Castle

Matsuyama-jo Castle

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Greeted 400 years

Yoshiaki Katou built the Matsuyama-jo castle which rises up in the Matsuyama-shi central part of Ehime prefecture from 1602 to about 26 years. Matsuyama-jo Castle which greeted construction of a castle 400 years is said to be hirayamajo (flatland-mountain castle) having best renritsu style tenshu (tower grouping) superior in the function of offense and defense in Japan.
Although the castle tower and the building of others many were burned down by the thunderbolt in 1784, it was rebuilt after that in 1854 and has continued up to today.

The last perfect castle architecture

The Matsuyama-jo castle is one of the existing 12 main towers, and is counted in Japan’s three biggest hirayamajo and Japan’s three biggest renritsu style hirayamajo. The main tower is the last perfect castle architecture of the Edo period.

Selected as two stars by Michelin’s Japanese sightseeing guidance

Moreover, it is a castle with many highlights like existing Nohara-yagura is precious Boro-type(lookouttower type keep) Niju yagura (double tower) which does not remain in others, and the well of centre of a castle for 44m in depth, which is mentioned specially for engineering works technology of those days, is stored. It was selected as two stars by Michelin’s Japanese sightseeing guidance in 2009.

The important cultural property

In the Matsuyama-jo castle, structures of a total of 21 buildings, such as the First Gate South Tower, the Second Gate South Tower and the Third Gate South Tower, including the main tower, have received specification of the important cultural property of a country.

Designated much specification

In addition to this, the castle is designated much specification such as the existing 12 main tower, a country designated historic spot, 100 Japanese famous castle, the 100th elections of a beautiful historic landscape of Japan, the 100th elections of the Japanese Sakura famous place, the 100th elections of the history park in Japan, etc.

Information

Name:	Matsuyama-jo Castle
Address:	Marunouchi Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0008 Japan
Access:	Iyo-Tetsudo Bocchan-ressha “Okaido-eki Station” (5 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81)89-921-4873
Price:	510 yen (Adult) 150 yen (Under 12 years old)
Official site:	http://www.matsuyamajo.jp/

Matsumoto-jo Castle

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Very elegant appearance

Matsumoto Castle which is a symbol of Matsumoto in Nagano. This beautiful castle of the comparison of the black and white shows a very elegant appearance backed by the Northern Alps. The main tower built from the last stage of the Azuchi-Momoyama era to the early stages of the Edo period is designated as a national treasure, and ruins of the castle are specified as a national historic site. Before calling it Matsumoto Castle, it was called Fukashi-jo Castle.
From citizens, it is also called alias Karasu-jo Castle (Crow Castle).

“Fukugo-shiki” (directly connected)

The unity of the large keep, Tatsumi tsuke-yagura (Southeast Connecting Tower) and Tsukimi-yagura turret, which was built in time of peace, is called “Fukugo-shiki” (directly connected) and symbolize each time. This “Fukugo-shiki” (directly connected) is characteristic structure to be seen only in Matsumoto-jo Castle.

The castle tower of the only Hirajiro

It is a nawabari (castle plan; general term for the layout of a castle and its component structures) castle tower complex, which consists of a 5-tiered, 6-story multi-level tower-type large keep, a 3-tiered, 4-story Inui-kotenshu small keep, a 2-tiered Tatsumitsuke-yagura turret, and a Tsukimi-yagura turret, being the castle tower of the only Hirajiro (a castle built on flatland) among the ’12 existing castle towers.’

Withstood the hardships of about 400 years

The crisis of several continuations is overcome by civic passion, withstood the hardships of about 400 years, and the main tower of the Age of Civil Wars as it is is saved. It was designated as the national treasure in 1936 after large repair of the Meiji period. It is one of the four national treasure citadels in Himeji Castle, Hikone Castle, and Inuyama Castle.

Loved as a symbol of Matsumoto

The outskirts are maintained as Matsumoto-jo Castle park. The majestic figure of the Northern Alps and various expressions to show every season are beautiful, and it is loved as a symbol of Matsumoto.

Information

Name:	Matsumoto-jo Castle
Adresse:	Marunouchi 4-4-1 Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0873 Japan
Access:	JR Shinonoi-sen Line “Matsumoto-eki Station” (15 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81)263-32-2902
Price:	610 yen (Adult) 300 yen (Elementary and Junior High students) Free (Under 6 years old)
Official site:	http://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/

Takeda-jo Castle Ruins

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Japan’s leading ruins of a mountain castle

The Takeda-jo Castle Ruins is on the west of Takeda Station, the mountaintop of Kojo-san of 353m above sea level. Tradition says that Sozen Yamana built it over 13 years in 1443, and it became the castle of the magnificent stone wall heaping up like now until around 1600. On the site of castle, which is said to be Japan’s leading ruins of a mountain castle, the stone wall, which measures 100 meters from east to west and 400 meters from south to north, are left now, and conveys distinguished air of the past.

Castle of the heavens

400 years have passed after that’s abandoned, but the stone wall is left as it was, and it is a Japan’s leading scale in the existing mountain castle. It’s also chosen as one of the Japan’s 100 fine castles. In addition, the Takeda-jo Castle Ruins has nicknames of “castle of the heavens” or “Machu Picchu of Japan”, and many tourists visit it from the whole country.

Floats on a sea of cloud

When the weather condition fits, it’s possible to see the ruins of the castle which floats on a sea of cloud. There would be many people impressed to see the photograph of the Takeda-jo Castle Ruins among a sea of clouds.

Overwhelming presence

Probably, it is difficult if a season, time, and the weather do not carry out just fit, in order to catch a sight floating on a sea of clouds. However, you could be felt overwhelming presence of many stone walls which spread magnificently for the summit of the mountain even if you cannot see this sea of clouds.

Tiredness are blown away completely

The course to the site of castle is well-repaired, but physical strength is necessary to arrive. However, the scene from the summit after having reached, the tiredness till then are blown away completely.

Notice: The winter season (from January 4 to February 29), you can not enter the mountain.

Information

Name:	Takeda-jo Castle Ruins
Adresse:	Wadayamachotakeda 169 Asago, Hyogo 669-5252 Japan
Access:	JR Bantani-sen Line “Takeda-eki Station” (20 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81)79-672-6141 (Asago City Takeda-jo Division)
Price:	500 yen (Adult) Free yen (Under 15 years old)
Official site:	http://www.city.asago.hyogo.jp/takeda/

Inuyama-jo Castle

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Japanese oldest style castle tower exists

“National treasure Inuyama-jo Castle” is built in 1537 of the Muromachi era, and the Japanese oldest style that a castle tower exists. It is called a popular name “the White Imperial Castle”. The view from the castle tower which was built on the slightly elevated mountains of bank of Kisogawa is a superb view. In the castle town in front of it, there is the samurai residence letting you feel the history, the Karakuri (gimmick) pavilion and the history museum, so you can enjoy walk.

Japanese national treasure

It is only 5 castles having been designated as a national treasure in the whole country, including this Inuyama-jo Castle with Matsumoto-jo Castle, Himeji-jo Castle, Hikone-jo Castle and Matsue-jo Castle (at 2016).
It is in the limelight nationwide as a precious castle. Inuyama-jo Castle which had escaped war damage, and left from old times, was built by Nobuyasu Oda who was an uncle of Nobunaga Oda.(*)
* The famous busho (military commander) of the Sengoku (Warring States) period.

Observation tower type

The castle tower is said to be an observation tower type, with three levels at the fourth floor above the ground, 2 stories below ground, and is the Japanese oldest style to exist.
Because it is located in the important position of the age of civil wars, so the lord of a castle turned busy like Oda, Ikeda, Ishikawa. In the Edo era, Masashige Naruse of the Owari feudal lord was the lord of the castle until the late Tokugawa period.

The view from the castle tower is sperb

The view from the castle tower which was built on the slightly elevated mountains of bank of Kisogawa is a special. There is a corridor surrounding the castle tower top floor, you can look around Kisogawa, Mount Ontake, Gifu Castle, the building group of Nagoya Station.

Famous as the highlight of the cherry tree

It is famous as the highlight of the cherry tree, the Sakuranamiki (the cherry‐tree‐lined path) spreads out around the neighborhood of Kiso riverside, there are approximately 400 cherry trees around a castle.

Information

Name:	Inuyama Jo Castle
Adresse:	Kitakoken 65-2 Inuyama, Aichi 484-0082 Japan
Access:	Meitetsu Inuyama-sen Line “Inuyama-Yuen-eki Station” (12 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81)568-61-1711 (Inuyama Jo Castle Management Office)
Price:	550 yen (Adult) 110 yen (Under 15 years old)
Official site:	http://inuyama-castle.jp/

Echizen Ono Castle

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Fantastic appearance

Speaking of the castle “Castle in the sky” which floats in a sea of clouds, “Takeda Castle” came into the spotlight as “Machu Picchu of Japan”, but there is another “Castle in the sky” in Fukui. It is “Echizen Ono jo” (Echizen Ono Castle) of Ono-shi, Fukui charming a fantastic appearance.

echizenonojo4 — grouplaputa.blog.fc2.com

The splendor of a sea of clouds from Echizen Ono jo

Various splendid castles are in Japan, and each is characteristic. However, it is not only castle itself, when applying the spotlight onto a scene to look at from it, the scenery of the splendor of a sea of clouds from Echizen Ono jo is right the first superb view.

Need some conditions occur at the same time

The “Echizen Ono jo”, a symbol of Ono-shi, Fukui, is a castle rising on the Kameyama mountaintop of 249m above sea level. You can’t see the beautiful figure of the castle floating in this sea of clouds, unless some conditions occur at the same time.

Many fans come

You can see a sea of clouds in the morning when it rains on the day before and is cold by radiational cooling from autumn to spring. The figure that a castle floats on the cloud is fantastic, and many fans come from the outside the prefecture, too.

Closure during March from December

The appearance of the castle is splendid, furthermore, mementos of the ex-lord of a castle are displayed inside, it is also used as a museum. The opening period of inside of the castle is only an interval from April to November. It is the closure during March from December.

Information

Name:	Echizen Ono Castle
Adresse:	Shiromachi 3-109 Ono, Fukui 912-0087 Japan
Access:	JR Kuzuryu-sen Line “Echizen-ono-eki Station” (15 minutes by bus)
Tel:	(+81)779-66-0234
Price:	200 yen (Adult) Free (Junior high school students and under) *Closed : 1 December～31 March
Official site:	http://www.onocastle.net/

Shuri-jo Castle, Okinawa

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The castle of the royal family of the Ryukyu kingdom

The Shuri-jo Castle which was the castle of the royal family of the Ryukyu kingdom. It was lost in the World War II, but restored to the original state in 1992 which is the year marked the 20th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan.

The largest wooden building in Okinawa

Shuri-jo Castle is the largest wooden building in Okinawa, and it is on the hill with the fine view of Naha-shi Shuri. It is the original Ryukyu architecture that mixed things from China and Japanese in accord with the climate of Okinawa.
It is unknown when this castle was founded, but according to a result of excavation, it is thought that it existed between the end of 13th century and the 14th century.

To respect courtesy

When you climb the gentle slope, it is Shurei-Mon to show at first. “Shurei” means “to respect courtesy”, the words are written as “Shurei no Kuni” (the country of Shurei) on the gate. It is the excellent design of the gate among many others. It was destroyed by war, and restored to the original state in 1958. It became famous as the representative of the “Cultural Heritage of Okinawa” afterwards, and was printed on the front of bills (Bank of Japan notes).

The architecture only in Okinawa

The beautiful castle and Kankai-Mon gate are seen when you pass Shurei-Mon. In the Ryukyu kingdom period, the messenger of the Chinese emperor was invited to Shuri-jo Castle, it is said that had a meaning of “welcome a party” in this gate. The style that carried a wooden tower on the arch-formed gate made of the limestone, which strongly received influence of the Chinese culture, is architecture only in Okinawa.

The facilities are illuminated every day

There are more historic spots in Shuri-jo Castle. In the Shuri-jo Castle park, the events such as the court dance of the Ryukyu dynasty and the experience-based workshops of the sanshin are held, too. In addition, the castle and other facilities are illuminated every day, too.

Information

Name:	Shuri-jo Castle
Adresse:	Shurikinjocho 1-2 Naha, Okinawa 903-0815 Japan
Access:	Yui Rail-sen Line “Shuri-eki Station” (15 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81)98-886-2020 (Shurijo Castle Park Management Center)
Price:	820 yen (Adult) 660 yen (Under 18 years old) 310 yen (Under 15 years old) Free (Under 5 years old)
Official site:	http://oki-park.jp/shurijo/

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