Hokkaido Castles
北海道Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, blends frontier history with dramatic natural scenery. Its castles reflect the island's relatively recent settlement by the Japanese state during the Meiji era, offering a different perspective from the feudal strongholds of Honshu. Cold winters and wide-open landscapes make castle visits here a uniquely atmospheric experience.
Prefectures
Hokkaido
Goryokaku
五稜郭 · Goryokaku
📍 Hokkaido — Hokkaido
Japan's only star fort — a Western military import that became the stage for the Shogunate's final defeat — is best understood from 107 meters above.
Matsumae Castle
松前城 · Matsumae-jo
📍 Hokkaido — Hokkaido
Japan's northernmost castle and its last — Matsumae is an extreme destination with unique historical status, best experienced buried in cherry blossoms.
Nemuro Peninsula Chashi Ruins
根室半島チャシ跡群 · Nemuro-hanto Chashiato-gun
📍 Hokkaido — Hokkaido
Japan's #1 on the famous castles list — remote Ainu earthwork fortresses on clifftops at the easternmost tip of Japan, newly UNESCO-designated.