JAPAN GUIDE: Okazaki Jou by Stephen Wykes

Okazaki Castle Ootemon

The castle is not far from Naka Okazaki station and it doesn't take long to get there. As I get closer, I can see one of the moats and another bridge that lead to the castle's inner area. It is in the traditional Japanese style - red and with all the arc and trim I associate with an Edo era bridge. Across the bridge I can see some of the outer stone work of a traditional Japanese castle. Unlike European castles, which are usually stiff, box-like structures, Japanese castles tend to flow out of the landscape and seem more an art form than a military stronghold.

Okazaki Jou

On the other side of the bridge, there is a stone stairway that leads up to the area in front of the castle's main 5-story structure. As I get to the top, I realize that there is a ceremony going on in the temple to the right of the main building - there is a group of people dressed up in traditional clothes and it looks like a wedding. From here, a further staircase up to the entrance lends the building an even taller appearance from the base. I pay the 200-yen entrance fee for the castle but not the 500 yen for the Ieyasu Museum. I ask if its OK to take pictures - this is the first time I have asked a question in Japanese to somebody not from class, but the attendant only motions that it is OK. I am thankful for this, but I was kind of hoping for a verbal answer.

The good stuff starts on the first floor up. There are several sword displays and a few involving weapons and armor of the era the castle was built. There is also 6-minute video that gives background on the castle and the history behind it. After soaking in as much as I can, I move up to the next floor. It's not as interesting as the first but there is a short movie presentation about what life was like in a castle town.

Armour owned by Tokugawa Ieyasu

This floor is more uneventful than the last. I just give it a quick once over with the video cam and move up to the top floor which has just two things in it. The first is a display in the middle of the room that had specific points on interest around the Okazaki area. The other is a series of pictures of other castles lining the walls of this floor. This floor also has one final feature: access to the balcony with a view that overlooks the whole off Okazaki.

When I get back to the bottom floor, I take one last look at the souvenirs. Nothing catches my interest except for the large hanko that is out for public use. I stamp the back of the pamphlet I was given when I entered and walk outside.

I gave the other areas of the castle a quick once-over and reckon there is not much else to see other than a couple of food places and structures to check out. The temple is probably a good spot to look into, but I can't get in due to the wedding. I do find the Ieyasu museum, the main gate into the castle and a couple of other things that warrant a quick video taping. I also found a monument to Ieyasu and something I would have never expected: A monument to the Alamo. As in Texas no Alamo. I guess this guy was so impressed with what happened at the Alamo and its similarity to an incident related to the castle, that he made a monument to both. This really caught me off-guard. I guess you find new things every day if you keep your eyes open.