Wakayama castle(JP036)

The white-as-chalk castle tower rises above Mt. Torafusu which is thick with greenery and has a stateliness worthy of the dignity of the three houses of the Tokugawa clan. Construction began on Wakayama Castle in the 13th year of the Tensho Period (1585) under the supervision of Hidenaga, the younger brother of Hideyoshi Toyotomi who subjugated Kishu. The famous castle builder, Takatora Todo was responsible for construction and built the inner citadel and the first circle walls. First of all, 
Shigeharu Kuwayama took over the castle as Hidenaga's chatelain and then in the 5th year of the Keicho Period (1600), Yoshinaga Asano, who had been victorious in the Battle of Sekigahara, took over the castle. Then, in the 5th year of the Genna Period (1619), Yorinobu, the 10th child of Ieyasu Tokugawa, came to the castle and it became a castle with an income of 555,000 Koku (unit of measurement: approx. 150kgs) in the Kishu Domain and therefore equal to the Mito and Owari branches, carving out a long history as one of the three houses of the Tokugawa clan. 
Bluestone (chlorite schiste) is widely used in the Wakayama Castle walls as it is found locally in Kishu and this really does give you the feeling that you are in Wakayama. 
If you climb the tower you can look out over Wakayama City and see the Kino River slowly meandering along. This may be a good way to get an initial overall picture of Wakayama City to start off your sightseeing.