Takada Castle Site Park

Takada Castle Site Park stands on the grounds of a historic fortress in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, built in 1614 by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu for his sixth son, Matsudaira Tadateru. The castle was strategically positioned to monitor the Date clan in the north and served as an important administrative center during the Edo period. Though the original castle structures were largely dismantled during the Meiji era, the site was transformed into a public park in 1909, preserving the moat system and earthwork fortifications that once defined this impressive stronghold.

The park is renowned as one of Japan's premier cherry blossom viewing destinations, home to approximately 4,000 cherry trees representing over 20 varieties, including Somei Yoshino and late-blooming double-petaled varieties. The annual Takada Castle Million-Person Cherry Blossom Viewing event draws massive crowds each spring, when the blossoms are illuminated at night, creating a stunning reflection in the castle's triple moat system. The three-story castle tower, reconstructed in 1993, houses a local history museum offering insights into the region's feudal past and panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and Mount Myoko on clear days.

Visitors can explore the expansive grounds, which include traditional Japanese gardens, walking paths around the moat, and seasonal flower displays beyond the famous cherry blossoms. The park also contains several shrines and monuments, including those commemorating the castle's historical significance. During summer, lotus flowers bloom across the moat, while autumn brings colorful foliage that frames the castle tower. The reconstructed tower museum displays artifacts and exhibits related to the castle's construction and the various lords who governed from this site.

Access to Takada Castle Site Park is convenient from Takada Station on the JR Shinetsu Main Line and Myoko Haneuma Line, requiring approximately 15 minutes on foot or a short bus ride. From Joetsu-Myoko Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the park is about 10 minutes by taxi or accessible via local train connections. Entry to the park grounds is free, while admission to the castle tower museum requires a small fee of around ¥300 for adults. The park remains open year-round, though the museum has regular closing days, typically on Mondays.