Most viewed - Aizu-Wakamatsu 会津若松市 |
In 1591, Lord Gamo Ujisato (from Hino, Shiga) built a 7-story castle tower and renamed it Tsuruga-jo Castle. "Tsuru" means crane. A major earthquake in 1611 damaged the tower, so Lord Kato Akinari rebuilt the castle tower with 5 stories in 1639.346 views
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Monument from Rome, Italy, given in 1928 by Mussolini. The column is from the ruins of a palace in Pompeii.329 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu (Tsuruga-jo) Castle, Fukushima Pref. The reconstructed castle tower (ferro-concrete) is based on the 5-story castle tower Kato Akinari built in 1639. "Wakamatsu" was named after a place in Hino, Shiga by Ujisato.323 views
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Wakamatsu Castle, Fukushima. Totally modern on the inside (renovated in 2004), the castle tower is a history museum. It displays swords and portraits of the Byakkotai Battalion of teenagers who valiantly butneedlessly committed suicide on Iimoriyama Hill.258 views
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Monument from a German, Hasso von Etzdorf (1900 - 1989).255 views
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Stone marker for Tsurugajo Castle. Although the castle's official name is Wakamatsu Castle, it is popularly called Tsuruga-jo Castle within the city of Aizu-Wakamatsu. Outside Fukushima though, it is popularly called Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle.254 views
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Byakkotai souvenirs247 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu manhole228 views
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Monument message in Italian. After WWII, the US Occupation authorities wanted this monument removed. But all they did was remove the engraved message (later restored).225 views
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Entrance to Iimoriyama Hill, site of the Byakkotai "White Tiger" Battalion gravesite. In 1868, a unit of teenage warriors called Byakkotai (White Tiger Battalion) fought against the Emperor-backed Imperial forces encroaching their domain of Aizu223 views
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About the monument from Rome.207 views
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Family crests of all the warrior clans who occupied Wakamatsu Castle.203 views
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San-no-Maru entrance to Tsurugajo Castle 三の丸190 views
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188 views
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Rokabashi Bridge 廊下橋181 views
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Marker and side road to Lord Gamo (Gamoh) Ujisato's gravesite. Near Aizu-Wakamatsu City Hall. Gamo Ujisato (1556-1595) was a feudal lord from Hino, Shiga Pref. He built Tsurugajo Castle and named the town Wakamatsu, after a place in his hometown.181 views
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Graves of the 19 teenage Byakkotai warriors who killed themselves with their own swords.177 views
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Painting depicting Byakkotai suicide on Iimoriyama Hill173 views
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Byakkotai gravestones. Each one shows the name, age, and method of death called "jijin" (died with one's own sword 自刃).170 views
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170 views
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168 views
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Another monument168 views
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Sazaedo168 views
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Escalator to go up Iimoriyama Hill. Their tombstones are on this hill near where they killed themselves. Their story has become legend.166 views
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The Byakkotai were outnumbered and forced to retreat. Twenty of them escaped to Iimoriyama Hill where they saw what looked liked a burning Tsurugajo Castle. Photo: Pay a small fee to take the escalator up the hill. Or climb up the steps for free.165 views
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In despair, the boys decided to kill themselves rather than die in the hands of the enemy. Photo: Escalator to go up Iimoriyama Hill.163 views
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Byakkotai Gravesite. It is on a flat area which also has several other Byakkotai monuments including those from other countries.163 views
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Byakkotai statue outside the Byakkotai Memorial Museum163 views
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Tsuruga-jo Castle as seen from the rear.162 views
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Approach to the Byakkotai gravesite.161 views
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Castle map. I recommend entering through the Kitaguchi entrance and exiting from the San-no-maru entrance or vice versa. Both entrances has a High-color bus stop nearby. The castle is too far to walk from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, so take a bus.157 views
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157 views
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155 views
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Slope where they committed seppuku (hara-kiri). 自刃の地154 views
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On the right side are more gravestones. These are 31 Byakkotai members who died in battle. 戦死153 views
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Grave of Iinuma Sadakichi (Sadao) (1854-1931). His grave was built here in 1957 for the 90th anniversary of the Byakkotai's demise. 飯沼貞吉153 views
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Ujisato was married to Oda Nobunaga's second daughter Fuyuhime. He died at age 40. One theory says that he was poisoned by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Entrance to Lord Gamo Ujisato's gravesite within Kotokuji temple in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima..152 views
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Portrait of Lord Gamo Ujisato152 views
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Byakko Kannon statue152 views
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Otemon Gate to Kitade-maru 大手門. The castle was first built by Ashina Naomori in 1384 when he built a structure called Higashi Kurokawa Yakata.151 views
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Lord Gamo Ujisato's grave. This is a secondary grave, where his hair is buried. His main grave is at a temple in Kyoto where he died at age 40.150 views
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Most next to Otemon Gate149 views
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Otemon Gate stonework. The castle was occupied by a number of clans. But it was Gamo Ujisato, originally from Hino, Shiga Prefecture, who made the castle great and established the castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu.149 views
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On the left of the gravestones, there is a monument for a poem composed by Lord Matsudaira Katamori, the last Aizu lord and whom the Byakkotai died for. 幾人の 涙は石にそそぐとも その名は世々に 朽じとぞ思う148 views幾人の 涙は石にそそぐとも その名は世々に 朽じとぞ思う
Ikutari no namida wa ishi ni sosogu tomo sono na wa yoyo ni kuji to zo omou
"No matter how many people pour their tears on these stones, these names will never fade from the world."
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Arrow points to Tsuruga-jo Castle.148 views
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Statue of a teenage samurai looking at Wakamatsu Castle.147 views
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Sazaedo, a unique wooden, hexagonal structure which you will see when coming down from Iimoriyama.147 views
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Otemon Gate stonework with stairs, one unique feature of the castle. The castle was attacked by Imperial forces during the Boshin War in 1868. The castle was dismantled in 1874.146 views
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146 views
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Wakamatsu Castle as seen from the rear.144 views
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Entrance doors to Lord Gamo Ujisato's gravesite within Kotokuji temple which is a Zen temple of the Rinzai Sect.144 views
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Byakkotai Graves144 views
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144 views
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This has become a national shrine, almost as important as Sengakuji where the 47 masterless samurai are buried.144 views
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Names of Byakkotai members, all 14 to 17 years old.144 views
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Site where they committed seppuku (hara-kiri). 自刃の地144 views
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Byakkotai Graves143 views
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Opened in 1956, the Byakkotai Memorial Museum has numerous artifacts related to the Byakkotai as well as the Shinsengumi. Photography inside is not allowed. Admission 400 yen.142 views
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Sazaedo142 views
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Kotokuji temple141 views
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Taikomon Gate where there was a multi-story turret which had a taiko drum used to signal the coming of a lord or for emergencies. 太鼓門140 views
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Grounds of Lord Gamo Ujisato's gravesite within Kotokuji temple. Since Ujisato was a Christian lord, it is ironic that he be buried in a Buddhist temple in Kyoto and Aizu-Wakamatsu.140 views
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A short walk away is the grave of Iinuma Sadakichi, the only Byakkotai survivor who had slit himself, but was rescued by a villager passing by when everyone else had killed themselves.140 views
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Foilage on the slopes of Honmaru139 views
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Honmaru Uzumimon Gate and tenshukaku castle tower.139 views
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Monument for teenage samurai who died in battle.138 views
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Castle tower as seen from Honmaru Uzumimon Gate. In the lower right is the ticket office to enter the castle tower. Castle tower admission is 400 yen for adults. Or pay 500 yen to include the ticket to see the Rinkaku Tea House. Open 8:30 am to 5 pm.137 views
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Byakkotai statue at Aizu-Wakamatsu Station136 views
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About Iinuma Sadakichi (later changed his first name to Sadao)136 views
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Sazaedo136 views
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Inside Rinkaku Tea Ceremony House135 views
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Tombs of those Byakkotai who died in action.135 views
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Grave of Iinuma Sadakichi, the only Byakkotai warrior who survived and told the story of this valiant teenage group.132 views
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131 views
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131 views
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Uga Shrine 宇賀神社131 views
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These stairs on the castle's stone walls are called Musha-bashiri. They enabled the warriors to run up to the turrets quickly during attacks. It is one distinguishing feature of the castle. 武者走り130 views
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Byakkotai enshrined in Uga Shrine130 views
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Rinkaku Tea Ceremony House. Shoan, the son of tea master Sen Rikyu (who was ordered to committ seppuku by Hideyoshi), came here to practice tea in the late 16th century under the auspices of Lord Gamo Ujisato who himself was a tea expert. 茶室麟閣129 views
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Their names, age, and "senshi" 戦死 (died in battle) are engraved on the stones.129 views
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Statue faces Tsuruga-jo Castle which can be seen in the distance.129 views
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Inside the Hashiri Nagaya corridor is a gift shop. This is connected directly to the castle tower and also connects to the reconstructed Hoshii Turret.. 走長屋128 views
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127 views
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126 views
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126 views
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126 views
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Kitade-maru 北出丸125 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅124 views
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124 views
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124 views
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A recent addition is this statue of a teenage samurai looking at Wakamatsu Castle.124 views
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124 views
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Tombs of those Byakkotai who died in action.123 views
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The 5th and top floor of castle tower has a nice lookout deck all.122 views
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122 views
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Monument on Kitade-maru 北出丸121 views
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Rokabashi Bridge 廊下橋121 views
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Hand-painted candles120 views
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120 views
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Tsubakizaka Slope which is a bridge to the castle tower. 椿坂118 views
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Foilage on Kitade-maru 北出丸117 views
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Tsubakizaka Slope which is lined with cherry trees. 椿坂117 views
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On the west side is this Kurogane-mon Gate with steel doors. This is another way into the the main Honmaru grounds. During the Boshin War, the castle lord directed his troops from here. 鉄門116 views
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A warrior dummy shows how stones can be dropped through the stone hole on the floor.116 views
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Rokabashi Bridge 廊下橋116 views
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Foilage and stone gate115 views
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Inside castle tower. This scene depicts a storage room for salt. Unfortunately, photography is not permitted inside the castle tower's museum area.115 views
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Right beyond the Taikomon Gate is a tourist info office, cafe, restrooms, and benches.114 views
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Castle tower as seen from Honmaru Uzumimon Gate114 views
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114 views
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Taikomon Gate stonework112 views
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The gift shop also has a gallery of local crafts such as lacquerware.112 views
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Inside the reconstructed Minami Hashiri Nagaya Longhouse. It is a long corridor with a few small storage rooms. 南走長屋112 views
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Explanation of the kanji characters on the tombstone. From top to bottom, the characters are for "Sky, wind, fire, water, and earth."112 views
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Castle tower as seen from the west side full of cherry trees. Tsuruga-jo Castle Park is one of Japan's 100 Best Cherry Blossom Spots.111 views
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Wakamatsu Castle tower, called tenshukaku. In 1590, Gamo Ujisato became the castle lord and he built a 7-story castle tower completed in 1593. He renamed the castle Tsuruga-jo and renamed the town from Kurokawa to Wakamatsu.110 views
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109 views
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Tsurugajo Castle. The castle tower entrance can be seen.108 views
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A small room along the Minami Hashiri Nagaya Longhouse.107 views
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Honmaru Uzumimon Gate which leads to the castle tower. There was a turret here on the stone foundation. 本丸埋門105 views
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Looking east. These are cherry trees below.104 views
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A warrior dummy shows how a hole in the wall is used.104 views
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Stone-dropping hole.104 views
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Castle tower as seen from the west side in the Obikurawa 帯郭103 views
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The castle tower was reconstructed as a ferroconcrete building in Sept. 1965 on its original site.103 views
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103 views
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Tsuruga-jo Castle tower. It is lit up at night.102 views
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Inside the Kurogane-mon Gate is a mini theater.102 views
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Honmaru as seen from the top of the castle tower.102 views
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Tsurugajo Inari Shrine102 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅102 views
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The tombstone has five segments each with a kanji character. 五輪塔102 views
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Castle tower as seen from the west side in the Obikurawa 帯郭101 views
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An open window along the Minami Hashiri Nagaya Longhouse.101 views
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Rinkaku Tea Ceremony House. 茶室麟閣100 views
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It took about 3 years to reconstruct this Hoshii-yagura turret using traditional construction methods. It was the castle's largest turret mainly used to store food.. 干飯櫓99 views
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Kurogane-mon Gate on the left, connected to the castle tower on the right via the Hashiri-nagaya Longhouse which houses a gift shop 南走長屋.99 views
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The nagaya longhouse corridor leading to the reconstructed Hoshii Yagura turret.99 views
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99 views
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Entrance to Rinkaku Tea Ceremony House 茶室麟閣99 views
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99 views
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Poem monument reads 限りあれば吹かねど花は散るものを心短き春の山風99 views
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This is over the Kurogane-mon Gate.98 views
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Roof of nagaya longhouse.98 views
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Numerous pine trees are planted within the castle grounds. At night, the castle is lit up.97 views
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Inside the reconstructed Hoshii Yagura Turret on the lower floor.97 views
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Shopping street97 views
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Path to Lord Gamo Ujisato's gravesite97 views
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Stone sink to wash the mouths of horses. A horse riding ground was nearby. 馬洗石96 views
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96 views
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Tourist info office below.96 views
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Lookout deck on castle tower. Great views all around.96 views
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Family crest on door. (Not the Gamo crest.)96 views
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After entering the Kurogane-mon Gate, you can see the Hoshii-yagura turret 干飯櫓 on the left which is connected to the castle tower via the Minami Hashiri-nagaya Longhouse 南走長屋. Both were reconstructed in April 2001.95 views
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Hashiri Nagaya Longhouse in the foreground, then the Kurogane-mon Gate, the reconstructed Minami Hashiri Nagaya Longhouse, and the reconstructed Hoshii Yagura turret at the far end. We can walk inside these structures as well.95 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Station95 views
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Sculpture near the Fukushima Prefectural Museum95 views
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Tsuruga-jo Castle tower94 views
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"Wakamatsu" means young pine.94 views
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Honmaru as seen from the top of the castle tower. 本丸94 views
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Rokabashi Bridge connects the Honmaru to the Ni-no-Maru. Originally, this bridge could be cut down in the event of an attack. 廊下橋94 views
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Entrance to pedestrian underpass in front of Aizu-Wakamatsu Station with Byakkotai (White tiger) painting94 views
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Hi-color town bus, very convenient and cheap (500 yen for a day pass) to reach the city's major sights. It runs every 30 min. or so. ハイカラさん94 views
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Mt. Bandai is on the right.93 views
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Looking toward Kitade-maru.93 views
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Alps93 views
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Stairs to go to the upper floor of the Hoshii Yagura turret.93 views
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Inside the reconstructed Minami Hashiri Nagaya Longhouse. Impressive reconstruction.93 views
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Upper floor of the Hoshii Yagura turret. It is used as an exhibition room. 干飯櫓93 views
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Upper floor of the Hoshii Yagura turret. 干飯櫓93 views
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Kurogane-mon Gate on the left, Hashiri-nagaya Longhouse, and castle tower.92 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle92 views
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Kojo no Tsukihi Poetry Monument dedicated to the poem "Kojo no Tsukihi" written by college student Tsuchii Bansui after he saw how the castle lay in ruins after the Boshin War. 荒城の月碑92 views
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Castle tower stonework92 views
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92 views
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Fukushima Prefectural Museum92 views
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Wakamatsu Castle has only these buildings standing. No other turrets, towers, or palace buildings remain.91 views
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Castle tower stonework with the characteristic stone steps.91 views
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The main Honmaru entrance91 views
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91 views
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Heads up view90 views
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Ridge of castle moat on the south side.90 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅90 views
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Hi-color town bus stop90 views
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Lord Gamo Ujisato's grave.90 views
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89 views
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Tsukimi Yagura turret (Moonviewing Turret) 月見櫓89 views
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Hashiri Nagaya Longhouse connects to the castle tower.89 views
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Top of Tsukimi Yagura turret (Moonviewing Turret). It was a two-story turret used to store weapons. It also offered a great view of the moon. 月見櫓89 views
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89 views
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Stone foundation for Gosankai, a three-story building used as a secret meeting place. Before the castle was dismantled, this building was moved to Amida temple within the city.88 views
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Honmaru 本丸88 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu City Hall 会津若松市役所88 views
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Wakamatsu Castle and pine trees.87 views
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The castle tower was renovated on the inside in 2004.87 views
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Wakamatsu Castle as seen from Honmaru86 views
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86 views
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Stone foundation of castle tower86 views
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Shadow of castle tower.86 views
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86 views
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"Akabei" town bus which goes in the opposite direction of the Hi-color town bus. The same day pass can be used for both buses. あかべぇ86 views
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Pine tree and Tsuruga-jo Castle. 鶴ヶ城85 views
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The castle tower (donjon) stands over 36 meters high. Its stone wall is 11 meters high.85 views
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Chatsubo Yagura turret (Tea Pot Turret). There was a two-story turret which stored tea ceremony implements and weapons. 茶壷櫓の跡85 views
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Entrance to Tsuruga-jo Castle tower (tenshukaku).85 views
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View from Chatsubo Yagura turret85 views
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Station at twilight85 views
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Inside the Akabei town bus.85 views
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Bus stop85 views
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83 views
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83 views
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Castle most and Rokabashi Bridge 廊下橋83 views
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83 views
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82 views
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Entrance to pedestrian underpass in front of Aizu-Wakamatsu Station82 views
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View of Wakamatsu Castle from Chatsubo Yagura turret81 views
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