The town itself is not very hilly, but the castle area is positioned on a steep hill.
After climbing halfway up the hill, I look out at the gentle current of Hijikawa River as I try to catch my breath. A man is walking through the shallow end of the river catching sweetfish, and some canoes are floating downstream. I wonder if they’re locals or tourists.
A woman with her grandchild approaches me and says, “It looks like someone’s staying at the castle tonight.” She says guests can only stay in the castle in spring and fall, when air conditioning is not required. You can tell when there are guests because the sound of guns used at the entrance ceremony reenactments echoes throughout Ozu, just like it did back in the Edo Period. As I make it to the top of the hill, I look down at the town that still holds remnants of times past.


ON THE TRIP Editorial Staff
Writer: Kaori Makifuchi
Photography: Hiroshi Honma
Translation: Sara Scarf
Narration: Ryland Lee

*This guide was created based on documents and interviews and includes some interpretation done by us at ON THE TRIP. Theories differ between experts, so try to find out what really happened on your travels!