A Guided Tour of Chiba's 12 Castles
Forget Tokyo Disneyland—Chiba has a dozen castles and ruins waiting to be discovered!
Forget Tokyo Disneyland—Chiba has a dozen castles and ruins waiting to be discovered!
From Okayama Castle's rare black walls to the charms of Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, there's plenty to see and do in Okayama.
In March 2015, Himeji Castle completed its first major renovation in 50 years, leading it to be reborn in resplendent white befitting of the "White Heron Castle."
Despite two violent earthquakes and numerous strong aftershocks that damaged its walls, 400-year-old Kumamoto castle remains standing.
Missed out on the blooming sakura in Tokyo? Why not head north to view the cherry blossom flower rafts in Aomori Prefecture?
Known for retaining much of its feudal, old-city atmosphere, Kanazawa is a castle town that boasts beautiful landmarks that can be enjoyed in every season. However, the spring cherry blossom season is in a class of its own.
Since northern Japan gets its cherry blossoms later than the rest of the country, even if you've missed the first round of 'sakura' to the south, you can often catch late blooms in Tohoku and Hokkaido as late as the end of April or even early May.
Hirosaki is a city in western Aomori Prefecture known for its beautiful castle and cherry blossoms. The city holds a Cherry Blossom Festival every year from April 23 to May 5.