To say that there are a ton of castles in Japan would be an understatement. I can’t take one step without catching sight of a turret or stumbling over a watchtower ruin.
I may be exaggerating a little, but according to good old Wikipedia, historians estimate that there were once about 5,000 castles in Japan, and that Japan currently has more than one hundred castles today.
Of course, many of these castles have been rebuilt or are only partial ruins, so only twelve are said to be “original”.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit at least seven castles in Japan thus far and will tell you a little about about my experiences visiting three of the aforementioned twelve “original” castles.
The very first castle I visited was Matsumoto Castle in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. Incidentally, this castle is probably my most favorite and, in my opinion, the most photogenic.
Also, as I found out, stairs in Japanese castles are extremely steep. I may or may not have slipped on the stairs in Matsumoto Castle, almost out a few of the kids climbing up the stairs behind me.
The next original castle I visited was Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture.
One of the notable differences between Matsuyama Castle and Matsumoto Castle is that Matsuyama Castle is high up on a hill, so you have to ride a ski lift to get to the top. The ski lift didn’t have seatbelts or bars or anything. I’m happy to say that, thanks to my death-grip on the side of the lift, I did not fall to my doom.
The last original castle I visited was Uwajima Castle in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture.
This castle is, for lack of a better word, adorable. Significantly smaller than any of the other castles I’ve visited, it also affords a wonderful view of the ocean.
While Uwajima Castle is also up on a hill, no ski lifts were to be found. You can bet I got my exercise that day. You can also bet that I got plenty of super itchy bites from those huge, stealthy zebra-stripe mosquitoes that hide out in the shady parts of hiking courses in Japan.
On the upside, I didn’t trip on the stairs — not once!
Have you ever visited a castle, Japanese or otherwise? Tell me about it!