Nicknamed U-jō (烏城; Crow Castle) because of its colour, the striking black Okayama Castle has an imposing exterior with gilded fish-gargoyles flipping their tails in the air. You can appreciate its impressive appearance for nix from the grounds or looking from across the river. Inside the donjon (main keep), some modern finishes detract from the 16th-century feel, but there are a few interesting museum displays and views from the top floor.
While it was first completed in 1597 under daimyō Ukita Hideie, much of the castle was dismantled after the Meiji Restoration and most of what remained burnt down during WWII air raids. It was rebuilt in 1966.
