Ogaki Castle

Ogaki Castle in Gifu Prefecture played a central role in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, when Ishida Mitsunari used it as his headquarters before the decisive clash that would give Tokugawa Ieyasu control of Japan. The original castle was destroyed in World War II air raids, and the current four-story keep was rebuilt in concrete in 1959. The interior museum covers samurai culture, the Sekigahara campaign, and local history through displays of armor, documents, and maps. Climb to the top floor for views over the flat Nobi plain. The park around the castle has benches and a small pond.