Kakegawa's donjon was rebuilt in 1994 using traditional wooden joinery rather than concrete, making it one of the only postwar Japanese castle keeps reconstructed as an actual timber structure rather than a museum shell. The adjoining Ninomaru Goten is an original Edo-period palace building, not a reconstruction, so you get both a rebuilt keep and a genuine historic interior on the same grounds. Combine it with a run out to the Makinohara plateau, one of Japan's principal tea-growing districts, and the day pairs a castle visit with rows of tea bushes running to the horizon rather than a single potted-plant garden.
Kakegawa Castle sits just 700 meters from Kakegawa Station, reached by a 15-20 minute Kodama Shinkansen ride from Shizuoka or Hamamatsu, or a 30-40 minute JR Tokaido Main Line local, followed by a short 5-10 minute walk. The castle's main keep was reconstructed in 1994 using traditional wooden joinery techniques after the original Edo-period structure, itself rebuilt following a 16th-century campaign led by Tokugawa Ieyasu, was lost to earthquake damage; the adjacent Ninomaru Palace survives as one of Japan's few original Edo-period palace buildings open to the public. Beyond the castle, the Makinohara plateau 10-15 km away is one of Japan's largest contiguous green tea growing regions, reached in 20-30 minutes by car or local bus, with a tea museum and viewing points over the terraced fields. A typical day starts with the short walk from Kakegawa Station to the castle and Ninomaru Palace, allowing an hour or so to explore the keep's reconstructed interior and the palace's tatami rooms, followed by a car or bus trip out to the Makinohara tea fields for a walk among the terraces and a stop at the tea museum, where tastings of local sencha are often available. Restaurants near the castle serve regional specialties including grilled eel and tea-infused dishes, useful for lunch before heading to the tea plateau. May and October give the best views of active tea cultivation, with the fields freshly trimmed after the spring and autumn harvests, though the castle and palace are worth visiting in any season.
| Distance | Kakegawa Station to castle: 700 m; to nearby Makinohara tea fields: 10-15 km |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 5-10 minutes on foot from Kakegawa Station to the castle; 20-30 minutes by car or bus to the Makinohara tea plateau |
| Getting there | Mode: Train and walking; Detail: Tokaido Shinkansen (Kodama) or JR Tokaido Main Line to Kakegawa Station, then a short walk to the castle; a car or local bus reaches the surrounding Makinohara tea fields |
| Difficulty | easy |
| Address | 1-1 Kakegawa, Kakegawa 436-0079 |
How to get there
- Shinkansen: Kodama service from Shizuoka (about 15-20 min) or Hamamatsu (about 15 min)
- JR Tokaido Main Line local from Shizuoka or Hamamatsu (30-40 min)
- Walking: 5-10 minutes from Kakegawa Station to the castle
- Car/taxi: 20-30 minutes to the Makinohara tea plateau and tea museum
Location
1-1 Kakegawa, Kakegawa 436-0079
34.7686, 137.9994 View on map
Highlights
- Reconstructed Kakegawa Castle keep built with traditional wooden joinery
- Ninomaru Palace, one of Japan's few surviving original Edo-period palace buildings
- Makinohara plateau's terraced green tea fields and tea museum
- Local sencha tastings near the Makinohara tea growing region
Tips for visiting
- Take the Kodama Shinkansen from Shizuoka or Hamamatsu for the fastest connection to Kakegawa Station
- Walk the short 5-10 minutes from the station to the castle rather than arranging transport
- Rent a car or take a local bus to reach the Makinohara tea fields, since there is no direct train line
- Visit in May or October to see the tea terraces freshly trimmed after harvest
- Try tea tastings at the Makinohara tea museum before buying local sencha as a souvenir
When to visit
May and October, when the Makinohara tea terraces are freshly trimmed after the spring and autumn harvests.
Frequently asked questions
Is the current Kakegawa Castle keep original?
No, the keep is a 1994 reconstruction using traditional wooden techniques, though the adjacent Ninomaru Palace is an original Edo-period building.
How far are the Makinohara tea fields from the castle?
The tea fields are about 10-15 km away, roughly a 20-30 minute drive or bus ride from Kakegawa Station.
Can visitors sample tea at the Makinohara plateau?
Yes, the tea museum on the plateau typically offers tastings of local sencha alongside its exhibits on tea cultivation.