Ogaki Castle
The last castle before the Sekigahara battlefield and Matsuo Basho's final destination before writing "Oku no Hosomichi." The surviving four-storey keep is one of Gifu's few remaining original castle structures. A small but genuine time capsule, it sits in the heart of Ogaki city almost unvisited by tourists.
45–60 min
¥200
9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); closed Tue (open if holiday), day after holidays, Dec 29–Jan 3
Year-round (April cherry blossoms in the park)
5 min walk from Ogaki Station (JR Biwako Line)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
Matsuo Basho arrived here in 1689 concluding his "Narrow Road to the Deep North" journey
- 2
The multi-storey keep survived WWII bombing with its structure largely intact
- 3
Only a short detour from the Sekigahara battlefield — combine into one history day
Local Tips
One of Japan's few castle keeps that survived the Boshin War without destruction — the interior shows original architectural elements. Ogaki was the endpoint of Matsuo Basho's 'Narrow Road to the Deep North' journey. The city is famous for wagashi (Japanese confectionery) and water — abundant groundwater springs supply the entire city. Combine with Gifu Castle (30 min) for a castle-pair day.
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