Hikone Castle

[Daniel Griffin]

I am in Japan right now and visited Hikone Castle yesterday and thought that I would post some pictures. There are only 12 original castles in Japan, this being one of them.
The castle complex is surrounded by multiple moats.

[Daniel Griffin]

The castle sits on a steep hill, there is a museum at the base with surrounding gardens.

[Daniel Griffin]

The castle was owned by the Ii family who were known for their red armor.

[Daniel Griffin]

After a hike up the steep hill you pass through a series of gates and bridges.

[Daniel Griffin]

.

[Daniel Griffin]

Arriving at the keep.

[Daniel Griffin]

Shoes come off to walk through, upper stories are accessed by a series of steep steps.

[Daniel Griffin]

Views from the hill.

[Daniel Griffin]

More gardens at the base of the hill.

[Daniel Griffin]

No shoes allowed in the museum, the men's room is so clean that you must change from regular slippers to special "Toilet" slippers to enter. Blue for men and red for women.

[Stu W]

Hi Dan,

Thanks very much for posting the wonderful photographs.

Regards,
Stu

[GHP]

Very nice photos, thank you very much. I never took the opportunity to visit a castle even though I lived in Japan for almost five years. Heck, I didn't even go to Kyoto.

As for the toilet slippers -- you see that also in private homes, hotels, and hot springs; they are worn so that you do not contaminate the regular "house shoes."

Very clean!

--Guy

[Papa Nambu]

I visited there a few years ago, but it turned out I arrived on a holiday and there was a long line to go inside, so I never went in. I've also visited Himeji & Matsumoto castles, as well as a few reconstructed castles.