ODA Nobunaga built the Azuchi castle, located near Lake Biwa in Shiga in 1576, as his quest to unify Japan. It was one of the grandest castles ever built. The Style of Azuchi-jo castle was the eclectic mix of Japanese and European.




Luice Frois, Nobunaga's spiritual adviser, reported to Jesuit order of priests "Azuchi is the Greatest castle in the world. We(European) cannot conquer Japan because of the strength of Ninjas."

According to "Shinchokohki" (The biography of Great Nobunaga) by Gyuichi NOBUNAGA, Azuchi-jo castle was burned to the ground by the leader of an anti-Nobunaga revolt, TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi in 1582.

The present building was reconstructed by TOKUGAWA Hidetada in 1629 and its replica was displayed in the Seville international Exhibition in 1992.