Inuyama Castle

国宝 犬山城

Japan's oldest original keep, with a river view

Hours

9am–5pm (last entry 4:30pm); closed 29–31 Dec

Tickets

Adults ¥1,000, elementary/junior high ¥200

Address

65-2 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama, on a hill above the Kiso River

Built around 1537, this is the oldest surviving original castle keep in Japan. Unlike Nagoya's concrete keep, it is real timber: creaking floors and stairs so steep you grip the rail like a ladder. On the top floor you can walk the outside balcony all the way round, with the Kiso River curving below and, on a clear day, Nagoya's towers on the horizon. The old castle-town street below is lined with dango skewers and dessert shops, making it a neat half-day trip.