SilkCode LibraryCastles of Japan
No. 050KinkiShiga

Hikone Castle

彦根城

Original keep

The Ii family’s castle brings together an ornate keep, surviving turrets, moats and a lord’s garden. Its elegant appearance sits alongside carefully controlled defensive approaches.

Hikone Castle keep on its stone base
Hikone Castle keep on its stone basePhoto: 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · Resized and converted to WebP. Cards crop the display.This photograph shows the site at the time it was taken. Check the notes and official sources for current restoration work and access.

Get to know the castle

Castle at a glance

Site & layout
Hilltop castle
Origins
Construction began 1604; keep completed around 1606–1607
Builders & patrons
Ii Naotsugu, Ii Naotaka and their supporters
Other names
Konkijo
What remains today
National Treasure keep, turrets, gates, stable, moats and walls

THE STORY

The story behind the walls

Construction began in 1604 under Tokugawa Ieyasu’s direction. The keep is thought to have been completed around the turn of 1606–1607. The Ii family governed the castle and town throughout the Edo period. Surviving turrets, a stable and other structures allow visitors to study an early-modern castle beyond its main tower.

LAYOUT & ARCHITECTURE

Read the landscape and the buildings.

Bridges and turret gates controlled the slopes towards the hilltop main enclosure. Turrets and deep cuttings guarded different approaches. The ornate keep was part of this defensive system rather than an isolated showpiece.

A CLOSER LOOK

Details worth a closer look.

01

The National Treasure keep

The three-tier, three-floor keep combines curved and triangular gables. Bell-shaped windows and other details show how a castle could also express political status.

02

Tenbin turret and bridge

The turret extends to either side of the bridge approach. Its position shows how removing the bridge would leave attackers facing high stone walls.

03

Genkyuen Garden

Ponds, islands and bridges form this daimyo garden. With the fortress above, it offers a contrasting space designed for leisure and hospitality.

THROUGH THE YEARS

A short timeline

  1. 1604

    Construction of Hikone Castle began.

  2. 1606–1607

    The keep is thought to have been completed.

  3. 1677–1679

    Genkyuen Garden was created.

BEFORE YOU GO

A note before you go.

Expect stone steps and stairs inside the keep. The official guide lists the Yamazaki approach as closed because of the ageing bridge, so follow the designated visitor route.

Official visitor information ↗Find it on a map ↗

Information checked: 27 September 2026

Sources & official information

Some official sources are available in Japanese only.

Keep exploring this volume

Which castle is next?