Kanagawa · OdawaraNo.246★★★Open in map →
Odawara Castle
The main castle of the Later Hojo clan, who ruled the Kanto region until Toyotomi Hideyoshi's siege of 1590 ended their power. The five-storey keep (rebuilt 1960) houses a history museum and commands views of Sagami Bay. Ten minutes' walk from Odawara Station on the JR Tokaido Line.
Odawara Castle was the seat of the Later Hojo clan, who controlled much of the Kanto region from the mid-15th century to 1590. The castle's strategic position at the entrance to the Hakone mountain pass made it the most fortified position in eastern Japan, and it resisted multiple siege attempts until Toyotomi Hideyoshi's massive force — reportedly over 200,000 troops — surrounded the entire castle town and brought the Hojo to surrender after a three-month siege. With that defeat the Hojo era ended and Tokugawa Ieyasu took control of the Kanto. The current ferro-concrete keep was reconstructed in 1960 based on Edo-period drawings; it now houses a museum tracing the castle's and region's history. The surrounding castle park is one of Kanagawa's most popular cherry-blossom spots in spring.
Background & history
The Later Hojo clan held the original castle from 1495, expanding it into the largest fortified complex in the Kanto. After the three-month siege by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590 the Hojo surrendered and the castle passed out of Warring-States history. An earthquake destroyed much of it in 1703; it was dismantled in 1870 and rebuilt in ferro-concrete in 1960.
What to look for — in walking order
- Castle keep (Tenshu) and museum
- five-storey ferro-concrete reconstruction (1960); the museum inside displays armour, weapons, and castle history; panoramic views of Sagami Bay from the top
- Castle park moat and cherry trees
- the moat walk around the keep is lined with cherry trees — one of Kanagawa's most-visited blossom spots in late March to early April
- Tokiwaki Gate (Ninja Museum)
- reconstructed castle gate housing a Ninja Museum with obstacle courses and skill demonstrations
- Umashimatsu-no-Niwa garden
- a Japanese garden within the castle grounds, featuring pine trees and seasonal planting
How to enjoy it
Enter from the East Exit of Odawara Station and walk 10 minutes along Ohoribata Street to the castle park. The keep museum opens at 9:00 (last entry 16:30, closed second Wednesday of December and December 31–January 1). The combined ticket for the keep, Ninja Museum, and Samurai Museum costs ¥610 and is the best value. Climb to the top floor of the keep for Sagami Bay views. The park moat walk is free at all times and worth doing before or after the keep.
How to actually get there
- Tokyo Station → Odawara Station (JR Tokaido Line, ~85 min; or JR Shinkansen Kodama, ~35 min).
- Odawara Station East Exit → castle park entrance (walk ~10 min via Ohoribata Street).
- Castle park → keep museum (follow the main path, ~3 min from park entrance).
- JR Tokaido Line from Tokyo Station
- Take the JR Tokaido Line rapid or express from Tokyo Station to Odawara Station (about 85 minutes). The castle is a 10-minute walk from Odawara Station East Exit via Ohoribata Street. Alternatively, the JR Tokaido Shinkansen reaches Odawara in about 35 minutes (Kodama stops here; Hikari and Nozomi do not — check before booking). Odakyu trains from Shinjuku also serve Odawara in about 70–90 minutes.
- Return from Odawara Station to Tokyo
- The JR Tokaido Line to Tokyo runs frequently throughout the day and evening. If you have a Shinkansen ticket, the Kodama back to Tokyo is about 35 minutes. No advance booking is needed for the JR local line.
Before you go
- Cash
- Castle keep (museum) ¥510; combined ticket with Ninja Museum and Samurai Museum ¥610. IC cards accepted at the gate. The castle park and moat walk are free. JR trains accept IC cards (Suica, PASMO).
- Closing days
- Keep museum open 9:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Closed second Wednesday of December, December 31–January 1. Cherry blossom season (late March–early April) brings large crowds on weekends.
- Another way
- Odakyu Railway from Shinjuku Station to Odawara Station takes about 70 minutes (express) and connects to the Hakone Tozan Railway for a Hakone continuation.
- After you get off
- From Odawara Station East Exit, walk north on Ohoribata Street for about 10 minutes to reach the castle park entrance (Higashihara-mon gate).