An extremely impressive castle dating back to the feudal era, with some considerable historical significance. The grounds are fairly large and the walls and other structures are very impressive to see. The castle itself is also very interesting to see the inside of, with an abundance of explanatory placards. Know that you will have to remove your shoes to walk around the inside in case that informs your footwear decision. Beautiful garden areas are also within the walls. Take your time and take it all in.
Came on the last day of the light up during cherry blossom season in April. Bought the tickets ahead of time online. Line to get in was long and winding but moved fast. Once in, we walked around the property and admired the light shows sometimes accompanied by music. They have lanterns for kids to carry if they want. There were a lot of people, but most people moved with the flow of traffic. Lots of nice trees and colored lights. We enjoyed it overall.
Pretty nice place. Admission is easy and it doesn’t seem to busy either, even when there’s a lot of people. The castle and grounds are really big. Going inside the buildings costs extra and you couldn’t take photos inside. The walls and the gates are also really nice. There are shops selling souvenirs and snacks which tasted nice. Overall a nice castle to wander in.
Feed on carps! For 200 JPY you can buy fish food and experience a nice entertainment. There are so many fish, all of them are pretty big. Overall the territory and temple itself are stunning and well-kept. Inside you are not allowed to take pictures, interiors are beautifully painted and well-preserved.
Such beautiful castle! We paid 1300 yen at the time of writing to go in to the castle. You have two types of tickets. A ticket to walk around the court (which is cheaper at 800 yen) and another ticket which allows you to walk around the court and go inside the actual castle (1300 yen). The second option is worth it… great history. What they have done in the inside takes you back to the edo period.
You will need around 2 hours for this, especially in the heat. The area is exposed to the sun. Not much shade. There is an observation deck (not high.. but there steps involved to get up there. Not wheelchair accessible) where you can see Kyoto.
At the back of the court, there are plenty of rest areas, with vending machines and toilets. at the end of the route, there is gift and souvenirs shop.
Overall, great experience
