Okayama Castle Tower Renewal

Okayama Castle is one of Japan's 100 Famous Castles and was built by Ukita Hideie, a relative of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who served as one of the Five Great Elders at a young age. Its three-story, six-tiered keep, which has a rare irregular pentagonal shape, is also affectionately known as "Crow Castle" due to its black clapboard exterior.
Following our large-scale renovation in 1996 (commemorating the 400th anniversary of the castle's construction), we have once again been awarded the contract for the renovation of the castle tower's displays as part of the "Reiwa Era Grand Renovation." This renovation was based on the concept of creating "an easily understandable gateway to Okayama's history, even for beginners," and we have developed the castle tower as a base to attract general tourists and encourage them to explore the history of Okayama City.
displays content was supervised by Michifumi Isoda, a historian from Okayama City. It clearly introduces the charm and characteristics of Okayama Castle, the achievements of its successive lords, and the origins of the city of Okayama, while incorporating new findings.

Across Japan, the potential of castles as tourist resources is being re-evaluated, and in this project, responding to tourism demand, including inbound tourism, is a major challenge.
In addition, we received a request to create a historical displays that emphasizes a female perspective, in contrast to historical displays that tend to portray history primarily from a male-centric viewpoint.

In response to the growing demand for tourism, we created an original video centered around the well-known "Battle of Sekigahara," depicting the exploits of three warlords deeply connected to Okayama Castle (Ukita Hideie, Kobayakawa Hideaki, and Ikeda Terumasa). This was done to help tourists from both Japan and abroad feel a connection to Okayama and connect with the story more easily.
In addition, to attract new tourists through word-of-mouth and social media, we have prepared a variety of photo spots throughout the castle keep.
Furthermore, in the video showcasing the achievements of Ukita Naoie and Ikeda Mitsumasa, who greatly contributed to the development of Okayama, their wives serve as narrators, creating a structure where "wives boast about their husbands' accomplishments," thereby incorporating a female perspective into the historical displays.