Odawara – The Great Castle a stone’s throw from Tokyo

You don’t have to venture far from Tokyo to find passages of epic history, jaw-dropping nature, and unparalleled seafood! Odawara often goes unnoticed among visitors to Japan, but it is the gateway to a world of history and nature without comparison just a few steps from Tokyo. Cultural tourism, in search of castles and ancient towns, usually focuses on cities like Nagoya or Osaka, but why travel so far from Tokyo when we can enjoy Odawara?

The area where Odawara is located was a place of human settlements since prehistoric times, where archaeological evidence of a high population during the Jomon period (14,000 to 300 BC) can be found.

From the Nara period (700 to 794 AD), the area was part of the Ashigarashimo District in Sagami Province. During the Heian period (794 to 1185 AD) it was divided into Shoen, mainly controlled by the Hatano clan. During the Genpei war between the Heike clan and Minamoto no Yoritomo, the Battle of Ishibashiyama took place, very close to present-day Odawara. During the Sengoku period (1467 to 1615 AD), Odawara grew as a fortified city, with a castle, and became the capital of the domain of the Hojo clan, which occupied most of the present-day Kanto region. The Hojo clan was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the Battle of Odawara in 1590, despite Odawara Castle’s reputation as an invincible fortress. Then Tokugawa Ieyasu took control of the Odawara area.

During the Tokugawa Shogunate, Odawara was the center of the Domain of the same name, a feudal estate ruled by a succession of daimyo. The town prospered as Odawara-juku, a trading station on the great Tokaido road that connected Edo (old Tokyo) with Kyoto.

After the Meiji Restoration (1868), Odawara Domain became Odawara Prefecture for a short time, then merged with Ashigara Prefecture for an even shorter time, and finally became part of Kanagawa Prefecture in 1876. During this period, the economic and political center in Kanagawa moved to Yokohama. Odawara suffered a strong population decline, which was aggravated when the original Tokaido route stopped passing through the city to give preference to a road north of it, passing through the Gotemba road. In 1934, Odawara had a revival with the opening of the Tanna Tunnel, which brought the Tokaido route back to the city.

In addition to the famous Odawara Castle, the city is the gateway to the tourist area of ​​Hakone where you can find some of the best onsen hot springs in Japan, and is the first point in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

Enoura, a coastal area of ​​Odawara, is very famous for its crystal clear sea and the kumamomi, a kind of fish that likes clean and transparent water. It is also possible to see sea turtles. Due to its clean water and rich marine life, many people like to dive in Enoura.

Traditionally, Odawara is very famous for its production of Kamaboko (a fish-based product), its marine products, umeboshi plum preserves, and traditional herbal medicines from the region.

Odawara Castle

Odawara Castle (小田原城, Odawarajō) was originally built in the mid-15th century, and quickly passed into the domain of the Hojo clan. Being one of the most powerful clans during the period of unification of Japan, this happened to be the capital of said clan, controlling the area of ​​present-day Tokyo. In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi attacked Odawara Castle, defeating the Hojo clan and reunifying Japan.

In 1703, the castle was destroyed by an earthquake, to be quickly rebuilt; although by 1870 various parts of the castle were dismantled and sold. The main fortress of the castle was rebuilt with an iron and concrete structure in 1960, based on models and plans from the Edo period (1603 to 1867). During the following years, the three main gates leading to the castle were also rebuilt. Currently, it is the closest standing castle to Tokyo.

The main fortress of the castle has 3 floors outside and 4 inside. Inside, the history of the castle is on display, with armor, swords, and documents on display. The top floor offers an incredible view of the park and the city. The castle is also very famous for its cherry blossoms during the months of March and April, as well as always having beautiful gardens of other flowers throughout the year; plum trees, azalea, wisteria, iris, lotus and more!

Within the castle park itself is the Ninja Museum, where you can learn a lot about the culture and skills behind these mysterious warriors, as well as take some of the skill tests yourself. There is also the small Samurai Museum, where you can admire armor, weapons and other accessories used by these great warriors. Both highly recommended!

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

The castle is not Odawara’s only claim to fame. It is also the first city that we will find within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, very famous for its hot springs and fabulous views of Mount Fuji. And what about its lake, mountains and forests, which will make a walk a spiritual experience with nature without equal. It is possible to reach this area very easily from Tokyo due to its great connection with Odawara with 6 different train lines, including the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train).

Kamaboko

Every day, seafood is fished and sold at Odawara port. This is where the fish meat that will be steamed to make the Kamaboko comes from. Kamaboko is an original dish from Japan that dates back to the 12th century. Originally, it was very popular among the samurai and the nobility, and later its fame and consumption spread as it is a very healthy food. This is a very popular dish among the Japanese, although not as famous abroad as sushi or takoyaki. If you want to try some of the best and learn more about its history, or even learn how to prepare it, we highly recommend going to the Suzuhiro Kamaboko Museum.

Culture, Art and History

Although Odawara is very famous for its seafood, it also has a very earthy specialty, umeboshi plum preserves. A true gourmet product very popular throughout Japan. It is also very famous for its paper lanterns, which are often seen at summer festivals in Japan.

If you are looking for a more intimate experience, you can follow in the footsteps of the local people and go to Seikantei. A villa that belonged to an illustrious family, where you can take a look at the daily life of the “elite” of old Japan and its surroundings. Its wonderful views of Sagami Bay in perfect harmony with the traditional garden. It is time to relax and breathe in the natural aromas of the tatami, tea and the sea.

Odawara with children

For those of us traveling with children, the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History is one of everyone’s favorite destinations, where they will find dinosaur fossils, insects of all sizes and colors, meteorites, and much more! For just 510 yen per adult, this museum offers high-quality entertainment and education. If you are looking for something a little more active, you can visit Odawara Wanpaku Land, a huge park with a free playground, an area to “take care” of animals, and some paid games, as well as being the perfect place for a family picnic.

Without a doubt, Odawara is a destination that cannot be missed and that we are sure, you will enjoy very much!

It is very easy to get to Odawara by train , including the super fast Shinkansen or bullet train , making it a comfortable ride from Tokyo. And although it is possible to travel by plane, bus or boat, the train offers the best prices and convenience of all . For an even better price, we recommend traveling with the Japan Railways universal pass called JR PASS , which you can purchase on their website. This pass is purchased before traveling to Japan , arriving at the airport or at any train station , you can pick up your pass with proof of purchase .