culture Sightseeing

Iga Ueno Castle and the Iga-ryu Ninja MuseumーThe Land of High Stone Walls and Ninja Heritage

Iga Ueno Castle is located in Iga City, Mie Prefecture. Mie? Iga? You might be wondering, “Where exactly is that?” However, many of you are likely familiar with the words ninja or shinobi. In Japan, the two regions most commonly associated with the origins of ninja are Iga and Koka.

Within the park grounds where Iga Ueno Castle stands, you’ll also find the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum. If your schedule allows, visiting both the castle and the museum will make for an even more enjoyable experience!

How to Get There

How to Get There from the Nearest Station

Address：106 Marunouchi, Ueno, Iga City, Mie Prefecture　Google Maps

Nearest Station：Uenoshi Station on the Iga Railway Iga Line

Route from the Nearest Station：From Uenoshi Station, it’s a 5-minute walk to the park entrance where Iga Ueno Castle is located. The park has several entrances, but I recommend the one near the tourist information center. This entrance not only has restrooms nearby but also features panels of ninja-themed anime characters, making it a fun starting point for your visit. If you don’t have a specific route in mind, this one is a great choice!

The History of Iga Ueno Castle and the Ninjas

The History of Iga Ueno Castle

The current Iga Ueno Castle is a fully reconstructed structure, completed in 1935. Its restoration was made possible thanks to the dedication and financial support of Katsumi Kawasaki, a Diet member from Iga. Kawasaki saw it as his mission to protect and foster local culture, a forward-thinking endeavor given the turbulent times of the 1930s, marked by conflict in various parts of the world. Even today, his efforts stand as a testament to the value of preserving history and culture, evoking both pride and admiration.

The original castle was first constructed in 1585. Later, in 1611, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered Takatora Todo, a renowned castle architect, to renovate Iga Ueno Castle. Unfortunately, during construction in 1612, a massive storm destroyed the castle tower. However, not everything was lost. The stone walls—known for their impressive height—survived and remain intact to this day. These walls are considered among the tallest in Japan, rivaling even those of Osaka Castle.

If you visit Iga Ueno Castle, the stone walls are an absolute must-see. Their scale and craftsmanship offer a glimpse into the grandeur of the castle during its heyday!

The History of Ninjas

The term ninja became widely recognized in Japan relatively recently, around 1955–1965. Historically, they were more commonly referred to as shinobi. Ninjas are believed to have been active between the 1400s and around 1640, with their peak activity occurring between 1540 and 1600, during Japan’s Sengoku period (1467–1615). This was a time of continuous warfare among feudal lords, known as Sengoku daimyo.

Ninjas were employed by these warlords to infiltrate enemy strongholds, gather intelligence, and conduct sabotage or night raids. Their primary mission was survival—returning alive to deliver critical information to their lords. The essence of their work lay in secrecy and stealth, making covert operations their specialty.

While ninjas existed throughout Japan, the most famous regions associated with them are Iga and Koka (modern-day Koka City in Shiga Prefecture). These areas were geographically close and, rather than being consistently adversarial, they often cooperated depending on the circumstances.

The modern global fascination with ninjas took off with the release of the American action film Enter the Ninja. This popularity was further amplified by the massive success of the manga and anime series Naruto, which brought ninja culture to audiences worldwide.

Inside Iga Ueno Castle

The entrance near the tourist information center is recommended. There is also a restroom next to it.
Panels of kunoichi (female ninjas) will greet you!
Follow the paved path. It takes about 10 minutes to walk to the castle, so I recommend wearing comfortable shoes.
Along the way, you’ll find the Matsuo Basho Memorial Museum. Matsuo Basho was one of Japan’s most famous haiku poets, active during the Edo period.
Let’s continue walking further ahead.
The castle is coming into view!
As you get closer to the castle, it really is impressive in size! Just a note: the stone walls here are not the ones built by Takatora Todo, so be sure to keep that in mind!

If you walk straight for about 1–2 minutes past the castle, you’ll see Takatora Todo’s stone walls. These walls are original from the time, and their impressive height is truly breathtaking.

Return to the castle and enter through the main gate. After passing through, you’ll find the ticket center where you can purchase your tickets. Please note that only cash is accepted, so be sure to have Japanese yen ready. The admission fees are:Adults: 600 yen　　Elementary and junior high school students: 300 yen
The entrance inside the castle looks like this. Please be sure to remove your shoes before entering.
Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by a statue of Takatora Todo.

Various materials are on display, including impressive suits of armor. They look really cool!
The second floor looks like this.
This is a photo of Katsumi Kawasaki. It’s remarkable how dignified people from the past appear. There seems to be a strength in them that isn’t as commonly seen in people today.
This is the top floor, the third floor.On the ceiling, you’ll find 46 pieces of calligraphy by notable figures, including Yokoyama Taikan, celebrating the restoration of the castle tower.
The view from the third floor. Since it was a clear day, the greenery looks stunning.

Inside the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum

Inside the park where Iga Ueno Castle is located, you’ll find the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum.

It’s about a 5-minute walk from the castle to the museum. If you have some extra time, be sure to visit!

The entrance to the Ninja Museum.
Inside, there are events happening! The schedule of events is posted for visitors to check out!

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I couldn’t enter the museum on the day of my visit. However, I’ll share the official website link for your reference:

Looking at the reviews on Google Maps, it’s interesting to note that the number of reviews for the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum and Iga Ueno Castle are quite similar!

As of October 2024:

I had assumed Iga Ueno Castle would be the main attraction, but it seems the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum might be just as much of a highlight! In fact, the museum’s reviews are filled with comments from international visitors, which shows how exciting and engaging the museum truly is!

Information about the area around the nearest station to Iga Ueno Castle

The nearest station to Iga Ueno Castle is Ueno-shi Station. The station building also displays the name “Ninja City Station” as a nickname, given the area’s strong connection to ninja history.

The trains are decorated with prints of shuriken (throwing stars).
The area in front of the station has a relaxed atmosphere. There are a few shops, enough to meet the needs of the local people without being overly busy.

Haitopia Iga is a commercial building located in front of the station. Inside, you’ll find restaurants and other facilities. You can check more details on their website: http://www.haitopia-iga.jp/?page_id=29

Next to the right of Haitopia Iga, there is a small shopping street.
Since it was still before 10 AM, most of the shops were not open yet.

The stylish cafe was open, and I ordered an iced orange mocha. It was absolutely delicious!

When I asked the cafe staff, “Do a lot of tourists come to this shopping street?” they replied, “Not many, mainly locals use the shopping street.”

It seems that tourists might visit Iga Ueno Castle and the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum and then leave right after. The town itself has a very relaxed atmosphere, and it was such a comfortable place to be!

Hours and Fees

Iga Ueno Castle:

  • Business Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry by 4:45 PM)
  • Closed: December 29th–31st
  • Parking: Multiple parking lots available, around 500 yen.
  • Admission Fees:
    • Adults: 600 yen
    • Elementary & Junior High School Students: 300 yen

Iga-ryu Ninja Museum

  • Business Hours:
    • Weekdays: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (last entry by 3:30 PM)
    • Weekends & Holidays: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM (last entry by 4:00 PM)
  • Closed: December 29th–January 1st
  • Parking: Same as Iga Ueno Castle parking
  • Admission Fees:
    • Adults: 800 yen
    • 4 years old to Junior High School: 500 yen
    • Ninja Show (separate fee): 500 yen (schedule can be found on the website)
    • Shuriken Throwing Experience: 6 shuriken for 300 yen (no entry fee required, available as a standalone experience)

Note that this information is accurate as of October 14, 2024.