Towns with a close proximity to the political centre always acted as a defender of that power. Odawara, located only a hour by train from Shibuya by the Tokaido line, was a strategic point during the Edo period. While Odawara now lies in the shadow of Tokyo and Yokohama, in the fifteenth century, the Hojo clan actually controlled much of the Kanto region from here, with an even more impressive castle than you see today. Remnants of the castle town remain, as you mark out the shrine and museum from the observation deck. From the top of Odawara Castle, you can see the beautiful Pacific coastline, glistening in the summer sun.
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