More than 16 Wajo castles (16th century Japanese castles remaining in Korea) were built during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea in the 30th century and remain along the southern coast of Korea, from Suncheon Wajo Castle in South Jeolla Province in the west to Ulsan Wajo Castle in South Gyeongsang Province in the east. These castles are valuable resources for the study of 16th century Japanese castles.
What are the Japanese castles in Korea?
Korean Japanese castles were located along the coast or rivers, and were arranged in a way that made it easy for people to help each other. They were built quickly, making full use of castle-building and architectural techniques, and sometimes even recycled stones from Korean-style castles. Japanese castles demonstrated their defensive capabilities with their unique structure, and they held back large armies in the Battle of Ulsan Fortress. However, most of them are not well preserved today, and have been demolished for urbanization and renovation. The dry stone construction method used in Japanese castles has the advantage of allowing water to flow through the gaps between the stones, but it was also vulnerable to pests and the elements. Japanese castle construction methods also influenced the expansion of castles during the Joseon period, before and after the Imjin War. The advantages of Japanese castles were also incorporated into urban castles, and a multiple defense system was established. The introduction of the Japanese castle system was also discussed in the construction of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Ganghwa Fortress.
Popular spots of Wajo Castle
Ungcheon CastleHello, Jinhae-gu, Changwon City, about an hour's drive west from Busan, is a town with a naval base where the largest cherry blossom festival in Korea, the Jinhae Naval Port Festival, is held every April.
busanpo CastleBusan-ura Japanese Castle, where the first battle took place during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea
Suncheon CastleThis is the site of a castle where a fierce battle took place in 1598 (the 31st year of King Seonjo's reign) between the Japanese army of Konishi Yukinaga stationed in Suncheon Japanese Fortress and the allied forces of Korea and China's Ming Dynasty!
Ulsan Castle (Hakseong Park)Located in Ulsan, a representative industrial complex in South Korea, this castle was built by Kato Kiyomasa in the 16th century!
Seosaengpo CastleLocated on the border between Busan and Ulsan, this is the largest and best-preserved Japanese castle remaining in Korea.
Yangsan CastleYangsan Japanese Fortress is located about 10 minutes by car from Yangsan Tower in Yangsan City. If you go straight up this village, you will find Yangsan Japanese Fortress. In the lower reaches of the Nakdong River, which flows in the west of Busan City,…
Sacheon Shenjinri CastleIn Gyeongsangnam-do, there are many remains of General Yi Sun-sin, who led the Korean navy during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea.
Jaseongdae ParkHello, Jaseongdae Park, located about a 1-minute walk from Exit 2 of Beomil Station on Busan Subway Line 10, is a fortress built during the Imjin War (1592-1598)…
Gijang Jukseong-ri castleA Japanese castle built in 1593 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Korea.
Gupo CastleJapanese castle located near Gupo Market in western Busan
Japanese Castle Gallery
