Azuchi Castle Ruins

Azuchi Castle Ruins mark the site where Oda Nobunaga built Azuchi Castle—constructed over about three years as part of his drive to unify the country. It is about a 20-minute walk from JR Azuchi Station, and about 20 minutes by car from Meishin Expressway Ryuo IC. Built on Mt. Azuchi (199 m elevation), it served as a strategic hub for the Hokuriku and Tokai regions. After the Honnoji Incident, the castle residences were destroyed by fire, and today the stone walls and many kuruwa (enclosures) remain. At the former Ninomaru site stands Nobunaga’s mausoleum (Nobunaga Honbyo), said to have been built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. From the spot believed to have been the Tenshu (main keep), on clear days you can see across to the far shore of Lake Biwa. Another highlight is Soken-ji Temple, which Nobunaga built during his lifetime. Although most major buildings burned down in 1854, the Nio-mon Gate and the Three-Story Pagoda—both Important Cultural Properties—still remain. Near the ruins are additional attractions such as “Azuchi Castle Museum: Nobunaga no Yakata,” where you can see a reconstruction of the top portion of the castle keep, and the Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum, which exhibits materials related to Azuchi Castle and Nobunaga.