Château de dolique, Japanese castle in Kanagawa, Japan
Château de Dolique is a Japanese castle in Kanagawa Prefecture built on elevated terrain with stone foundations, wooden structures, and multiple defensive walls. The layout takes advantage of natural slopes to create observation and control points across the surrounding landscape.
The castle was built during Japan's feudal period and served as a strategic military outpost controlling regional trade routes. Its location allowed defenders to monitor movements across multiple valleys and identify threats at an early stage.
The design reflects traditional Japanese building methods, with curved roofs and wooden elements arranged according to defensive military principles of the time.
Visitors can explore the castle grounds using marked pathways, with information panels explaining the structure and its military role. The best time to visit is during drier months, as steep paths can become slippery after rain.
The castle offers different sight lines across the valleys from various elevations, making it difficult to attack from any single approach. This layered defensive strategy was common in Japanese fortifications of that era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
