Tag

日本城堡

Browsing

Autumn is one of the best seasons travelling to Japan. The shades of yellow to orange to red foliage have made the garden, castle and the shrines look more beautiful. Not only the day, but also at night. Some major tourist destinations would organize specials events and illumination at night for the visitors. Okayama Castle is the symbol of Okayama Prefecture in Japan. The main tower was completed in 1597 but completely destroyed during World War II. Then it was replicated in 1966 with concrete and built in an elevator for easy access to the top. With a black exterior, the castle is also called the Crow Castle. Please do not confuse it with Matsumoto Castle in Nagano, Japan, which is called the Crow Castle. Matsuomoto Castle is named “karasu-jō” in Japanese while Okayama Castle is “U-jō”. While they may all look similar yet different in many way, particularly the interior, the moat and surrounding environment, making each one of them unique in its own way. Visiting Okayama in autumn, the best time is to catch the illumination and event…

Locating in the city of Matsumoto, Nagano Japan, the Matsumoto Castle is one of the top 3 premier castles and one of the 5 castles designated as National Treasures in Japan. The other two popular premier castles are Kumamoto Castle which has been damaged by the earthquake in 2016 and Himeji Castle in Hyogo Japan. While Himeji Castle (also called the “White Egret Castle”) features a brilliant white exterior and the roof that resembles a bird taking flight, Matsumoto Castle features a black exterior and a similar roof that looks like a crow spreading wings, hence also known as the “Crow Castle”. Many tourists interested in castles in Japan would visit both. First built as a fort in the site in 1504, the site was turned into a castle with a Main Keep (or Main Tower), moats and some add on towers. It is a 5-storey traditional Japanese castle with 6 levels inside. The Main Tower and the side Tower was built at the same time for defense. The unique Tsukimi-yagura (moon-viewing room) connecting to the Main Tower was constructed in…

The series of earthquakes with the mainshock of magnitude 7.0 and a foreshock of magnitude 6.2 in April 2016 had caused severe damage in Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures. Numerous structures collapsed. Thousands of people injured and more than 44,000 people being evacuated from their homes. One of the major damages is the Kumamoto Castle, one of the most famous castles in Japan. The whole castle, and some sightseeing spots in the area, including the Former Residence of Hosokawa Gyobu, Kumamoto City Museum and Kumamoto Prefectural Art Museum branch are still closed as of May 2017. Restoration work is in progress. You may only see the castle from the outside.

Locating in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture in Japan, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle or also known as Takahasi Castle is one of the 12 castles remaining in its original structure. Standing at 430 meters above sea level, it is the highest castle in Japan. Due to the high altitude of the castle, a magnificent “sea of cloud” view can be seen from the Bitchu Matsuyama Castle Observatory which is adjacent to the castle during early morning. Hence also called “Castle in the Sky”. The best season to see the spectacular “Sea of Cloud” scenery is between November and March. However, certain weather condition has to be met such as big temperature difference between the day and the night.

Matsue is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It is also known as the “City of Water” because it is right by the sea, Lake Shinji, Lake Nakaumi, and there are many canals across town. One of the best ways to explore the Matsue old town is to take a sightseeing cruise that passes through the inner and outer moats of Matsue Castle, a National Treasure of Japan. Then take a walk to the Matsue Castle, visit historical buildings and museums.

error: Content is protected !!