Hiroshima Castle

Overview

Hiroshima Castle, also known as Carp Castle (Rijo), stands in Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima. Built on the delta at the mouth of the Ota River, it served as the residence of the daimyo of the Hiroshima Domain. It is designated a Historic Site of Japan and counted among the 100 Fine Castles of Japan.

Highlights

• ●A plains castle laid out on the Ota River delta
• ●The main keep, rebuilt in 1958 and housing a history museum
• ●The nickname 'Carp Castle' (Rijo) and the local names derived from it
• ●Its status as a Historic Site and one of the 100 Fine Castles

History

The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s by Mori Terumoto on the delta at the mouth of the Ota River. Much of it was dismantled in the Meiji era, and the buildings that survived stood until 1945. The main keep was rebuilt in 1958 as a replica of the original, and other castle buildings have been reconstructed since.

Map

34.4027, 132.4590 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Enter the castle grounds in Motomachi and take in the plains-castle layout
2. 2Climb the rebuilt keep and view the history museum exhibits
3. 3Walk the grounds to see the reconstructed castle buildings
4. 4Continue to the adjacent central park to explore the surroundings

Did you know?

💡 The nickname 'Carp Castle' lives on in the names of several districts and institutions across the city.

Nearby spots