Inuyama Castle

The main attraction of the small town of Inuyama near Nagoya is its historic castle. Built in 1537 and surviving all natural disasters, wars and ownership changes, it is known as the oldest castle in Japan and was designated as a National Treasure in 1952.

It is also the only privately-owned castle in the country and belongs to the Naruse family, which has been in charge of it almost continuously since 1617.

The main keep offers nice views of the Kiso River, as well as Mount Ontake, the highest mountain of Japan Alps.