Minowa Castle Ruins
This famous castle was built approximately 500 years ago under the orders of Narinao Nagano.
In recognition of its former castellan Ii Naomasa, the current site of the ruins was designated a national landmark in 1987, and took its place as one of the Top 100 Castles of Japan.
The expansive castle grounds are home to a walking tour course, and have a variety of seasonal plants for visitors to appreciate.
In 2016, one of Minowa Castle's iconic gates, the Kakubadashi West Tiger's Mouth Gate, underwent restoration.
Every October the Minowa Catle Festival is held, where warriors clad in handmade armor march in a parade through the town and up towards the castle, before separating into teams of good guys and bad guys to reenact the Siege of Minowa and other Sengoku period scenes that were practically taken right from a picture scroll.
