located right next to the Okayama Castle tower. Volunteer guides wearing yellow-green hats and jackets from the Okayama City Tourist Volunteer Activities Liaison Committee (Okayama Momotaro Guide) will guide you around Okayama Castle for free. Regular guided tours are held four times a day (10:00, 11:30, 13:00, and 14:30) from 10:00 to 16:00. However, they are closed on the third Thursday of every month, during the New Year holidays (12/26-1/6), in August, on rainy days, on extremely hot days, and when a warning is issued.

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Various events are held throughout the year

Since its reopening, various events have been held within Okayama Castle, as well as at the adjacent Ishiyama Park and Okayama Korakuen Garden, including summer and autumn night events, puzzle-solving games, collaborative events with game apps, and stages featuring samurai troops from all over the country. More events are planned for the future that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Event information can be found on the Okayama Castle official website.

Okayama Castle(Ujo (Crow Castle))

2-3-1 Marunouchi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward,...

Access to Okayama Castle

From JR Okayama Station, take the tram bound for Mount Higashiyama for about 5 minutes, get off at "Joshika" and walk for about 10 minutes. If you are taking the bus, take the Okayama Electric Railway bound for Takaya or Saidaiji , get off at "Kencho-mae" and walk for about 5 minutes. By car, head Higashi from Okayama IC on the Sanyo Expressway for about 20 minutes. Okayama Castle does not have its own parking lot, but the closest parking lot to the castle tower is Ujo (Crow Castle) Park Parking Lot. If you are also planning to visit Okayama Korakuen Garden, the Okayama Korakuen Garden Parking Lot is convenient.

Conclusion

The charm of Okayama Castle can be enjoyed throughout the year. Enjoy the cherry blossoms lining the Asahikawa and the Cherry Blossom Carnival in spring, and the beautiful illuminations of the U-jo (Crow Castle)Togenkyo in spring, summer, and autumn. Okayama Castle and Okayama Korakuen Garden are located at the end of Momotaro Boulevard, a street that runs straight from the east exit of Okayama Station. Events are planned for every weekend in October and November 2024, and the Okayama Sengoku Busho-tai will be ready to welcome you. We look forward to your visit.