JAPAN' S CASTLES

3, INUYAMA CASTLE

1, HIMEJI CASTLE
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Japan was divided into about 285 domains during Edo period from 17th to mid 19th century.
Each domain had his own feudal lord and big feudal lords basically had one castle.
And they ruled their domains from the castle under severe supervision of the TOKUGAWA
shogunate.
More than 170 castles existed then and 12 castles still remains with their castle tower(s).
Among them five (5) castles are now designated as national treasure and seven (7)
as cultural asset .
The first five are Matsumoto, Inuyama, Hikone, Himeji and Matsue and Himeji castle
is also registered as World Heritage by UNESCO.
Now I would like to introduce Himeji, Hikone and Inuyama castle with photos and Matsumoto
castle on another page.

Three keeps seen from from Ninomaru fortress
Ramparts and walls inside the precincts of the castle

Nagaragawa river and the castle tower on the top
of the hill
Nagaragawa river and its circumference are seen
from the top floor of the main keep
The castle tower shows up after passing the gate
The main gate is at the top of uphill slope..
The top of the castle tower is seen from the street of
Inuyama city
The inside of the top floor of the castle tower
Feudal lord, ODA Hirochika constructed a fortress there in 1469 and NARUSE Masanari,
chief retainer of the Tokugawas of OWARI expanded it in 1617.
The inside of the third floor of the castle tower
The castle tower facing Biwa lake
Wooden Interior structure of the main keep
The final gate and castle tower
Steep and long slope to the castle tower
The exterior moat and ramparts at the back of
the front gate

2, HIKONE CASTLE

The construction of Hikone castle started in 1602 on the shore of Biwa lake and it was
completed in 1622. Its feudal lord was Ii, one of the most influential vassals in Tokugawa
shogunate.
Another slope along the castle wall
Other gate at the opposite side over the bridge
The bridge seen over after going up the slope

Corridor of 150m long in Ninomaru fortress building
The view of defense building, Ninomaru fortress seen from the the main keep
Moat, rampart ,gate and castle towers

HIMEJI castle was originally constructed by AKAMATSU Sadanori, local feudal lord in
Harima region (now, western Hyogo ) in 1346 and expanded by IKEDA Masateru,
other feudal lord in 1605 after Sekigahara battle in 1600.
It is called "Castle of white heron" due to its elegant shape and white color.
The castle was designated as World Heritage in 1993.