Inuyama – castle, traditions and cultural visits

Inuyama, which literally means “dog mountain”, is a town in Aichi Prefecture, not far from Nagoya. It is especially famous for its small but magnificent castle, which is one of the oldest wooden castles in Japan, having survived the torments of wars and disasters over the centuries. The picturesque Kiso River runs along the northern border of the city, where the cormorant fishery takes place every year from June to mid-October. In the southeast of the city centre is Meiji Mura, a popular outdoor theme park based on the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Inuyama, which literally means “dog mountain”, is a town in Aichi Prefecture, not far from Nagoya. It is especially famous for its small but magnificent castle, which is one of the oldest wooden castles in Japan, having survived the torments of wars and disasters over the centuries. The picturesque Kiso River runs along the northern border of the city, where the cormorant fishery takes place every year from June to mid-October. In the southeast of the city centre is Meiji Mura, a popular outdoor theme park based on the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Inuyama Castle

The Inuyama Castle (Inuyamajō) was originally built in 1537 and its dungeon is one of the oldest in Japan. It is one of the twelve original castles remaining in Japan (i.e. castles whose main dungeons survived natural disasters and wars since the end of the feudal era in 1868). Inuyama Castle is also one of five castles whose main dungeons have been designated national treasures. The other four are Himeji Castle, Matsumoto Castle, Hikone Castle and Matsue Castle.

The castle stands at the top of a small hill next to the Kiso River. The structure of the main dungeon is almost entirely built with wood and rocks, and its beautifully preserved interior preserves an authentic atmosphere without the modern additions that the rebuilt castles sometimes include.

The steep staircases preserved allow visitors to climb four floors to reach the upper level that offers panoramic views of the castle park and the Kiso river. It is also interesting to see the different rooms of the dungeon.

Urakuen

Urakuen is a Japanese garden in Inuyama, just east of Inuyama Castle. It is the site of Jo-an, one of Japan’s most famous tea salons and a national treasure.

Jo-an was originally built in 1618 as part of a temple complex in Kyoto next to a study room called Shodenin Shoin. It was built by Oda Uraku, a younger brother of the great Oda Nobunaga and disciple of Sen-no-Rikyu, Japan’s most famous tea ceremony master.

In 1972, the tea room and office were moved from Kyoto to their current location in Urakuen, which was named after Oda Uraku.

In the quiet enclosure of Urakuen there is also a bamboo grove and the Koan tea salon where guests can enjoy tea and sweets for an extra fee. Usually in the second fortnight of November, the lush greenery of the garden offers pretty autumnal colors.

Urakuen is located at the foot of Inuyama Castle. The garden is a 10-minute walk from Inuyama-Yuen Train Station or a 15-minute walk from Inuyama Train Station.

Meiji mura

Meiji Mura is one of the most visited outdoor museums in Japan, exhibiting more than sixty buildings from the Meiji period (1868-1912). This period followed the end of Japan’s feudal era, and its architecture is characterized by a strong influx of Western architecture. The themed park-like museum is located in Inuyama, an hour from Nagoya, in a large wooded area next to the pond of Iruka. It takes at least half a day to explore the museum’s vast grounds and cover all its exhibitions.

Few buildings built during the Meiji period survive in Japan today, as most of them were destroyed during the war or lost as a result of the city’s redevelopment. A collection of buildings representing the entire country was moved to Meiji Mura to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of the period. Among them are the entrance hall of the former Imperial Hotel in Tokyo and the Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier in Kyoto.

Other attractions include the former Kanazawa Prison, Sapporo Telephone Centre, Mie Prefectural Office, Nagasaki Foreign Colony, as well as hospitals, sake breweries and schools. Some buildings have been converted into cafés, sugar shops or traditional gaming stands for visitors’ enjoyment. There is also a bus that runs through the village, as well as a tram and a steam locomotive.

Little World Museum of Man

Little World Museum of Man east of Inuyama is an open-air anthropological museum containing over 30 houses and other buildings from 22 countries around the world. There are a variety of ethnic musical performances and lots of food and drinks from around the world to enjoy.

Entrance 1,700 yen for adults.

9:30-17:00 every day. Openings on summer evenings.

To Inuyama

By train

Inuyama is 25 km north of Nagoya. In Tokaido Shinkansen, Nagoya is 52 minutes from Osaka and 1h40 from Tokyo.

From Nagoya train station, Inuyama is about 30 minutes by Meitetsu Inuyama line and about the same time from Gifu Meitetsu train station.

You can also take the Meitetsu Komaki line from Kami Iida to Nagoya. From the JR station in Gifu, there are trains to the nearby train station in Unuma, a few steps from the Kiso River to Inuyama. It is also possible to take the Tsurumai metro line in Nagoya until the last stop in Kami Otai and change for a train from the Meitetsu Inuyama line.

By bus

There are long-distance bus services from outside the Inuyama station to Tokyo (Shinjuku station), Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya (every 30 minutes), Gujo Hachiman (1 hour) and Kobe. From Nagoya, take National Road 41 at the exit of Komaki interchange from the Tomei motorway.

Inuyama is rich in cultural property, including Inuyama Castle, one of Japan’s five national treasure castles built in the Edo era or before, and the Japanese Urakuen Garden containing one of the country’s three national treasure tea fairs. This city will be a great step in the discovery of theChubu.

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