Kōchi Castle, Japanese castle in Marunouchi, Kōchi, Japan
Kōchi Castle is a wooden fortress on Otakayama hill in Marunouchi, in central Kōchi city. The stone walls rise steeply from the flat ground and lead up to the main tower, which stands three stories tall.
Yamauchi Kazutoyo began construction in 1601 after receiving Tosa province from Tokugawa Ieyasu following the Battle of Sekigahara. A fire destroyed much of the compound in 1727, but rebuilding followed the original plans.
The name derives from the old designation for Tosa province, now known as Kōchi Prefecture. Visitors can walk through the rooms of the preserved palace and see how feudal lords lived in their private quarters and reception halls.
The compound opens daily and sits on a hill, so visitors must climb stairs and steep paths. The view from the upper floor reaches across the city and works well for photographs.
This fortress is among the few in Japan where both the main tower and the palace from the feudal era remain fully intact. The original wooden beams still carry marks from tools used in the 18th century.
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