Atami Castle 熱海城

Atami Castle, standing 120 meters above sea level, looks deceptively historic. While it was inspired by castles that rose during the Momoyama period (1568-1600), it is one of Japan's newest castles, only dating back to 1959.

The view from the top, however, is magnificent, and there are plenty of fun things to do here.

From Atami Station on the JR Tokaido Line, take the Yuyu Sightseeing Loop Bus to Atami Castle.

Alternatively get off the Loop Bus at the Marine Spa Atami stop and take the Atami Ropeway to the top station; the castle is a short walk away.

Unlike many other Japanese castles, Atami Castle is not a modern reconstruction of an earlier structure. In fact, it was built in 1959 just to ride the wave of Atami's tourism heyday, and it has always served purely as a tourism facility.

However, it is in the style of castles built in the Momoyama period. This is why you may find that its external architecture seems rather similar to other structures from that era, such as Osaka Castle .

These days, Atami Castle is a one-stop tourism facility where you can explore different aspects of Japanese culture, from donning Edo-period samurai costumes to viewing erotic ukiyo-e displays.

The castle also pays tribute to its more historic brethren through an exhibition on other castles in Japan.

But the real highlight is the view from the castle's top floor overlooking Sagami Bay. It is particularly stunning in the spring when the cherry trees are in bloom. Summer is another popular time to visit because the front of the castle is a prime viewing spot for the Atami Marine Fireworks .