So far I have only been to 5, but one of these days I’ll get to all 12. These are the only 12 left that weren’t completely destroyed between Meiji Restoration to WW2, although some do have significant alterations and rebuilding throughout the centuries.
All the other ones are completely rebuilt from ground up(Osaka Castle, rebuilt multiple times) or are modern recreations(Azuchi Castle’s recreation not by Lake Biwa but in Ise) or even just left in ruins(Kanazawa Castle Ruins Park).
1 - Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle 備中松山城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://takahasikanko.or.jp/modules/spot/?content_id=1 (Japanese only)
First built in 1240 by Akiba Saburo Shigenobu 秋庭三郎重信
Rebuilt in 1331 in current location by Takahashi Muneyasu 高橋宗康
Current configuration from 1683 by Mizunoya Katsutaka 水谷勝宗
– Between late October to early December, if there’s high temperature difference, there’s a chance for cloud seas in the early morning due to fog. (see here for the cloud seas observation spot)
– AKA Takahashi castle 高梁城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
2 - Hikone Castle 彦根城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.hikoneshi.com/en/hikone-castle
First built in 1575
Current configuration from 1603
– AKA Konki castle or Golden Turtle 金亀城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
3 - Himeji Castle 姫路城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.himejicastle.jp/en/
First built in 1346
Current configuration from 1601
– AKA Hakuro/Shirasagi castle or White Heron castle 白鷺城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
4 - Hirosaki Castle 弘前城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.hirosakipark.jp/en/
First built in 1603
Current configuration from 1810
– AKA Takaoka castle 鷹岡城/高岡城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
5 - Inuyama Castle 犬山城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://ml.inuyama.gr.jp/en/
First built in 1469 by Oda Hirochika 織田広近
Moved to current location in 1537 by Oda Nobuyasu 織田信康
The donjon was damaged from typhoon Vera (伊勢湾台風) in 1959, then take apart and rebuilt using it’s original parts between 1961 to 1965
– AKA Hakutei castle 白帝城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
6 - Iyo Matsuyama Castle 伊予松山城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://iyokannet.jp/english/spot/index.html
First built in 1603 by Kato Yoshiaki 加藤嘉明
Current configuration from 1820
– AKA Kinki castle or Golden Turtle castle 金亀城
– AKA Katsuyama castle 勝山城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
7 - Kochi Castle 高知城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/english/tourism-castle.html
First built in 1601
Completed in 1611
– AKA Taka castle or Hawk castle 鷹城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
8 - Marugame Castle 丸亀城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.marugame-castle.jp/ (Japanese only)
First built in 1597-1602 by Nara Motoyasu 奈良元安
Current configuration from 1670
– AKA Kameyama castle 亀山城
– AKA Horai castle 蓬莱城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
9 - Maruoka Castle 丸岡城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.maruoka-kanko.org/ (Japanese only)
First built in 1576 by Shibata Katsutoyo 柴田勝豊
Current configuration from 1576
Other than the donjon, everything else was demolished during the Meiji Restoration.
It was leveled by the 1948 Fukui earthquake and restored using 80% original materials between 1950-1955
– AKA Kasumiga castle 霞ヶ城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
10 - Matsue Castle 松江城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.kankou-shimane.com/en/?p=649
First built in 1607
Current configuration from 1607
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
11 - Matsumoto Castle 松本城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/lang/
First built in 1504
Current configuration from 1590
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia
12 - Uwajima Castle 宇和島城
Official Castle Tourism Website: http://www.uwajima.org/spot/index7.html (Japanese only)
First built as a fort in 1236 by Saionji Kintsune 西園寺公経 as Marugushi castle
The proper castle was built in 1596 by Todo Takatora 藤堂高虎
Current configuration from 1671
The tenshu was deconstructed and repaired between 1960-1962
– AKA Marugushi castle 丸串城
– AKA Itajima castle 板島城
– AKA Tsurushima castle 鶴島城
– Information from JCastle, Wikipedia