In 1590 Japan was in turmoil. There had been civil wars raging intermittently for over a century as various warlords vied to take control and unify the country. Finally it had come down to three men: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. After Nobunaga's death in 1582, Hideyoshi was best positioned to prevail and … Continue reading Odawara Castle: guarding the southwest approach to old Edo
This article provides a fun and interesting five day itinerary for taking advantage of the incredible bargain of the JR East Pass while getting acquainted with the amazing diversity of the Tohoku region. (Archived article; originally published in Gaijinpot)
In 1994 I planned a three week journey from Tokyo to Kagoshima with a friend who was a Japan neophyte. I included in the itinerary several of Japan’s castles. When my friend saw the itinerary, he scoffed saying, “I’ve seen plenty of castles in Europe; I don’t need to see more castles.” Nevertheless, I left … Continue reading Kumamoto Castle: rising from the rubble
This article describes a well-preserved castle town in a strategic location on the island of Kyushu. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today.)
Nakatsu Castle, with its moats fed by tidal sea water from the Seto Inland Sea, is one of Japan's three so-called "seaside castles". The others are Takamatsu Castle in Kagawa and Imabari Castle in Ehime. Nakatsu Castle sits on the Yamakuni River delta, about half a kilometer south of the river's mouth, the tidal river … Continue reading Nakatsu Castle: provincial river guardian
Takamatsu Castle, on the northern coast of Shikoku, overlooks the Inland Sea, historically Japan's most important waterway. The castle was built at the end of the 16th century, a great time of castle construction in Japan. In its heyday, Takamatsu Castle served as an administrative center and a checkpoint for ship traffic. It was, of … Continue reading Takamatsu Castle: a seaside guardian
Hikone Castle, overlooking the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, is one of only 12 original castles in Japan. But how original is a castle said to be made largely of materials recycled from other, earlier castles? The answer is, pretty darned original. Hikone castle was completed in 1622, after nearly 20 years of construction. It … Continue reading Hikone Castle: a recycled original
Okinawa is Japan's tropical paradise: sun, sand and palm trees. It's also one of Japan's rainiest places. Tourists can easily find themselves caught in a cloudburst...or days of rain when there's a typhoon in the vicinity. But the intrepid tourist needn't to be deterred by a little precipitation (typhoons, of course, are another matter). When … Continue reading Shuri Castle on a rainy day
Semi-tropical Okinawa is famously the first place cherry blossoms are seen in Japan every year. And they’re blooming now! One of the most popular cherry blossom viewing spots on Okinawa’s main island is Nakijin Castle Ruins. The ruins are on the Motobu Peninsula in the northern part of the island. There has been a stone … Continue reading Nakijin Castle – blossoms among the ruins
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