- Odawara Castle: You can become a ninja. You can meet samurai.
- We will introduce the history and highlights of Odawara Castle in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
If you’re going to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle, we definitely recommend weekends and holidays!
If you are going to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle, we definitely recommend visiting on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle is located far from Odawara Station and is difficult to access, but it is easily accessible by sightseeing bus on weekends and holidays.
Also, on weekends and holidays only, members of the Odawara Guide Association will guide you around Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle for free.
We will introduce you to the best way to enjoy Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle, taking into account the information and highlights of Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle.
Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle (Ishigakiyama Castle)
Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle (Ishigakiyama Castle), located in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is said to have been built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in just one night during his conquest of Odawara. In 1590, when he besieged Odawara Castle, he built this castle on Mt. Ishigaki and set up camp.
- Year Founded
- 1590
- First lord of the castle
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi
- Alias
- Ishigakiyama Castle
- Cultural property designation
- National historic sites
- Tenshū
- None
- Fees
- Free
- Visit hours
- Open 24 hours as it is open as a park
- Regular holidays
- Open all year round
- Nearest station
- Tokaido Main Line Hayakawa Station
- Parking lot
- 58 parking spaces available. Free
- Location
- 1383-12 Hayakawa, Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0021
One night magic by Hideyoshi Toyotomi
Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle was not actually built in one night; it is said that he mobilized approximately 40,000 people to build it over 80 days.
The construction of the castle was carried out in secret in the forest at the top of Mt. Ishigaki, and after constructing the framework of the fence and turret, they covered it with white paper to make it look like a white wall. From there, the forest was cleared in one night so that Ishigakiyama Castle could be seen from Odawara Castle.
Odawara Castle seen from Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle
The soldiers at Odawara Castle found Ishigakiyama Castle and were shocked to find that the castle had been built in one night. This is said to have lowered the morale of the Hojo clan’s soldiers.
Ishigakiyama One Night Castle was a strategy by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
It is from this story that Ishigakiyama Castle is also called Ishigakiyama Ichiya(One Night) Castle.
Originally, the official name of Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle was Ishigakiyama Castle. This story is the reason why Ishigakiyama Castle is also called a Ichiya(one-night) castle.
“Ichiya” means One Night.
Amazing! Impressive stone wall
One of the highlights of Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle is the stone wall that still exists today.
The stone walls of Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle are built using a construction method called Nozura Zumi, in which the stones are piled up in their original shape.
It’s really impressive when you see it up close. The stones are used as is without being cut, so the sight of many huge stones stacked on top of each other is impressive.
Nozura Zumi is the oldest of the stone wall construction methods, appearing at the end of the Kamakura period, and is thought to have been used in earnest during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.
The stone walls of Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle were built by a group of engineers from Omi called Anoushu, and even now, more than 400 years later, they still retain their original appearance.
It is extremely rare to find a rock of this scale, ranging from huge rocks to small rocks, remaining in perfect balance.
A neatly trimmed stone wall is beautiful, but a stone wall that is rough, like a field, but carefully stacked, is also powerful and wonderful.
Spectacular view! A panoramic view of Mt. Komagatake and Odawara city!
Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle is located on the top of Mt. Ishigaki at an altitude of 262m. The view from here is very open and wonderful.
To the west, you can see the view of Mt. Komagatake.
On the east side, you can see the scenery overlooking Sagami Bay and the city of Odawara.
It is only at Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle that you can enjoy such a sense of openness and spectacular views.
“Yodogimi’s makeup well”, a power spot born of sadness and tenacity
Yodogimi’s make-up well is a well located in a place called Ido Kuruwa. Ido Kuruwa is one of the parts of Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle that retains its original appearance relatively well, and the well is one of them. It is popular as a power spot.
The well is approximately 2m in diameter and approximately 10m deep. A stone wall is built around the well to protect the water.
The well is called Yodogimi’s Make-up Well, because it is said that Yodo-dono used this well for makeup.
The Battle of Odawara was a long-lasting battle, so Toyotomi Hideyoshi was considerate of the hardships of the assembled daimyo and sent for his wives. He himself summoned Yodogimi.
On the other hand, there is also a theory that Toyotomi Hideyoshi summoned Yodo to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle in order to urge the Hojo clan of Odawara Castle to surrender.
The tenacity and sadness of a young lady who struggled
Yodogimi (Yodo-dono) is the concubine of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the birth mother of Toyotomi Hideyori, the only son he had. She was born as Oda Nobunaga’s sister, Oichi, and Azai Nagamasa’s daughter.
Yodogimi is a woman who was originally related to the Hojo clan. She was Ujinao Hojo’s legal wife until Nobunaga was killed in the Honnoji Incident. After Oda Nobunaga’s death, her marriage was dissolved, and she later remarried Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and she became Hideyoshi’s legal wife.
It is believed that during Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s conquest of Odawara, Hideyoshi sought peace with the Hojo clan through this marriage, and Yodo was summoned to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle as part of the negotiations.
Her uncle was Oda Nobunaga, and she was Oda Nobunaga’s younger sister, Oichi, and Azai Nagamasa’s daughter, and she was Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s legal wife. Yodogimi, who was a young lady in both name and reality, died when her father, Nagamasa Azai, and her uncle, Nobunaga Oda, died, and in order to somehow preserve the blood of her family, she became the concubine of Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
But in the end, she ends up committing suicide along with her son Hideyori. (1615 Siege of Osaka)
Even today, clear water gushes out from her makeup well, and the water is said to be good for beauty and health, and there is a legend that Yodo-kun used it.
The reason why Yodogimi’s make-up well has become a power spot may be due to Yodo’s tenacity to remain beautiful even in such a turbulent life.
The best healing for your tired body with the finest sweets! Yoroizuka Farm
Next to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle is Yoroizuka Farm, a shop run by Toshihiko Yoroizuka, Japan’s world-renowned pastry chef.
The store sells vegetables, flowers, and fruits grown naturally in Odawara, as well as freshly baked bread and sweets.
freshly baked bread
sweets
Vegetables grown naturally in Odawara
You can eat what you purchase on the terrace outside, so after walking around Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle, we recommend soothing your tired body with some of the finest sweets.
How to get to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle
There are three ways to access Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle:
- Access by car
- Walk from Hayakawa Station
- Tourist bus “Umemaru”
1. Access by car
If you have your own car or a rental car, there is free parking if you drive to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle.
2. Walk from Hayakawa Station
From Hayakawa Station on the Tokaido Main Line, you can walk to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle in about an hour.
However, this is not recommended as it requires a long walk up a steep slope.
3. Tourist bus “Umemaru”
The most recommended access method is this sightseeing bus.
In Odawara, the sightseeing bus “Umemaru” operates only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
There is a bus stop at Odawara Station, so you can board the bus as soon as you get off the train.
Odawara sightseeing bus Umemaru - Odawara City
It takes 15 minutes from Odawara Station to Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle.
Limited to Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays! Ishigakiyama One Night Castle Free Guide
On weekends and holidays only, members of the Odawara Guide Association will guide you around Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle for free.
In time for the arrival of the sightseeing bus Umemaru, groups of 4 to 5 people will walk around Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle with a guide. (Even if you come alone, you will be traveling with someone else)
With the help of a guide, you can look around while learning about the history of Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle. And you don’t have to worry about missing out on the highlights, so I highly recommend it.
Guides are available only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Best of all, it’s free.
The Umemaru bus only operates on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, so you can see how much cheaper it is to take the sightseeing bus Umemaru on weekends and holidays to sightsee in Odawara.
Enjoy history, spectacular views, and delicious sweets
Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle is a place of great historical value, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and where he himself stayed.
It is now a park, but the sidewalks are well-maintained, and the grounds are not too large, so walking around is not a problem.
There are many other sights to see, such as the plaza where tens of thousands of soldiers waited, and the rocks that were intentionally broken down when Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle completed its mission, so you won’t get bored.
A plaza where tens of thousands of soldiers waited
A rock that was intentionally destroyed when Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle finished its mission.
What’s more, with an outstanding view and the finest sweets, you’ll definitely be able to enjoy a full course meal.
Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle was the first castle built entirely in stone walls in the Kanto region, and was selected as one of Japan’s top 100 castles due to its high level of stone wall technology and large scale.
Please visit Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle to experience Japanese history, culture, and sweets.
