4 Beautiful Castle You Must Visit In Japan!

KiaraNews.com - Castle became a building structure in the medieval era that was better known in Europe but various other country also had their own distinctive characteristics Castle. European Castle is famous for its sturdy structure with a combination of Moat and Large towers and in Japan itself is not much different, the castle is very sturdy with beautiful architecture. Castle is a silent witness in various human history from revolution, war, etc. On this blog, I will give some recommendations for castles in Japan that you need to visit.

1. Himeji Castle

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Himeji Castle is one of the Iconic Castles in Japan which until now has retained its original structure. This castle is located on a hilltop in the Hyogo Prefecture area, The castle complex consists of more than 80 buildings and Himeji Castle is the most original example of typical traditional castle architecture. Japan. This castle was built around 1333 by Akamatsu Norimura as a Fortress against the Local Shogun and undergoes various improvisations every year, the exterior of the Castle is dazzlingly white, and many talk about it that its structure resembles one of the animals, the egret in flight. Since it was first built in 1333, Various buildings have been added to the complex and have continued to expand as the castle changed hands from generation to generation. Himeji Castle is a silent witness of Japan's long history, from Medieval Era to WWII where this castle survived bombardments, Himeji Castle is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

2. Nagoya Castle

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Nagoya Castle is located in central Japan, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. During the Edo Period Nagoya Castle became one of the castles standing within the most significant castle town in the area, the existing castle to this day was built in around 1700s and actually its origins go even further than this starting in the 1500s. This castle was first built under the name Yanagi-no-maru which was built by the military governor Imagawa Ujichika where he built it as a gift to his son around 1500s during the Taiei era, a warlord, namely Oda Nobuhide took the castle and changed its name to Nagoya Castle. Just like other castles, Nagoya Castle is a silent witness to various histories of Japan. During World War II, Nagoya Castle was used as one of the military headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army and was also the location of a POW camp. Some parts of the building were badly damaged during the Japanese bombing but have been repaired over the years.

3. Osaka Castle

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Osaka Castle is located in Osaka and it is one of the most famous Castle landmarks in Japan. This castle is the same as many other traditional Japanese castles, with typical Japanese architecture built on a man-made stone wall with 8 floors and surrounded by a moat. Osaka Castle was founded on a location near a temple and a former imperial palace. Around the end of the 1600s, Osaka Castle experienced a huge fire where lightning struck gunpowder, igniting everything instantly and causing a huge explosion. Osaka Castle is an important part of the Meiji Restoration, where the castle is the place where one of the most significant battles that changed the future of Japan. In the late 19th century, Osaka castle underwent various improvements by the government and this castle became known to the world when it was featured in the film Godzilla Raids Again in 1955.

4. Shuri Castle

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Shuri Castle is another Iconic Landmark located in Japan, with its bright red color located in the Okinawa area and serving as the palace of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. The castle is an important stop in Japan's East Asia maritime network which is the center of the market for maritime in the Pacific. Shuri Castle was built around the 1400s where it is the largest castle on the island of Okinawa, Shuri Castle is not structurally strong but is surrounded by a variety of strong defenses, Basically this castle was built to be the center of the economy and not too prioritizing strength. This castle bears witness to a long history of economic activity and has repeatedly changed hands from generation to generation. Shuri castle was also the gateway for the Ming Dynasty to send many Chinese families to live here and do business. One important event occurred around 1853, when the United States marine admiral, Commodore Matthew Perry, visited here. Shuri Castle also became one of the important places during the second world war and after the empire was defeated, Shuri Castle was controlled by the United States for more than 30 years.

Japan is one of the countries that has a lot of iconic history and of course various castles are part of it. Japanese castles have their own characteristics which are very elegant and some of the recommendations above are only some of the castles that I recommend. There are still many other castles that you can visit in Japan! Taking a vacation and enjoying the nuances of the Medieval era in Japan is certainly very fun but you have to keep your health, especially with the COVID-19 Pandemic that is happening right now. Always Use Masks, Social Distancing and Washing Hands, Stay Safe and Happy Holidays guys!