Mount Akagi

What this place is

Mount Akagi (赤城山, Akagi-yama; Red Castle) is a stratovolcano in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The broad, low dominantly andesitic stratovolcano rises above the northern end of the Kanto Plain.It contains an elliptical, 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) summit caldera with post-caldera lava domes arranged along a NW–SE line.Lake Ono is located at the NE end of the caldera.An older stratovolcano was partially destroyed by edifice collapse, producing a debris-avalanche deposit along the south flank.A series of large plinian eruptions accompanied growth of a second stratovolcano during the Pleistocene.Construction of the central cone in the late-Pleistocene summit caldera began following the last of the plinian eruptions about 31,000 years ago.

Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Why it is worth the trip

Massive dry-stone walls and moats built without mortar — the engineering is as impressive as the tower above it.

A main keep (tenshu) you can climb, with each floor showing armour, weapons and castle-town models.

Grounds that double as the town's best park: cherry blossoms in spring, maples in autumn, illumination at night.

What you can do here

Climb to the top floor for a 360° view over the castle town and surrounding mountains.

Walk the full circuit of the moat and outer baileys — the gates and turrets are free to see from outside.

Rent a kimono or samurai costume nearby for photos in front of the keep.

Time your visit with a seasonal festival or evening light-up, when the walls are lit from below.

Photos