安土城
Azuchi Castle
Overview
Azuchi Castle was the revolutionary fortress built by Oda Nobunaga on the shores of Lake Biwa as a symbol of his ambition to unite Japan. Its magnificent seven-story tenshu (the prototype of all castle towers) was adorned with gilded roof tiles and brilliantly painted interiors — the Jesuit missionary Luís Fróis recorded it as surpassing any building in Europe. Destroyed by fire shortly after the Honnōji Incident in 1582, the castle existed for only six years, yet it shines as the origin point of early modern castle architecture in Japanese history. Today the stone walls and grand approach remain, and the Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum and Nobunaga-no-Yakata offer reconstructions of its former glory.
Connection to Swords
Oda Nobunaga, the revolutionary who transformed Japanese history, was equally significant in sword history. An avid collector of fine blades, he gathered celebrated swords throughout his campaign of unification. His famed Heshikiri Hasebe (National Treasure, by Hasebe Kunishige) earned its name when Nobunaga pressed the blade through a shelf to cut down a retainer. The Sōza Samonji — originally carried by Imagawa Yoshimoto at the Battle of Okehazama — was claimed by Nobunaga and later passed to Hideyoshi and then Ieyasu, becoming a sword of successive rulers. Nobunaga masterfully wielded swords as political tools, bestowing celebrated blades upon retainers to secure loyalty, maximizing their political value like no warlord before him.
Highlights
- Grand approach road and stone wall remains
- Tenshu foundation ruins
- Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum
- Nobunaga-no-Yakata (reconstruction of upper tenshu)
- Lake Biwa views from the castle ruins
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.