Japan's Top 100 Castles Stamp Rally: A Must For History Buffs!

Japanese Castles: Discover Japan's History

Nagoya Castle. Photo by Pixta

While shopping and enjoying gourmet foods are both enjoyable aspects of travel, the real pleasure of travel comes from getting a feel for the history and culture of the land. If you'd like to experience Japanese history firsthand, then visiting a Japanese castle is your best option!

In this article, we explain what Japan's Top 100 Castles are and how to have fun on your trip by collecting castle stamps in Japan.

Japan's Top 100 Castles

Japan's Top 100 Castles refers to 100 castles located across Japan that have been selected by the Japan Castle Foundation. These are considered to be the best known of the tens of thousands of castles that once stood in Japan; many of which are now famous castle ruins.

In Japan, the era of those men who battled for a living, the samurai, lasted for hundreds of years. Because of this, many of their homes and castles are still standing today all across the nation. But of course, there are also castles that were unique to that age, and even earlier, still preserved to this day as well.

A castle that not only combines practicality as a fighting facility, but unique architectural beauty not found in castles in other countries, and a majestic style, is one of the must-see places for anyone considering a trip to Japan.

Japan's Top 100 Castles were selected based on their value as a cultural asset as well as on the role that it played in the history of Japan, so Japanese history buffs are sure to find a visit to any of these castles to be quite the moving experience.

And, as many of these castles are located in well-known sightseeing spots, these areas are ideal for those who would not only like to see a castle, but want to see more of Japanese culture as well.

How to Collect Castle Stamps

A fun way to remember your visit to Japanese castles over the years is to gather castle stamps.

Every prominent castle in Japan has its own stamp; the booth is usually located near the entrance.

Castle stamps are free and can be enjoyed by any visitors, whether they're avid castle stamp collectors or visitors without a particular interest in stamps.

If you have a special stamp book with all kinds of stamps, then feel free to add your castle stamps there.

However, castle lovers might want to have a separate notebook just for castle stamps. In this case, we recommend using the Japanese Castle: 24 Best Castle Stamp Rally, which was published and supervised by the Japan Castle Foundation.

We explain the features of this guidebook below.

1. First, Pick Up the Official Guidebook!

Picture courtesy of Amazon

Japanese Castle: 24 Best Castle Stamp Rally is the official English version of the "Japan's Top 100 Castles" guidebook (*1).

This book features 24 of the most representative castles among Japan's Top 100 Castles. It was designed for visitors to Japan who may not have the time and resources to visit all of Japan's one hundred famous castles.

*1 The "Japan's Top 100 Castles" guidebook featuring all 100 castles is only available in Japanese.

The English guidebook can be purchased on Amazon, at larger bookstores in Japan, or museum shops within famous Japanese castles.

Official website: Japanese Castle: 24 Best Castle Stamp Rally

2. Read Through the Guidebook

Picture courtesy of Amazon

The Japanese castle guidebook features each of the most famous 24 castles in Japan with basic information on its history and features.

There is also a map of Japan with all the castles that you can visit and collect stamps.

Or, as the guidebooks have many gorgeous pictures in them, if you find yourself drawn to a particular castle, see something interesting about the area, or just decide that a castle "looks cool", then it's best to trust your own intuition.

The guidebook also features access information and places where you can get your castle stamp, as described below.

3. Get Your Stamp!

Picture courtesy of Amazon

The official guidebook comes with a stamp book like the photo above. At the 24 castles selected by the foundation, there are special stamps prepared at the castle itself, which you can stamp onto these pages when you visit. This is just one of the many ways to enjoy your visit to a Japanese castle!

These stamps are placed inside the reception area of the castle, in its museum, in the tenshu (*1), or other locations on site.

And, if you are visiting a particularly big castle, there may be more than one stamp location as well. If you aren't sure where to look, just show the guidebook to the staff and they will be able to tell you where the stamp pad is located.

*1 Tenshu: the castle tower; the main or tallest portion of the castle that still remains; these are often the symbol of the castle itself..

4. Then Go See the Castle!

After you've collected your stamp, head out and view the rest of the castle and grounds. The beautiful castle, commemorative photography spots, and various events and activities can be found within the grounds.

And Finally - What Castle Do You Recommend?

If this is your first visit to a Japanese castle, then going to a famous one that is easily accessed and located near a major sightseeing area is your best option.

In Tokyo there is Edo Castle (the present-day Imperial Palace), which you can easily walk to from Tokyo Station, in Kyoto you will find Nijo Castle, and in Osaka there is Osaka Castle, all of which are part of Japan's Top 100 Castles.

In addition, Hyogo prefecture is home to Himeji Castle, which is not only a beautiful example of a modern Japanese castle, but also a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site.

By first visiting a famous castle, you will gain a greater appreciation for numerous aspects of Japanese culture and history. By all means, please check out Japan's Top Castles!