Inuyama犬山市

A castle that supports the oldest tower in Japan. The thrills of the Kiso-gawa River amid poetic summers.

Inuyama is situated in the eastern Nobi Plain in northwestern Aichi. Inuyama Castle, a national treasure, stands at the center of the city, which still retains the atmosphere of an old castle town built in the 17th century. Inuyama Castle, also known as Hakutei Castle, was built in the late 16th century with the oldest castle tower in existence in Japan. The castle is surrounded by the Okumura Residence, Yurakuen, and other residences that preserve merchants' lives in the past. You can also watch a traditional event, 'ukai,' fishing for smelts with cormorants.

Inuyama is also noted for the "Nihon (Japan's) Rhine." This is a downstream riverboat ride along the rapid currents of the Kiso-gawa River, which is one of the 100 best waters in Japan. In the neighboring areas, there are a variety of large-scale theme parks, such as Meiji-mura Village, which preserves the structures and other cultural assets of the 19th century, the open-air local traditions museum "Little World," and Japan Monkey Park.

The 340-year-old Inuyama Ukai is performed in the summer. Ukai is a kind of fishing. The fishermen train cormorants and make them catch smelts that are attracted to the torches at the bows of small boats on the river. They celebrate the Inuyama-matsuri Festival at Haritsuna-jinja Shrine in spring where the floats parade under the cherry blossoms.