Castles in Japan were originally built as fortresses for military defense and were placed in strategic locations, typically along trade routes, roads, and rivers in order to guard important sites. During wars, some of the castles were ruined and destroyed but because of its historical importance, many of them were also restored and reconstructed. These castles have been then one of the most remarkable and popular sites in Japan, with some of them being considered as one of the Japan National Treasures and some were designated as one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  Find Tokyo furnished apartments in KaguAruoo. This new rental platform lets you search, pick and rent furnished apartments online. Renting an apartment with KaguAruoo is so simple. Create an account using 1 valid identification (for foreign tenants), avoiding the hassles of preparing a lot of paperworks. Personally meeting up with the landlord is also unnecessary since you can sign the lease contract online. In addition, paying for the rent is made easier since you can pay via credit card.

Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is a hilltop castle located in Hyogo Prefecture. In 1951, it was designated as a National Treasure became the first Japanese castle to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site two years after (1993). Himeji Castle is also known as White Heron Castle because of its bright and elegant white appearance. Unline other castles, Himeji Castle was never destroyed with war, earthquake, or fire. It survived until this day and is part of the twelve original castles in Japan. The castle underwent an extensive renovation over several years and was fully re-opened to the public in 2015.

Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle was considered as the largest castle in Japan when it was constructed in the 1580s. Just like other castles, the Osaka Castle is built on a high man-made stone wall surrounded by a moat. The castle is also considered as one of Japan’s most famous landmarks. In 1665, the castle’s main tower was burnt down when it was struck by lightning. It was then reconstructed in 1931 and is now entirely modern on the inside. The tower even features an elevator for easier accessibility. Currently, the tower has a museum that showcases information about the history of the castle.

Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle is a castle located in Nagano Prefecture. Unlike other castles which are mostly hilltop, Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle. The castle features impressive exterior architecture and the garden is beautifully decorated, filled with cherry blossom trees. It is also known as the ‘Crow Castle’ because of its black exterior. Matsumoto Castle is designated as one of the National Treasure of Japan and is considered as one of the three premier castles in Japan, along with Himeji Castle and Kumamoto Castle.

Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle is a six-story building located in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. In 1930, Nagoya Castle was the first castle to be designated as one of Japan’s National Treasure. Unfortunately, the castle was completely destroyed during the Second World War because of air raids. In 1959, a big reconstruction project was decided to rebuild the castle and its towers. In 2009, they also began the reconstruction of the breathtaking Honmaru Palace and it was fully opened to the public in 2018. Nagoya Castle is a hot spot during spring as many locals gather to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms at the park nearby with the beautiful white castle as its backdrop.

Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle located in Chūō-ku, Kumamoto Prefecture. It is considered as one of the three premier castles in Japan, along with Himeji Castle and Matsumoto Castle. The original castle keep was burned down in 1877 but fortunately, there are still several remains of the castle’s ancillary wooden buildings. The castle keep was then reconstructed in 1960.

In 2016, the castle suffered serious damage because of the earthquake but even though a lot of its structures were destroyed, the castle still remains one of the top tourist spots in Japan. Kumamoto Castle is set to be opened to the public again in the spring of 2021.

Japan has a lot of sites you can visit all throughout. If you’re looking forward to a Japan tour for the upcoming year, then you must prepare for it at the fullest. Looking for an accommodation before your trip starts is one of the main key to prepare for a tour. For convenient search, visit  KaguAruoo and browse your perfect apartment! KaguAruoo can give you the listings that suit to your preference, just use the filter provided and KaguAruoo will do the math. You can also contact the landlord directly and share your itinerary if you wanted to. All transactions will be online, including payments and signing of contract, so you don’t need to worry about travelling all the way to Japan from your home country!

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