Wakayama Castle

Wakayama Castle, located in Wakayama City, stands on Mt. Torafusuyama at the mouth of the Kinokawa River. It is best known as the historic stronghold of the Kishu Tokugawa family, one of the three senior collateral houses of the shogunate.
The castle was established in 1585 by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (once a powerful warlord) to pacify the region. From this strategic base, it became the domain of the Kishu Tokugawa clan, producing two future shogun—Yoshimune (the 8th) and Iemochi (the 14th)—cementing its political importance. Though designated a National Treasure in 1935, the keep was destroyed during a 1945 air raid and was faithfully reconstructed with reinforced concrete in 1958.
Architecturally, the castle features a connected-style keep, linking the main tower with smaller turrets. A unique highlight is the Ohashirōka (corridor bridge), a rare, diagonally constructed bridge with a roof and walls that connected the lord’s private quarters to the Nishinomaru (western bailey) area. The castle’s Nishinomaru Garden (Momijidani Garden) is a designated National Place of Scenic Beauty, celebrated for its autumn foliage.
Today, Wakayama Castle is the symbol of the city. Visitors can explore the reconstructed keep, walk through the historic Okaguchi Gate (an original 17th-century structure designated an Important Cultural Property), and experience the restored Ohashirōka bridge.