Iga Ueno Castle was initially built by Sadatsugu Tsutsui but was expanded and converted to its present form after Takatora Todo succeeded Sadatsugu in 1611. Uncanny in his military prowess and political sense, Takatora sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu at the decisive Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 after serving the Toyotomi Hideyoshi shogunate. Takatora was also renowned as one of the finest castle architects of his time. The castle is the centerpiece of Ueno City and is located in its main Park alongside the Ninja Yashiki and Basho Memorial Museums.
The castle tower was reconstructed as a five story wooden building in 1935 embodying the essence of the Momoyama style architecture of the late 16th century. With its elegant white walls, the castle is also known as the 'Hakuho' or 'white phoenix' castle for its resemblance to the fabled sacred white bird resting in green leaves. The walls surrounding the structure, at 30 meters tall, are said to be the highest in Japan. The castle was used as a shooting location for Kagemusha, a film directed by Kurosawa Akira in the early 1980's.
Constructed by Takatora Todo (1556-1630), a famous commander of the Warring States period, what now remains is the inner moat and stone walls of that time and the castle tower which was reconstructed in 1935. Composed of 3 floors, the inside of the castle has exhibits of the weapons and armor of Takatora Todo, the personal effects of the Todo clan, and 46 colored-paper ceiling pictures by famous artists such as Daikan Yokoyama. The inner moat and rock wall is famous in Japan for its height, and is well worth seeing.
The five story structure has an interior separated into three floors. Unlike many other castles in Japan, the main entry hall is very open and spacious with a fairly good collection of ancient artifacts such as armour, taiko drums, weapons, masks, scrolls, and palanquins.