Escape from Burning Honnoji is a free Android escape game set on the morning of the Honnoji Incident in 1582. Four stages, about 15 minutes per playthrough, built-in hints, Japanese and English, and two endings: the historical one and an alternate "what if" ending.

ShiroLog is a free Android app for logging your visits to Japanese castles. Choose from 1,000+ castles, save the date, photos and a short note, and take on 50+ missions such as Japan's five national-treasure castle keeps or Oda Nobunaga's castles. Available in English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean.

Our real 3-day family itinerary: Shinkansen to Karuizawa, then a rental car to Tatsuoka Castle Goryokaku, Komoro Castle, Ueda Castle, the Sanada clan residence, Shiraito Falls and the Karuizawa outlet mall. Plus a lodging tip we learned the hard way: for castle hopping, stay near Ueda or Komoro Station.

A visit with our son to the "Toyotomi Kyodai!" (Brothers in Arms) special exhibition at the Edo-Tokyo Museum, Tokyo: admission ¥2,100 (advance ¥1,900, free for high schoolers and under), the ¥700/¥800 audio guide and how to share one device, highlights such as the Nansen Ichimonji sword, souvenirs, and the Ieyasu statue outside.

We visited Komoro Castle (Kaikoen), a rare "sunken castle" lower than its town. Sengoku Hidehisa's stone walls, Yamamoto Kansuke's Mirror Stone, Tokugawa Hidetada's Ueda headquarters, stamp location (no ticket needed), time needed and evening tips.

We visited Miyajima and Itsukushima Shrine with our 8-year-old son: about 1 hour on the island, about 3 hours including the round trip. Ferry fares, the Miyajima Visitor Tax, shrine admission, deer and crab spotting for kids, and Taikō no Chikara-mochi — a bonus stop on our Kyushu & Hiroshima castle tour.

Hiroshima Castle (Japan's Top 100 Castles No. 73) closed its keep on March 22, 2026, but the free reconstructed Ninomaru buildings and the moat are still open, and we got the Top 100 Castles stamp right in front of the keep. About 45 minutes; access and highlights from a family's point of view.

We visited Nagoya Castle in Saga (Japan's Top 100 Castles No. 87) with our 8-year-old son. Said to have been laid out by Kuroda Kanbei, it gathered the Sengoku all-stars. The ruins and museum took about 2.5 hours; the stamp is at the free Nagoya Castle Museum. Not to be confused with Nagoya Castle in Aichi.

We visited Saga Castle (100 Fine Castles of Japan No.89) with our 8-year-old son. The History Museum is free (donations welcome), and we spent about 1 hr 45 min with a guide. The stamp is at reception — plus parking tips and a history quiz for kids.

We visited Fukuoka Castle (100 Fine Castles of Japan No.85) with our 8-year-old son. There is no keep, so the highlights are the view from the keep foundation and the turrets. We stayed about 1 hour. Access from Ohorikoen Station, parking fees, and where to get the stamp.