Shibatajo Castle located in Shibata city is the only castle in Niigata prefecture to have original Edo period castle architecture remains as well as being chosen in the top 100 castles in Japan. The castle is also known as the Boat-Shaped Castle due to the keep of the castle having a boat-like shape to it. It’s also sometimes called the Iris Castle due to all the iris flowers blooming around the wetlands in the perimeter of the castle. 

Also, in between the beginning of April up until the middle of April, you can find double cherry trees and Somei Yoshino cherry trees blossom their light pink colors in the castle grounds, and giving that spring color to the castle walls. At present, part of the main keep is now part of a park, and the south side of the keep’s stone walls, moat, and the gate tower entrance, as well as the outer corner citadel, are still in place. The entrance gate and corner citadel are designated national important cultural property.