Takada Castle was a flatland-style castle that was quickly built in four months in 1614 before the Winter Siege of Osaka. Its major characteristics were that it had no tower and was not defended by stone walls. Instead of a castle tower, it had a three-story turret. It was destroyed by fire but restored and rebuilt in 1993. Although the original castle is gone, you can still visit the rebuilt castle area as part of Takada Park.

Takada Park is famous for its cherry blossoms, and was selected as one of Japan’s top three cherry blossom night views as well as one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossom viewing sites. The Takada Castle Million-Person Cherry Blossom Viewing Festival is held every year in April. It is an exciting event that is attended by many people and symbolizes spring in Echigo, the old name for Niigata Prefecture.

Lotuses grow in the moat that surrounds the castle site in Takada Park and are purported to be the most beautiful and on the largest scale in all of Asia. The Joetsu Lotus Festival is held when the flowers bloom between the end of July and mid-August and bustles with many sightseers.