Tottori Castle Ruins Travel Guide

While a well-preserved castle is impressive, there’s something undeniably nostalgic about wandering around the ruins of a once-great fortress. Tottori Castle was built in 1532, on the side of Mt. Kyusho in Tottori City. It was the site of one of the most famous sieges in Japanese history in 1581, which dragged on for a full 200 days and only came to an end because the defenders were facing starvation.

Nowadays, the only structures of the castle still standing are one wall and one gate, however the imposing stacked-stone bases give an impression of how large it once was. Visitors can walk up onto these bases and through what once were castle courtyards. At the top, you’ll find an observation area with lovely views over the city.

The castle and surrounding park are also a popular cherry blossom viewing site, with thousands of trees planted around the grounds. Nearby is a small museum dedicated to the Ikeda clan who resided in this castle in the Edo period, loaded in the Jinpukaku building — a European-style house at the base of the ruins which once served as an imperial residence.