Today I've brought a few more photos to help you get to know the country I'm currently living in. You don't always need heavy books and long documentaries, sometimes a few pictures are enough to get a good impression of a particular region.
I've probably already explained a few times what I like here in Japan and what fascinates me so much. In addition to the bustling cities and the long and eventful history, it is temples, shrines and gardens in particular that attract me. Architecture and horticulture complement each other wonderfully here in the Land of the Rising Sun and sometimes even seem to be mutually dependent. The charm of the past is often preserved in a very special way in Japan, where the history of this interesting country never seems to get boring. It is integrated into the modern age and, if you look closely enough, is clearly recognizable everywhere. And if you allow yourself to do so, it's really fun to walk in the footsteps of days gone by and dream yourself back to the past.
In addition to the places already mentioned, you can also get some great Japan feeling at one of the various Japanese castles, which can still be found in some places today. Many of the castles built in the feudal era have unfortunately already fallen victim to the changing times, but some of them have nevertheless survived into modern times in almost their original condition.
Picture two takes us to another place, to Aizu-Wakamatsu and Tsuruga-jo Castle. I have been a guest there on a number of occasions and have already introduced this castle several times in one of my posts here. This castle was also destroyed around 150 years ago during the Japanese Civil War, but was rebuilt around half a century ago. Today, it still shines out at visitors and has become the city's main attraction.
And now we come to the queen of all Japanese castles, Himeji-jo in Hyogo Prefecture. This wonderful castle dates back to the end of the 16th century and has miraculously survived unscathed through the ages. The castle was only renovated a few years ago and unfortunately it was not possible to see it from the inside during our visit.
But to be honest, castles like this one look much better and much more impressive from the outside. And that's why I always enjoy walking around castles, walking on their walls and looking at everything from different perspectives. There is always so much to discover.
Here we have a small but very fine castle that should not be overlooked. This is Toyama-jo, located in the town of the same name, which is rather off the beaten track and appears to be somewhat of a sleepy place. This castle is also not preserved in its original state, but was rebuilt in the last century. It is located in the middle of the town and directly on a main road on which the streetcar passes. From there, you must have a great view of the castle and the history of your city suddenly seems just an arm's reach away and close enough to touch.
I have one more castle, Matsumoto-jo in Nagano. Also known as Crow Castle, it has survived in its original state into the modern era and is now one of the most popular Japanese castles in Japan. I have been here twice already and would definitely not turn down the opportunity to visit again.
When it comes to castles, there is still a lot for me to discover in Japan. Unfortunately, most of them are quite far away from where I currently live, but one day there will definitely be another opportunity to explore new castle territory. Until then, I'll continue to delight myself and hopefully you too with some of my photos, of which I fortunately have quite a few.
And to make sure you don't miss any of them, please come back soon to find some new impressions and pictures from the Land of the Rising Sun....
