Style: Hirayama-jiro (plateau style)
Though small, of only three storeys, the structure demonstrates the superior design required during periods of war. There are different roof styles, kirizuma-hafu, irimoya-hafu, kara-hafu, and elaborate windows – katomado.
ようこそ hikone へ = welcome to Hikone, a message at the train station nearby:
Hikonyan is the cat-samurai mascot of the castle:
A miniature maquette of Hikone Castle just outside the train station, on the way towards the castle:
The unusual Nobori Ishigaki – uphill stone walls – were built in five places nationwide, and Hikone Castle is one such place.
Otokkuri ichigo is a unique kind of raspberry found only here, near Hikone Castle:
Amazing, there are 100 selected soundscapes of Japan - landscapes with special sounds of insects, mountain streams, bells and festivals that are preserved for the future - and Hikone Castle is one of them for its bell showing the time every three hours, the chorus of crickets in the garden nearby (called Genkyu-en), and the cicada songs on summer evenings.
Hikonyan was created in 2007, for the celebration of 400 years of Hikone Castle. Hikonyan visits the castle four times a week, so it was nice to watch its appearance unexpectedly.
A throng of people gathered to watch Hikonyan and take its photo.
The main castle tower is called Tenshu.
Inside the castle:
This triangular window called teppouzama was meant for shooting the enemy approaching the castle.
The beauty of Hikone-jo in the moonlight is well-known as one of the eight scenic beauties of Lake Biwa.
The ending -jo means castle. And 城 shiro is castle.
The moat around the castle (and I think moat is 堀 hori) - so beautiful, and only one duck floating there:
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