Any city that has a castle is at an advantage in the tourist industry. And old areas surrounding castle walls can be made more appealing, for example by conserving and reconstructing old samurai houses and shops. Quite a few cities in Japan have done this to raise their profile as the home of a castle.
The city of Odawara near Tokyo is one example. It was the headquarters for the Hojo family, which controlled the Kanto region during the Warring States period (around the 16th century). Odawara later flourished in the Edo period as a castle town and strategic point on the old Tokaido Highway that linked Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). The city's Urban Planning Department wanted to play up the atmosphere of a castle town, so about five years ago it began promoting a "yesteryear" appearance for buildings in designated areas of the city. The city is working with merchants and corporations to give a castle-like touch to public telephones, bus stops and other amenities along part of the old Tokaido Highway (now National Highway 1), and to conserve the appearance of old buildings.
The aim of these improvements is to foster civic pride and make Odawara even more appealing to tourists.