Toyama Municipal Folk Museum, Toyama Castle

This castle also known as Ukishiro (The Floating Castle), which stands in a corner of Toyama Castle Ruin Park, was chosen for the second selection of Japan's best 100 castles. Toyama Castle is believed to have been constructed by Mizukoshi Katsushige on the orders of his lord, Jinbo Nagamoto, around 1543. While the castle tower is a post-war reconstruction built in 1954, the castle's moats and stone walls are still original. The interior of the castle serves as the location of Toyama Municipal Folk Museum. The museum features exhibits on the history of Toyama Castle from when it was built during the Warring States Period until now. The observation deck at the top of the four-story castle keep gives visitors a feel for the size and scope of Toyama Castle at its peak in the Edo period. The 140 centimeter-tall helmet said to have been used by Maeda Toshinaga is well worth seeing.