There are many explanation why Japanese castles ought to be a part of your journey plans. They are architecturally each stunning and spectacular, they’re usually related to a number of the most gorgeous gardens within the nation and so they present a glimpse again into the feudal age, the time of Shoguns, Samurai, Ninja and Geisha.
When we’re going to be passing wherever close to a fort that we haven’t explored earlier than it’s virtually not possible to withstand the temptation so as to add it to the itinerary. Part of the reason being most likely that I’ve learn method too many Japanese novels.
I like to visualise the world of the samurai and ninjas as we wander by way of these historic websites, uncover the delicate music of the Nightengale flooring and spot ornate and significant particulars. The castles do look quite a bit completely different than they did of their feudal heyday after all. The best-preserved segments are normally the moats and fortifications such because the partitions, turrets and infrequently the fort towers however in depth work has gone into authentically recreating different segments as they had been in centuries previous.
Many of the castles you will notice in Japan are recreations, sections of the fort that had been rebuilt from the ruins when castles had been destroyed by battle, excessive climate situations, hearth or the systematic demolition set out by the Haijō Edict underneath Emperor Meiji as a part of the unification of Japan in a symbolic finish to the Feudal Age.
Why go to a Japanese fort?
Historic worth
The Japanese castles advanced from earlier fortifications over the centuries however the extra dramatic constructions we admire at present usually date from the sixteenth century. Coming from Australia, an historic land itself however with its earliest surviving man-made constructions relationship from the late 18th century, Japan’s shrines, temples and castles fascinate me.
Gardens
Japan celebrates its distinct seasons and that’s significantly evident in its many stunning gardens designed to transition superbly from one season to the subsequent however put the highlight on a selected flower or function. The cherry blossom and the autumn leaves are essentially the most notable to guests however wisteria, azaleas, hydrangeas, iris, pink moss and dozens of others have their moments to shine.
Two of Japan’s self-selected ‘3 most stunning gardens’, Kōraku-en in Okayama and Kenroku-en in Kanazawa had been designed and loved as fort gardens earlier than later being opened to the general public. Even these fort gardens that don’t take pleasure in such recognition are usually nonetheless fairly stunning and maintained in step with their early design. The Shoguns and aristocracy of the interval clearly loved the humanities and wonder of their environment.
Architectural curiosity and wonder
The castles differ considerably of their dimension, styling and placement and whereas there’s consistency of their total design and fortification their are additionally might fascinating architectural facet and aesthetic options.
Some of essentially the most notable are the inclusion of household crests into the roof and wall tiles or the dramatic protecting talismans. Shachihoko is a fish with a lions head that’s usually positioned on each side of a roof to guard from hearth, you will notice it distinctively featured at Nagoya Castle and has change into an emblem of the town.
Cultural worth
I wouldn’t contemplate myself a historical past buff in any respect however I do benefit from the cultural and historic aspect of visiting castles and the connection of every to the three nice unifiers of Japan. Almost all the castles have a connection to not less than one of many nice warlords, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, or Tokugawa Ieyasu and so they mirror the three distinctive characters who formed trendy Japan.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a devoted patron of the humanities and complex design particulars will be seen within the castles he’s linked with and within the festivals linked to these castles. The Nagahama Hikiyama Matsuri for instance options younger Kabuki actors acting on gilded floats which can be pulled by way of the town streets from the shrine in the direction of the fort. The gorgeous floats and traditions have been maintained by way of the centuries.
Original Castles in Japan
There are solely 12 unique castles remaining in Japan and that makes them additional particular and price going just a little out of your option to go to. To qualify they should have retained the fort tower. One of one of the best issues about these fort cities is that they’ve usually preserved considerably extra than simply the fort itself making them fascinating to go to on many ranges. The best-known and presumably essentially the most beautiful of the unique castles is Himeji Castle which had a major restoration just a few years again to make sure its preservation for the long run. It is definitely dramatic particularly when seen surrounded by cherry blossoms, a view we had been lucky sufficient to take pleasure in on our first go to in 2010.
A private favorite although is within the small city of Hikone the place each the fort constructing itself and the stables have survived and that provides an fascinating additional factor. There’s an exquisite historic purchasing avenue that leads away from the fort down in the direction of Lake Biwa which is now principally eating places and the like however nicely price following all the way down to the lake. We visited Hikone Castle within the winter so it wasn’t one of the best time to take pleasure in what I perceive are some wonderful gardens however to see it lined in snow had fairly an impression too though that tower ground was darn chilly although your socks.
The full checklist of unique Japanese castles consists of:
- Bitchu Matsuyama – often known as Takahashi Castle (Okayama Prefecture)
- Himeji (Hyogo prefecture – National Treasure)
- Hikone (Shiga prefecture – National Treasure)
- Hirosaki (Aomori prefecture)
- Inuyama (Aichi prefecture – National Treasure)
- Kochi (Kochi prefecture)
- Marugame (Kagawa prefecture)
- Maruoka (Fukui prefecture)
- Matsue (Shimane prefecture – National Treasure)
- Matsumoto (Nagano prefecture – National Treasure)
- Matsuyama (Ehime prefecture)
- Uwajima (Ehime prefecture)
To be classed as an unique fort implies that the primary fort preserve is unbroken because it was on the time of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Many of the ‘recreated’ castles embrace unique constructions akin to warehouses, turrets, partitions, moats and different fortifications however their principal fort tower has been rebuilt with various levels of authenticity.
Of these 12 unique castles, there are 5 with National Treasure standing. These are Himeji, Hikone, Matsumoto, Inuyama and Matsue.
10 unbelievable Japanese castles to go to
These castles don’t all have unique fort buildings from the feudal interval, some have had the primary fort recreated in trendy instances, and others have sufficient different pursuits to make them price visiting regardless of their lack of the fort tower. I plan so as to add to our assortment of Japanese castles visited over time, however these 10 could be our suggestions to date.
Something completely different about visiting Japanese castles from these in Europe is that apart from the odd room or scene, they’re largely empty or home museum reveals. They aren’t furnished and don’t present direct insights into the comforts or lack of it that the inhabitants would have loved throughout their heyday. The constructions are unbelievable and delightful however what it might have been wish to have lived or labored inside them is basically left to your creativeness.
This is one thing I’ve heard many individuals, particularly those that have visited castles and stately houses in Europe touch upon. I like to learn Japanese historic fiction, so it’s not exhausting to permit the reel to play in your head imagining what it should have been like however I’ve usually thought it a disgrace that there isn’t extra visible inside them to counsel how the varied areas had been used. They have after all been stripped naked and unoccupied for 100-150 years at this level so the constructions being so nicely preserved in themselves is spectacular.
1. Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle is one in all solely 12 unique castles with the primary fort tower remaining, it’s a National Treasure and is extensively recognised as one of many high three castles in Japan. It’s additionally my primary because it was the primary we visited and fired a ardour for travelling farther from the crushed path to search out extra. Our go to right here was because the cherry blossoms simply handed their peak and towards a transparent blue sky. It is a shocking sight.
As you discover you’ve got wonderful entry to see all of the spectacular fortifications across the fort and grounds together with openings within the wall referred to as ‘Musha Otoshi’ from contained in the fort preserve and west bailey (Nishinomaru) the place the princesses lived. These openings had been a final line of defence positioned there to drop boiling water, oil and rocks down on would-be attackers. Perhaps it’s as a result of it was so impressively fortified, that Himeji-jo by no means got here underneath assault.
If you’re at Himeji fort through the cherry blossom season you’ll wish to linger across the nice garden within the Sannomaru by way of the Otemon gate. It’s lined with cherry timber that body gorgeous views of the fort. This a part of the fort grounds is open to the general public and free to enter, past is a ticket gate on the Hishi gate to see the internal components of the fort grounds and enter the buildings.
Planning your go to to Himeji Castle
2. Hikone
As talked about above, Hikone is a private favorite, it’s an unique fort and whereas far smaller than Himeji it’s stunning in its personal proper. Amongst the opposite constructions nonetheless standing in Hakone are the horse stables that are positioned simply exterior the internal moat that surrounds the fort and are the primary half you come to.
Huge chunks of snow had been melting and sliding from the roof of the stables onto the footpath as we arrived and the entire space actually was image good.
The views from the highest ground of the fort out to Lake Biwa are spectacular and we had an exquisite afternoon wandering the historic purchasing avenue down in the direction of the lake afterwards. I’m instructed the gardens are additionally price permitting a while for however they had been underneath a layer of snow whereas we had been right here in February.
It’s a stunning little city and nicely price stopping in at. It can simply be integrated in case you are travelling as much as both Nagahama or Kanawawa by practice from the central cities of Osaka and Kyoto.
Planning your go to to Hikone Castle
3. Matsumoto
Like all the Japanese castles featured right here, Matsumoto Castle was constructed through the warring states interval however not like most, it has not seen battle throughout its 400-year historical past, as an alternative to many it now represents the area’s quest for peace and stability throughout the ages.
The flatland fort is called the black crow fort and is sort of distinctive though it does function each black and white in its facade. The design alternative is alleged to be a mark of respect from Lord Ishikawa to Toyotomi Hideyoshi whose Osaka Castle on the time was additionally black.
Matsumoto Castle is gorgeous seen throughout the huge moat and is without doubt one of the most full with a secondary donjon (fort tower) and defensive turret adjoining the primary fort preserve that dates again to 1592. While the fort presents as having 5 tiers there’s a sixth hidden ground inside
4. Inuyama
In Aichi, solely a 30-minute practice journey from Nagoya metropolis is Inuyama. This is one other of the unique castles and nicely price a go to to benefit from the Yamajiro or mountain fort looking over the spectacular Kiso River beneath and the beautiful fort purchasing avenue and city that encompass it.
The fort was rebuilt a number of instances between the mid-1300s and 1500s however what we see preserved on the positioning at present was largely the work of Oda Nobunaga’s son, Oda Nobutasu.
All three of Japan’s 3 nice unifiers had a historical past with Inuyama Castle. Oda Nobunaga took the fort twice, as soon as in 1560 and once more in 1564, after his dying Toyotomi Hideyoshi had the fort defences rebuilt in a extra up to date design after which in 1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu took the fort within the Battle of Sekigahara.
5. Hiroshima
There was a thirteenth unique fort at Hiroshima that survived till trendy instances. It prevented demolition within the Meiji Restoration however was misplaced on the sixth of August 1945 when an atomic bomb was detonated over the town on the finish of WWII. The metropolis was rebuilt within the years that adopted together with the fort in 1958.
Remains of the unique foundations will be seen all through the expansive fort grounds and through sakura the sting of the moat is a well-liked place for locals to chill out and benefit from the cherry blossoms.
6. Okayama
Okayama fort is one other recreation however this one is particular as a lot of the in depth fort gardens have additionally been preserved because the fort itself, they’re often called Korakuen and are recognised as one of many 3 most stunning gardens in Japan.
While the fort seems to be out throughout the internal moat to the backyard, the backyard itself enjoys spectacular vistas of the fort from numerous factors round it. Features such because the Ryuten Rest House positioned on a stream inside the backyard had been options of feudal instances which can be nonetheless represented within the backyard at present.
If you’re headed to Okayama the Korakuen Garden ought to be in your checklist, it’s simply accessible from the Shinkansen station the place there are many lockers to go away your baggage in case you are simply stopping off in your journey. I
f you’ve got some additional time then a brief practice journey from the centre of Okayama to Kurashiki Bikan, a historic service provider city constructed across the canal is one other a part of the town price including to your itinerary.
7. Kanazawa
Kanazawa Castle is well-known for Kenrokuen Gardens, one other of the highest 3 gardens in Japan. The fort itself has had ongoing rebuilding initiatives underway because the Nineteen Nineties which have enhanced the unique feudal-age stays of turrets, storehouses and fortifications with substantial recreated fort buildings.
8. Nijo
Within the town of Kyoto, we contemplate Nijo Castle a must-visit spot though what stays of the particular fort fortification is minimal. Some foundations of the primary fort, partitions and turrets are nonetheless right here however what Nijo has that makes it so particular is the surviving palace, the in depth gardens with double moat and plenty of different historic buildings.
9. Osaka
Osaka is the most important metropolis to have a fort its the central metropolis. As a recreation, it’s maybe one of many much less spectacular in some methods with its ferroconcrete building however its spectacular positioning within the surrounding park, being seen from the tallest buildings and lookouts like Harukas 360 and the Umeda Sky Building all through the town and the view from the highest of the fort itself giving an encompassing view
10. Nagahama
The city of Nagahama gained our hearts on our 2011 winter go to once we made our method on the market to attend a bonsai show of cherry and plum timber, an occasion often called Bonbai, within the historic Keiunkan a venue that performed host to Emperors and Princesses. It’s a wonderful city, so pleasant, with nice meals, artisans, spectacular festivals and a fort. Not surprisingly now we have discovered an excuse to incorporate a cease right here a number of instances since.
The fort in Nagahama sits on the sting of the picturesque Lake Biwa, a spectacular location and though the fort is a recreation it’s a much-loved gathering place for locals to come back collectively, particularly through the cherry blossom season.
Escape again in time within the pages of a ebook
If you’re within the dreaming and planning levels of your journey and also you wish to learn there are some good novels set in feudal Japan which may feed your curiosity in Japanese Castles and that interval in Japan’s historical past. They make an amazing learn and once you do get the prospect to go to a few of these fabulous spots they arrive to life in your creativeness.
Tales of the Otori is an effective place to start out. This well-known trilogy by Lian Hearn and includes:
- Across the Nightengale Floor
- Grass for his Pillow, and
- Brilliance of the Moon
It was subsequently prolonged with ‘The Harsh Cry of the Heron’ set 17 years later bringing within the story of Lord Takao Otori’s kids and a prequel ‘Heaven’s Net is Wide’, the story of Lord Shigaru as much as the purpose the place he met Takao.
The fictional work is about amongst the intrigue, brutality and complexities of feudal Japan, the world of shoguns and samurai, concubines and ninjas.
Another learn to satiate an curiosity in Japan’s historical past and tradition is The Tale of Genji. Set within the eleventh century it’s believed to be the world’s first novel and written over 1000 years in the past. It was penned by a noblewoman, a lady-in-waiting inside the Court however don’t count on it to be all prim and correct, Murasaki Shikibu didn’t draw back from the scandals of the aristocracy.
If you get caught up on this one you’ll wish to embrace a cease at Uji in Kyoto, it’s a simple day journey from the town and has many connections to the novel. I used to be additionally wowed by the unbelievable element in a show of painted screens depicting scenes from the ebook at Nezu Museum in Shibuya. While that exhibit was momentary I’d extremely suggest a go to to the museum, gardens and teahouse.
Just a few ideas for visiting Japanese castles
- If you wish to go to castles from a base inside a significant metropolis then Kyoto is a wonderful alternative. There are many nice day journeys from Kyoto and the unique castles of Himeji and Hikone can each be reached simply from there together with Korakuen, the fort backyard at Okayama recognised as one in all Japan’s high 3 gardens.
- If you’re planning to journey round between cities on day journeys or a spherical journey then one of many Japan Rail Passes has beforehand been a superb alternative, since late 2023 it not often pays off however now we have the knowledge right here to work out if a JR go is price it in your itinerary. It remains to be simple to get round Japan even with out the go.
- Many of the smaller fort cities have an exquisite really feel to them and along with the fort, gardens and any related museums it’s price in search of out the historic avenue main as much as the fort as these are sometimes nicely preserved and may embrace some wonderful eating places and teashops. They gained’t essentially be the way in which you are available in from the station however they gained’t be exhausting to search out.
