Spotlight On Atami Castle

Atami Castle, at the seacoast city of Atami, Japan, is an attraction built in 1959 in the Momoyama architectural style when the city was enjoying its heyday as a tourist town.

Atami is less than two hours away from Tokyo by car and it also is accessible by shinkansen. The castle is not a traditional castle as it was built for tourism.

The hilltop castle contains a museum which includes an exhibit of an old samurai homestead . Visitors may find temporary exhibits when visiting the castle.

Above, a view of Oshima Island from Atami. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The castle is 160 meters in height (about 525 feet) and the observation deck at the top offers superb views of the surrounding countryside and ocean. Also, Oshima Island (featured in Return of Godzilla (1984)) can be seen from Atami.

Above, Atami Castle from the harbor of Atami City. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Atami Castle was the location for the end of the battle between Godzilla and King Kong in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962).

Atami has several hot spring (onsen) resorts to further entice visitors.

Atami is featured on page 35 in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.