Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-07 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Akō Castle in the city of Akō, Hyōgo, was a flatland castle built by the Asano clan in the Edo period, the centre of the Akō Domain in western Harima Province. It was demolished by the Meiji government in 1873, became a National Historic Site in 1971, and had its protected area enlarged in 2003. Within the grounds stands the Nagayamon gate of the residence of Ōishi Kuranosuke, chief retainer of the domain under Asano Naganori; the house itself is gone, but its site has its own National Historic Site designation. The Honmaru and Ni-no-maru gardens have been restored to something like their Edo-period appearance and were together designated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 2021.
Banshū-Akō Station on the Akō Line is about 1.3 km away in a straight line.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- 141115 Ako Castle Ako Hyogo pref Japan01bs3 — 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · source · resized
- Ako Castle03n4272 — 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · source · resized
- Ako-Castle007 — 2010/09/20 · Public domain · source · resized
- Ako-Castle006 — 投稿者がファイル作成 · Public domain · source · resized
- Ako-Castle005 — 投稿者がファイル作成 · Public domain · source · resized
- Ako-Castle004 — 投稿者がファイル作成 · Public domain · source · resized
- Ako-Castle001 — Kansai explorer · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- 141115 Ako Castle Ako Hyogo pref Japan26n — 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · source · resized
- 141115 Ako Castle Ako Hyogo pref Japan24s3 — 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · source · resized
- 141115 Ako Castle Ako Hyogo pref Japan23n — 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · source · resized
What this place is
Akō Castle (赤穂城, Akō-jō) is a former flatland Japanese castle located in the city of Akō, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Built by the Asano clan in the Edo period, it was the center of Akō Domain in western Harima Province. Demolished in 1873 by the Meiji government, the castle was designated a National Historic Site in 1971, with the area under protection expanded in 2003. Within the castle grounds is the Nagayamon gate to the residence of Ōishi Kuranosuke, the karō of the domain under Asano Naganori. The house itself no longer exists, but its location has a separate National Historic Site designation. Both the Honmaru Garden and the Ni-no-Maru Gardens have been restored to an approximation of their appearance in the Edo period, and are collectively designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty in 2021.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-07 · Official visitor information
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Castle
Nearby station
Nearby station: Banshū-Akō (Akō Line), about 1.3 km from the spot in a straight line.
Worked out on 2026-09-14 from this place’s map position, using HeartRails Express station data and station names from Wikidata. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route, and says nothing about buses, transfers or timetables — plan the trip on Google Maps.
Traveler reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share how it went.