Overview

Potter around Azuchi by bicycle and visit the site of Oda Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle and the museums that bring the warlord and his castle vividly to life.

Details

Azuchi Castle was a castle built by Oda Nobunaga on Mt. Azuchi on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. It was a magnificent structure, with the first large keep designed as a symbol of the owner’s prestige, atop walls all made of stone. The castles built subsequently all followed the pattern of Azuchi. Today only the walls of the castle remain, as well as the pagoda and gate of Sōken-ji Temple and a mausoleum to Nobunaga. But these remains and their mountaintop location are very impressive and suggestive of the grandeur that once existed here. The nearby Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum and Nobunaga’s Castle Museum provide highly detailed visual context about the castle and its history.

On this tour, we potter around Azuchi by bicycle visiting the castle site and three museums that bring the warlord and his castle vividly to life. Lunch is at a restaurant serving locally grown organic rice. It overlooks Lake Nishi, which once formed part of the formidable defences of Azuchi Castle.

Availability
Year round

Time required
6.5 hours

Notes

• The cycling route is mostly flat, so anyone of average fitness can complete it.
• It’s advisable to have adequate protection against sun and rain.

URL
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35371195