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★★★★★ Castles have an original donjon and several supporting structures. It is worth the effort to go out of your way to visit them.

★★★★ Castles tend to be smaller original donjon with fewer or no surrounding structures. Some may be reconstructions of historically important castles and have a number of supporting structures or a castle town. Non castle fans will enjoy a trip here too.

★★★ Castles are reconstructions or ruins, have fewer structures, some may be small but are reconstructed well or have a nice castle town. If you are in the area and have free time it may be worth the trip.

★★ Interesting ruins with several moats or stone walls or small reconstructions with no supporting structures. The actual reconstruction might be a mock reconstruction that was not designed after the original. Castle fans or people interested detailed history of the area will find it interesting.

★ Mostly ruins or minor reconstructions. Serious castle fans will find this interesting.

• Edo Period: castles under control of the Tokugawa government or those that lasted until the Meiji Restoration. Edo Period castles tend to be larger with more fortifications and reflect the peak of castle engineering.
• Pre Edo Period: castles whose lifespan ended before or during the early Edo Period. In the Edo Period there was a law of one castle per country so many were destroyed at this time. They also fall into this category.