Tokiwagi Gate SAMURAI Museum

Located within Odawara Castle, 常盤木門SAMURAI館 displays samurai armor and weapons, offering insights into Japan’s feudal era.

Planning your visit

The Tokiwagi Gate at Odawara Castle houses a samurai museum, and the castle's history is the reason it matters. Odawara was the stronghold of the Hōjō clan, who controlled the Kantō region for a century, until Toyotomi Hideyoshi besieged it in 1590 with a vast army and famously built an entire castle overnight on a nearby hill to demoralise the defenders. The surrender completed Japan's unification.

The museum displays armour, helmets, swords and weapons of the feudal period within the reconstructed gatehouse, with explanation of how armour was constructed and worn.

The castle keep, rebuilt in concrete in 1960 as many Japanese castles were, holds further exhibits and gives views to Sagami Bay and, on clear days, Mount Fuji.

Odawara is around thirty-five minutes from Tokyo by shinkansen, and is the gateway to Hakone. Allow ninety minutes. Bookable options include day tours from Tokyo. Current availability is listed below.