Azuchi Castle Museum, the "House of Nobunaga"

Overview

The Azuchi Castle Museum, the House of Nobunaga, is an exhibition facility in Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture. It houses a full-scale reconstruction of the top of Azuchi Castle's keep (the fifth and sixth floors), which was exhibited at the 1992 Seville World Expo. Named after Oda Nobunaga, the museum lets visitors gaze up at the uppermost part of the castle at close range and experience the appearance of the legendary stronghold built by the unifier of Japan. It is a must-see for castle enthusiasts and for travelers eager to touch the history of the Warring States era.

Highlights

• ●The full-scale reconstructed keep top (5th-6th floors) shown at the Seville Expo
• ●Reproduced gilded wall paintings said to be directed by Kano Eitoku
• ●The opulent uppermost design adorned in gold and vermilion
• ●A tangible sense of Warring States history in Nobunaga's Azuchi

History

The facility is named after Oda Nobunaga. Its centerpiece is the full-scale reconstruction of the fifth and sixth floors of Azuchi Castle's keep, produced for display at the 1992 Seville World Expo. Inside the keep, the gilded wall paintings (kinpeki shohekiga), said to have been created under the direction of Kano Eitoku for Nobunaga, are also reproduced, offering a glimpse of the castle's opulent interior. After the Expo, the reconstruction was brought here, and it continues to be exhibited in Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman, the very ground tied to Azuchi Castle. Please refer to official information for details.

Map

35.1487, 136.1480 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head to the facility in Azuchi-cho from around JR Azuchi Station
2. 2Gaze up at the full-scale reconstructed keep (5th-6th floors) inside
3. 3Observe the reproduced gilded wall paintings up close
4. 4Walk the nearby Azuchi Castle ruins and sites to trace Warring States history

Did you know?

💡 The reconstructed fifth and sixth floors are striking, with a gleaming gilded exterior and vermilion pillars that convey the splendor of Azuchi Castle recorded in history. The interior gilded wall paintings reproduce designs said to have been created under Kano Eitoku's direction. Because the original keep of Azuchi Castle no longer exists, this is a rare chance to experience its uppermost part at full scale. Its history of being exhibited on the international stage of the Seville Expo is a distinctive highlight of this reconstruction.

Nearby spots