Japan's Black Castles: A Guide to the Kuroi Shiro (Crow Castles)
Japan's Black Castles: A Guide to the Kuroi Shiro (Crow Castles)
Not every Japanese castle is a white one. Alongside famous white keeps like Himeji, Japan has a striking family of black castles, the kuroi shiro, whose upper walls are clad in black-lacquered wooden boards instead of white plaster. Several are nicknamed the "Crow Castle" for their dark, wing-like silhouette, and they belong to an older, warlord-era style from the late 1500s, before the Tokugawa peace made white plaster the fashion.
This guide rounds up the best black castles you can visit today, from the original National Treasure keeps of Matsumoto and Matsue to the crow-black towers of Okayama and Kumamoto. For each one we note what makes it black, whether the keep is an original or a reconstruction, and how to get there. Hours, admission and reconstruction work can change, so check each castle's official site before a special trip.
At a Glance
- Matsumoto Castle (Nagano): the Crow Castle, a black National Treasure below the Japan Alps
- Okayama Castle (Okayama): the black-and-gold "Crow Castle" beside Korakuen garden
- Matsue Castle (Shimane): an original black keep on the shore of Lake Shinji
- Kumamoto Castle (Kumamoto): a vast black fortress with soaring stone walls
Matsumoto Castle (Nagano): the Crow Castle
Matsumoto is the most famous black castle of them all. Its five-story keep, built in the 1590s, is the oldest surviving five-tier donjon in Japan and a designated National Treasure, and its black-lacquered boards and dark form earned it the nickname Karasu-jo, the Crow Castle. It sits on the flat in the middle of Matsumoto with a water moat and a red bridge, and on a clear day the snow of the Japan Alps rises behind the black tower. The keep is original, so expect steep wooden stairs inside. It is about a 15-minute walk from Matsumoto Station.
Okayama Castle (Okayama): the black-and-gold crow
Okayama Castle is the other castle known as the Crow Castle, U-jo, its keep faced in black boards that give it a jet-black body, set off by gilded roof tiles that also earn it the name Golden Crow Castle. The present tower is a postwar reconstruction, but it looks the part and stands right beside Korakuen, one of the three great landscape gardens of Japan, so the two make an easy pair. It is a short tram ride or walk from Okayama Station.
Matsue Castle (Shimane): an original black keep
On the Sea of Japan side, Matsue Castle is one of only twelve original keeps left in the country and a National Treasure, completed in 1611 and never rebuilt. Its dark weatherboards and gables give it a plover-like shape, hence its old name Chidori-jo, and its unpainted, fortress-like interior is the real thing. The castle stands by Lake Shinji, and a small boat tour still circles its original moat. It is a short bus ride or walk from Matsue Station.
Kumamoto Castle (Kumamoto): the great black fortress
Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan's three premier castles and the most imposing of the black keeps, its black-boarded towers rising above famously steep, curving stone walls built to defeat any climber. Raised by the warlord Kato Kiyomasa in 1607, it was badly damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and has been under a long restoration ever since, with the main keep repaired and reopened and full completion of the grounds targeted for around 2052. A strong earthquake on 28 July 2026 then caused fresh damage, notably to some of the stone walls, so the work is likely to take even longer. Parts of the grounds can be fenced off behind the ongoing repairs, so check the official site for what is open before you go. It is a tram ride from Kumamoto Station into the city center.
Black Castles vs White Castles
Why are some castles black and others white? It comes down to the exterior finish and the era. Black castles wear black-lacquered wooden weatherboards, a style from the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the late 1500s favored by warlords like Toyotomi Hideyoshi. White castles, such as Himeji, the White Heron Castle, are coated in white fire-resistant plaster, which became the fashion under the Tokugawa in the peaceful Edo period. So a black castle is usually the older, more warlike look, and a white one the later, more refined style. Both are worth seeing, and pairing a black castle with a nearby white one makes a good theme for a trip.
FAQ
What is a black castle, or kuroi shiro?
A black castle (kuroi shiro) is a Japanese castle whose upper walls are clad in black-lacquered wooden boards rather than white plaster, giving it a dark exterior. The style dates from the warlord era of the late 1500s. Several black castles, including Matsumoto and Okayama, are nicknamed the Crow Castle for their dark, bird-like shape.
Which is the most famous black castle in Japan?
Matsumoto Castle in Nagano is the best known. Its original five-story keep is a National Treasure and its black boards give it the nickname Karasu-jo, the Crow Castle. Matsue is the other original black National Treasure keep, while Okayama and Kumamoto are striking black reconstructions and repairs.
What is the difference between a black castle and a white castle?
The finish and the era. Black castles use black-lacquered weatherboards, an older warlord-era style; white castles like Himeji use white plaster, which became popular in the peaceful Edo period. Black is the earlier, more martial look; white is the later, more elegant one.
