Battle of Sekigahara was the greatest battle in Japanese history that determined the fate of the later SHŌGUN, Ieyasu TOKUGAWA.
The story of the drama series SHŌGUN takes place in Japan at the end of the 16th century, just before Ieyasu and Mitsunari split the country in two after the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In particular, the major power struggle in the drama mirrors the Battle of Sekigahara in historical fact.
This page introduces you a tour to the Sekigahara Battlefield.
For more information on Sekigahara Battlefield, please click here.
The Battle of Sekigahara, a decisive fight that decided the ruler of kingdom
The Battle of Sekigahara refers to the war that took place on September 15, 1600. The airing of SHŌGUN made Sekigahara Battlefield famous. Following the death of the then ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Commander Tokugawa Ieyasu (the Eastern Army), who aspired to rule the country, fought against Commander Ishida Mitsunari (the Western Army) who pledged loyalty to Hideyoshi’s son, Hideyori. Tokugawa Ieyasu won the battle and established the foundation of the Edo period which lasted later on for 260 years. Sekigahara, a name that any Japanese people has heard of, is drawing tourist attention as a historic scene.
To visit Sekigahara Battle Field
The Sekigahara Battle Field is located in Gifu Prefecture, between Kyoto and Nagoya. So Sekigahara can be approached either from Kyoto or Nagoya.
By public transportation (trains) to Sekigahara
There is a local train station Sekigahara, so you can start your visit to the battle feild from this station.
To reach the Sekigahara Station, you take shinkansen from Kyoto or Osaka to Maibara Station. Then you take a local train from the Maibara Station.
From Nagoya, you take a rapid train to Ogaki, and take a local train from there. Some trains connect Nagoya and Sekigahara directly but their number is limited.
From Tokyo, you take shinkansen to Nagoya.
How to get around Sekigahara
You find a tourist information center in front of the Sekigahara Station. You can get an area map and rent a bicycle if you like. To visit Sekigahara Battle Field fully, bicycles are recommended.
Walking tours are also interesting especially if you like to see a fortresses located on the top of mountains.
Sekigahara hiking guide (Japanese)
Matsuo-yama hiking guide (Japanese)
Guided tours of Sekigahara Battle Field
The airing of SHŌGUN made Sekigahara famous and increased the number of foreign tourists visiting here. However, there are few tours that visit the Sekigahara battlefield. Sekigaraha Battlefield is a historical site, which will be even more interesting if you visit it with a guide who is familiar with the local conditions and history.
We are a team of a travel agent and guides. We offer Sekigahara Battlefield tours according to your wishes.
There are two main types of tours. One is to take the train to Sekigahara station, and from there walk or rent a bicycle to visit the battlefield. The other is to come to the nearest Shinkansen station and use a car driven by a guide from there. From Kyoto and Osaka, the nearest station is Maibara Station. From Nagoya or Tokyo, the nearest station is Gifu-Hashima Station.
Walking tours can be taken on mountain trails and hiking tours can be combined. However, the entire battlefield cannot be walked in a single day.
Bicycle tours allow you to visit the main sites of the battlefield in a single day. It is recommended for those who want to visit as many as possible while enjoying the peaceful scenery.
The Shinkansen to car tour is recommended for visitors coming from as far away as Osaka and Tokyo for a day trip. Of course, the range of car access is limited to where there are driveways and parking lots, but important locations can be visited by car.
If you are interested in visiting Sekigahara Battlefield with our guide,