Odawara’s Symbol Reborn: A Complete Guide to Odawara Castle Main Tower
Odawara Castle Main Tower was reconstructed in 1960 through a citizens’ donation campaign, and it stands today as the symbol of Odawara. The exterior faithfully reproduces its Edo-period appearance, while the interior houses a five-story history museum.
Inside you will find a theater chronicling the five generations of the Hojo clan, special exhibitions that bring samurai attire up close, and an observation deck about 60 meters above sea level that commands a sweeping view of Sagami Bay. Condensing 400 years of Odawara into a single keep, the main tower offers more than enough to captivate visitors who are not even castle enthusiasts.
This article introduces every floor of Odawara Castle Main Tower, its reconstruction history, and tips for visiting.
Odawara Castle Main Tower
Odawara Castle Main Tower is a reconstructed keep standing at the heart of Odawara Castle Park in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is the symbol of Odawara Castle, the stronghold where the Hojo clan ruled Eastern Japan (the Kanto region) for five generations during the Sengoku period. The current tower was reconstructed in 1960 as a project commemorating the 20th anniversary of the city’s incorporation. Inside, a five-story history museum unfolds: exhibitions tracing 400 years of Odawara, a reconstructed space enshrining the Marishi-ten deity, and a top-floor observation deck together offer a wide range of highlights.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Odawara Castle Main Tower |
| Cultural Designation | National Historic Site / Top 100 Japanese Castles (No.23) |
| Hours | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm) |
| Closed | 2nd Wednesday of December / December 31 - January 1 |
| Admission | Adults (high school and older) ¥1,000 / Elementary and junior high school students ¥300 |
| Phone | 0465 - 22 - 3818 |
| Access | About 10 min walk from JR / Odakyu Odawara Station |
| Address | 6 - 1 Jonai, Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture 250 - 0014 |
| Free Wi - Fi | Available |
| Official Website | https://odawaracastle.com/ |
The Story of Odawara Told Across 5 Floors: Highlights Inside the Main Tower
Inside the main tower, each of the five floors is organized around its own theme. The journey starts with a theater on the first floor and continues through the story of the five Hojo generations, samurai arts and crafts, and a special exhibition, before reaching the observation deck on the top floor.
There is no elevator. Visitors move between floors by stairs.
Photography rules also vary by floor. The second floor is entirely off-limits to photography, and parts of the fourth floor are restricted. Photography is permitted elsewhere.
1F “Odawara Castle in the Edo Period”: The Full Picture and a Double-Feature Theater
The first floor’s theme is “Odawara Castle in the Edo Period.” It presents the Edo-era castle, which served as the key defense of western Kanto, through three-dimensional models, castle maps, and video.
Exhibits such as “The Transformation of Odawara Castle’s Main Tower,” “Lords of Odawara Castle,” and “The Transformation of Odawara Castle Seen Through Castle Maps” trace how the Edo-period castle evolved over time, supported by extensive historical materials.
The Castle’s Peak Era Revived at 1:700 Scale
One of the highlights on the first floor is a finely detailed model that recreates Odawara Castle at its peak at 1:700 scale.
The model is based on the Kan’ei-era Odawara Castle General Map (Imperial Household Agency copy), a castle diagram drawn between 1624 and 1644. From the main bailey (honmaru) and secondary bailey (ninomaru) at the center of the grounds to a chain of turrets and even the stables, every element is faithfully scaled down so that the full sense of the early Edo castle can be grasped at a glance.
Peak-era Odawara Castle at 1:700 scale
This layout collapsed and burned down in the Genroku earthquake of 1703, disappearing from history. Letting visitors trace this lost landscape in three dimensions is a highlight unique to the first floor.
The Tokugawa Shogun Family’s Hollyhock Crest, Still Preserved at Odawara Castle
Beyond the castle-map displays, you will find exhibits of demon-face roof tiles (onigawara) and round tiles bearing the “three-leaf hollyhock” crest of the Tokugawa family.
Odawara Castle once housed facilities reserved for the Tokugawa shogunate and the shogun family. These tiles are what adorned their roofs. The pieces on display were excavated from two baileys—the main bailey (honmaru) and Goyomai Kuruwa (the shogun’s rice storehouse bailey)—and remain today in the condition they were in after being removed from the roof.
Reliving the Hojo and Reconstruction Stories at the Odawara Castle Theater
At the back of the first floor you will find the Odawara Castle Theater. Two video programs play here in a rotating loop.
- “Odawara Castle Revived”: a visual tour along the castle’s main approach route (Ote-suji) up to the main tower, showing how Odawara Castle has been restored through 30 years of historic-site development
- “The Hundred-Year Dream of the Five Hojo Generations”: a drama narrated by father-and-son Hojo Ujimasa and Hojo Ujinao, conveying the ideal of “rokuju-oon” (prosperity and peaceful lives) that the five Hojo lords upheld
Each film is about seven minutes long. The two alternate on loop.
“Odawara Castle Revived” gives a clear overview of the whole castle, while “The Hundred-Year Dream of the Five Hojo Generations” delivers a quietly poignant drama.
Both are well worth watching, so plan to catch at least one before moving on.
2F “Odawara Castle in the Sengoku Period”: 100 Years of Hojo Rule Over Kanto
The second floor’s theme is “Odawara Castle in the Sengoku Period.” Spanning five generations and roughly 100 years from Hojo Soun to Hojo Ujinao, this floor tells the story of the Odawara Hojo clan, which held sway over Eastern Japan (the Kanto region).
The Hojo repelled fierce assaults by the Sengoku giants Uesugi Kenshin (1561) and Takeda Shingen (1569), cementing their reputation as an impregnable fortress. Yet that reign ended in 1590 with the Siege of Odawara by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which also brought the Sengoku (Warring States) period to a close.
A century of territorial rule and the story of a Sengoku daimyo who resisted the unification of Japan to the very end are traced carefully through timelines, panels, and primary sources.
From the shape of the Sengoku-era castle to the Hojo administrative system and the outcome of the Siege of Odawara, the second floor lets you settle in and trace the most dramatic chapter of Odawara Castle’s story.
Note that the entire second floor is closed to photography to protect the exhibits.
3F “Arts and Crafts of Odawara”: Samurai Culture and the Memory of Excavation
The third floor’s theme is “Arts and Crafts of Odawara.” From samurai armor and swords that embody the height of samurai culture to items unearthed in excavations beneath the castle town, the display presents cultural assets deeply rooted in the region.
Samurai Attire and the Lineage of Swords
The armor display includes helmets topped with crescent-shaped gold crests (maedate) and other intricately crafted equipment worn by samurai commanders.
The sword display is also a highlight.
Odawara was also a region where swordsmiths flourished from the Sengoku through the Edo period. In the early Sengoku era, the Shimada swordsmiths were invited by the Odawara Hojo clan and settled in Odawara, forging swords alongside the longstanding Kamakura swordsmiths. Blades from these two lineages came to be known as “Sue-soshu” (late Soshu school) and “Odawara-soshu” (Odawara Soshu school). After the Edo period began, Seihei, the fourth son of the Kaga swordsmith Kanewaka, was retained by the Inaba clan (then lord of Odawara Domain) and started forging swords anew in Hachimanyama.
Swords passed down in Odawara
It is a rare space where you can trace the history of Odawara’s swordsmithing, from the Sengoku era through the Edo period, alongside the actual blades.
Everyday Life Beneath the Castle, Told Through Excavated Artifacts
Another highlight of the third floor is the display of items excavated from Odawara Castle and its surrounding castle town.
Ceramics, imported goods, lacquerware, and tea utensils pulled from the ground bring the everyday life of Odawara—spanning the Sengoku era to the early modern period—into vivid focus.
Especially notable is the display of kawarake (unglazed earthenware dishes used in large quantities for ceremonies and banquets). Precisely because they were disposable, they have been excavated in great numbers and now serve as a key to understanding the Odawara Hojo clan’s “banquet culture.”
In addition, pieces of Nabeshima ware and rare porcelain fragments found in the castle town are also on display, offering glimpses of exchanges that reached across the sea and beyond the region.
4F Special Exhibition: A Rotating Themed Gallery
The fourth floor is a special exhibition floor where the content rotates regularly. Because the theme changes periodically, you may encounter a different exhibit depending on when you visit.
At the time of our visit, the special exhibition was “Samurai Attire: Focusing on Armor and Helmets.” It explored samurai dress from multiple angles, centered on the armor, helmets, and horse tack that adorned warriors.
The armor display ranges from austere black armor to lavish suits with gold ornamentation, showing how samurai appearances shifted by era and rank.
Suits of armor that varied by era and rank
(Many pieces of armor are off-limits to photography, so please check the signs before shooting.)
The helmet display that follows showcases decorative “kawari kabuto” that reflect the personality of their wearers. One helmet, crowned with a large golden dragonfly as its crest, references the dragonfly—an insect that only moves forward, known as the “victory insect” (kachi-mushi) and favored by samurai. The variety on show ranges from unadorned iron-bowl helmets to finely crafted, highly decorated pieces.
Beyond that, the exhibit also covers the reconstructed “hatsuburi” (face armor) used from the Heian to Kamakura periods, horse tack such as saddles and bridles (omogai) arranged with part-name diagrams, and samurai attire—offering a multi-faceted look at the world of samurai dress.
Iron-bowl helmets and a reconstructed hatsuburi
The Edo-period “Okubo Family Arms Illustrated Guide” is another highlight. It is a surviving fragment of a scroll showing the banners, battle standards (umajirushi), and ship standards of the Okubo family—lords of Odawara Castle—illustrated vividly in gold powder.
| Special Exhibition | Dates |
|---|---|
| Samurai Attire: Focusing on Armor and Helmets | March 1 - May 31, 2026 |
5F: The Marishi-ten Hall and a Panoramic View from 60 Meters
The fifth floor is the climax of Odawara Castle Main Tower. An observation deck wraps around the outside, while the inside recreates the top floor of the Edo-period keep. Both exhibition and view can be enjoyed in this special space.
A One-Way Corridor with a 60-Meter Panorama
The corridor encircling the outside of the main tower serves as an observation deck. From about 60 meters above sea level, it stages a sweeping view of Odawara’s cityscape and the surrounding mountains and sea.
The corridor is one-way. Walking all the way around, you can enjoy the shifting scenery in every direction. Directional panels and landmark-identification signs are installed along the way, so you can match the mountains, towns, and peninsulas in view to their names as you go.
Panoramic view from the top of the main tower
To the east, the greenery around the castle gives way to Sagami Bay beyond. To the south, on clear days the view stretches across Sagami Bay to Izu Oshima island, the Miura Peninsula, and the Izu Peninsula.
To the west lie the Hakone Mountains. To the north, Odawara Station and the city center spread out, with the Tanzawa Mountains rising beyond.
During the Sengoku and Edo eras, only a privileged few could gaze at this scenery. Today, anyone can step up and experience it firsthand—one of the highlights of any Odawara sightseeing trip.
A Recreated Edo-Period Top Floor Enshrining Marishi-ten
Step back inside from the observation deck and you enter a wooden space that recreates the top floor of the Edo-period keep.
The timber used is “Odawara wood” sourced primarily from the former Odawara Domain’s forests. Using lumber rooted in Odawara itself, the top floor of the old keep has been brought back to life in the present day.
Enshrined at the center is the Marishi-ten statue. This Buddhist figure has three faces and six arms (sanmen roppi) and is distinguished by riding a boar. Long venerated as the guardian deity of samurai, Marishi-ten was the central figure of the seven Buddhist statues known as the Tenshu Shichison (Seven Deities of the Tenshu), enshrined on the top floor of the Edo-period Odawara Castle keep.
The castle tower-style miniature shrine (tenshu-gata zushi) that once housed the Marishi-ten statue is displayed alongside. Standing 161.0 cm (about 5.3 feet) tall and 72.5 cm (about 2.4 feet) wide, the shrine is a miniature of the Odawara Castle keep itself. Its lower section has hinged double doors that, when opened, reveal gold leaf shining within.
After the castle was abolished in 1870 under the Haijorei (Castle Abolition Order), the Marishi-ten statue and its shrine were relocated to Eikyuji Temple (in Shiroyama, Odawara City). They were returned to the top floor of the keep in 1960, upon the main tower’s reconstruction.
Where to Buy the Castle Stamp (Goshuin)
Odawara Castle’s castle stamp (goshuin) is sold at the information counter just past the entrance on the first floor of the main tower. Two standard versions are currently available. Because you pass the same counter both when entering and when leaving, you can buy one whenever it suits you.
Skip the Line: Why You Should Buy a Web Ticket
Same-day tickets for Odawara Castle Main Tower are sold at the reception desk at the keep’s entrance. During peak seasons, weekends, and the cherry-blossom period, however, the ticket line can grow long.
That is why we recommend purchasing a web ticket in advance. With a web ticket already in hand, you can skip the reception line entirely and enter simply by showing your smartphone screen.
If your travel schedule is set, buy ahead and save yourself the wait.
The Tile-by-Tile Campaign That Brought the Main Tower Back
The current main tower is the third-generation keep, reconstructed in 1960 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the city’s incorporation. Odawara Castle, which had lost its form to the Meiji-era Castle Abolition Order and to the Great Kanto Earthquake, was brought back to life by the citizens themselves through the Kawara Ichimai Undo (Tile by Tile Campaign).
Starting in December 1959, reception desks were set up across the city: in exchange for the cost of a single roof tile, citizens could carve their names on the back of a tile and dedicate it to the main tower’s roof. Roughly 21,366 tiles were donated by citizens and local businesses.
Even today, about one-third of the tiles on the main tower’s roof still bear the names of those 1960 donors. The current main tower stands with the people’s hopes from 1960 literally carried on its roof.
A Reconstructed Keep That Keeps Telling 400 Years of Odawara
Odawara Castle Main Tower, the symbol of the city. Behind an exterior that faithfully mirrors the Edo-period keep, a five-story museum unfolds.
First-floor theater and peak-era model, second-floor Hojo story, third-floor arts and crafts and excavated artifacts, fourth-floor special exhibition, and fifth-floor Marishi-ten hall and sweeping panorama. Each flight of stairs layers another era of Odawara’s story on top of the last.
A reconstructed keep that returns its exterior to the Edo period while turning its interior into a modern museum. Tracing so many eras and highlights in a single building is exactly what makes Odawara Castle Main Tower unique.
Make Odawara Castle Main Tower a stop on your next trip.
