Tuesday September 30, 2025

A great day visiting Inuyama Castle. We walked to the Nagoya train station (about 3.5 kms).

This tower is called the Mode Gakuen Spiral Tower is 170 metres tall it is a 36 storey educational facility housing three vocational schools. The photo to the right shows the outside emergency exit!

We needed to buy tickets for the local train to Inuyama. We thought it would be easier to buy the tickets from the Tourist/JR Rail Office than try and work out the ticket machine.

The woman at the desk offered us a tourist package. Return train tickets, entrance to the castle, a discount to a Japanese Garden and other discounts at stores in Inuyama. The total cost was Y3260 – $30.66. We saved about $5.00, not including getting Y200 discount on a rather expensive beer.

The Inuyama castle is an original castle, it was built in 1537. We entered the castle through the Shrine and the main gate.

Inuyama Castle is the oldest standing castle in Japan. The castle was a fortress and had some very simple rooms. The first floor was divided into four areas with a raised platform. This was for the lord of the castle. Behind this area was the Mushagakushi (warriors hiding place). This was where the warriors would hide and protect the lord. I am not sure how good they were at protecting him, if they were hiding! In the corners of this floor an attached turret which had small windows this was the Ishi-Otoshi-no-Ma – or stone-throwing chamber. This area was used to throw stones at possible attackers climbing the walls.

The second storey was used for the armory and had wooden shelves along every wall

Look at the size of this support beam.

The third storey had a Chinese gable installed 77 years after the original construction.

The fourth storey had an open walkway, which gave 360 degree views of the surrounding area.

To get to each floor we had to climb some very steep stairs. These would not meet the Building Code in Canada.

Although the castle was small it was amazing. On the very top floor we came out on a small wooden walkway with a low railing. There were warning signs not to lean against the railing. It was funny to see people’s faces as they stepped out onto the very narrow wooden walkway.

I love the roof-lines on these castles. I feel as if I could just slide right down them.

As we were leaving the main castle a woman asked if we would like us to take a photo of the two of us. Naomi indicated that she was a volunteer and acted as an English speaking guide. We chatted to her for quite a while, her son had been to Calgary on a student exchange program. She gave us two small origami samurai hats as a gift. She forgot to take our photo, but Ralf took one of Naomi and me.

After the castle we wandered down the street. The street was part of the original property, to the castle.

We spotted a strange building with very large doors.  Google translate, indicated that they held the “floats” for the Inuyama Festival. The entrance fee was Y100 (0.95c) and we decided to check it out.  The photos do not do this justice. The floats are about three stories high, 30 feet. Each float weighs five tonnes and takes between 20 and 30 men to move them. The top section has puppets and the middle section has children playing musical instruments and singing. There are a few changes of direction on the route and the men shout Don Den. The Inuyama festival is held on the first Saturday and Sunday in April of each year. We watched a video and it must be an amazing site to see.

We headed back to the train station and then managed to find the Subway and get closer to our hotel. The subway system has a huge underground shopping centre.

A good Rest Day.