Plum Blossoms at Hiroshima Castle
The original Hiroshima Castle, built in the 1590s, was older than the city itself. But like most buildings, it was largely destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945. The castle…
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Iwakuni Castle and Ropeway
On the other side of Kintaikyo lies Kikko Park, the grounds of the former residence of the Iwakuni domain lords. The park is home to a number of historical buildings,…
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A Weekend in Beacon
For Labor Day weekend, I took myself off for a short vacation to the town of Beacon. Just a 1.5-hour train ride from New York City on Metro North’s Hudson…
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Kumamoto Castle, Under Construction
“Please visit Kumamoto Castle,” my colleague urged when I told her we’d be driving through Kumamoto City on the way back from Nagasaki during the Golden Week holidays. The popular…
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Nagoya Castle and Hommaru Palace
After destroying an entire tower with the flick of his tail, Godzilla approaches a tall, white building with full force. But then he stumbles and falls into instead, nonetheless sending…
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Road Trippin’ Solo, Part 3: Taketa Castle Town
Afternoons would be my favourite time of day, I thought as I weaved in and out of the streets of Taketa town, if they weren’t so melancholic. The roads had been…
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Road Trippin’ Solo, Part 2: The Oka Castle Ruins
As I walked up the giant steps to the site of the old Oka Castle, a haunting melody, blasting out from hidden speakers, followed me. The song, called Kojo no…
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Walking Tour of Obi Castle Town
After Naked Man Festival, we decided to drive the hour south to see Obi Castle Town (飫肥城下町), the “Little Kyoto” of Kyushu. The town was built on the remains of Obi…