Difference between revisions of "UserWiki:Snoworion/VisitedCastles"

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Snoworion's Visited Castles

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Castle	Date	Comment
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle	6 September 2016	Visited on 6 September 2016. Very difficult castle to get to but worth the effort if you want to visit a very well preserved and terrific specimen of a Japanese castle. However disappointed that the city of Takahashi did not do more to promote the castle. As a typical tourist it was comparatively hard to find a route to and from the castle. Also, as a typical tourist, I was looking out for typical tourist traps like souvenirs from where I could fish for memories of my hard trek. There isn't any remotely near the castle or even in the town below. In fact there isn't even a decent rest stop on the journey up to or down from the castle where one can catch a refresher, not even in the town below. Maybe that is a good thing as it preserves the overall integrity of the site but I couldn't help wanting more of a reason to stay longer than I did.
Himeji Castle	8 September 2016	Visited in 2009 and re-visited on 8 September 2016. this is the premier castle in Japan and it is a must-go for all Japanese castle enthusiast. To say it is a magnificent specimen of a Japanese castle is to do it a gross injustice. Its beautiful, original and both the castle and the castle grounds exhibit all the charms one comes to expect from the culture and history that is Japan. A cannot-miss castle.
Hiroshima Castle	4 September 2016	Visited on 4 September 2016. Castle itself was a bit disappointing but the grounds are nice.
Inuyama Castle	9 October 2015	Visited on 9 October 2015. Small castle but one of the best I visited. Its original, small, intimate and sits magnificently atop a hill that overlooks the town and the river. I absolutely loved this castle.
Kanazawa Castle	13 October 2015	Visited on 13 October 2015. Intending to visit the next-door gardens but spent some time in the castle grounds and explored the magnificent stone walls that still stand today. There still remain some original buildings but the castle itself is slowly being rebuilt.
Kumamoto Castle	15 December 2014	Visited on 15 December 2014 and again on 21 December 2014. Excellent castle with imposing castle grounds. This has to rank among the best castles I have visited and will visit again.
Matsumoto Castle	14 October 2015	Visited on 14 October 2015. A magnificent specimen of a castle. I loved the interior of the castle and the views from atop the castle. From across the moat the castle looks beautiful and aside from Himeji, this has to be the next great site to visit for Japanese castle enthusiast looking for original specimens of the species.
Nagoya Castle	8 October 2015	Visited on 8 October 2015. A reconstructed castle that sits on very beautiful grounds. The history exhibited in the castle makes this a worthwhile visit.
Okayama Castle	7 September 2016	Visited on 7 September 2016. Reconstructed Castle but majestic.
Osaka Castle	10 September 2016	Visited on 10 September 2016. More of a modern museum built in the shape of a castle than a castle. Grounds are more impressive than the castle itself. Crowd ruin the experience.
Takayama Castle	16 October 2015	Visited on 16 October 2015. Really just a few stones and a few steps. There is no castle but just a few ruins in a park.
Wakayama Castle	9 September 2016	Visited on 9 September 2016. Visited too late in the day to fully take the time to appreciate the castle or walk along the reconstructed covered bridge. Nonetheless worth a re-visit.
Odawara Castle	9 November 2017	I visited this castle on 9th November 2017. This is a reconstructed castle with a nice keep and lovely gardens. Its a nice castle to just drop by and visit if you have the time and if you are around the region. It is within walking distance from the train station. The castle itself is nothing spectacular when compared to others around the Kansai, Chubu or Chukogu regions where I feel there are the highest concentration of beautiful castles, but it has nice ground and it offers an excellent view from its top floor. However in my view the castle itself nor the grounds are the main attraction here - its the small museum on its ground with its collection of nice artefacts that is worth a look. Also there is its 5 minute graphic light show projected against the mock-up samurai suit of Tokugawa Ieyasu that I enjoyed the most. Talk about the perfect blend of traditional and modern.
Hikone Castle	13 November 2017	I visited this castle on 13 November 2017. This is one of the best original castles I have visited and arguably a better example of a medieval castle than Himeji. From a historical perspective, it is easy to appreciate the thinking and strategy that went into designing this castle. The castle keep is magnificent and the castle grounds are arguably the best I have visited. It really has the effect of creating an atmosphere of stepping back in time. And not to mention the gardens. This castle nestled on the shores of Lake Biwa and about 1 hr by train from Kyoto is definitely worth the trip and not to be missed by anyone who has an affinity for Japanese castles. P.S - the town, small as it is, is also worth a walk if for no other reason than to sample the Omi Beef and the Matcha ice cream. Make the trip. You will not regret it.

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 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Bitchu Matsuyama Castle
+|date=6 September 2016
 |comment=Visited on 6 September 2016. Very difficult castle to get to but worth the effort if you want to visit a very well preserved and terrific specimen of a Japanese castle. However disappointed that the city of Takahashi did not do more to promote the castle. As a typical tourist it was comparatively hard to find a route to and from the castle. Also, as a typical tourist, I was looking out for typical tourist traps like souvenirs from where I could fish for memories of my hard trek. There isn't any remotely near the castle or even in the town below.  In fact there isn't even a decent rest stop on the journey up to or down from the castle where one can catch a refresher, not even in the town below.  Maybe that is a good thing as it preserves the overall integrity of the site but I couldn't help wanting more of a reason to stay longer than I did.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Himeji Castle
+|date=8 September 2016
 |comment=Visited in 2009 and re-visited on 8 September 2016.  this is the premier castle in Japan and it is a must-go for all Japanese castle enthusiast.  To say it is a magnificent specimen of a Japanese castle is to do it a gross injustice.  Its beautiful, original and both the castle and the castle grounds exhibit all the charms one comes to expect from the culture and history that is Japan.  A cannot-miss castle.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Hiroshima Castle
+|date=4 September 2016
 |comment=Visited on 4 September 2016.  Castle itself was a bit disappointing but the grounds are nice.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Inuyama Castle
+|date=9 October 2015
 |comment=Visited on 9 October 2015.  Small castle but one of the best I visited.  Its original, small, intimate and sits magnificently atop a hill that overlooks the town and the river.  I absolutely loved this castle.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Kanazawa Castle
+|date=13 October 2015
 |comment=Visited on 13 October 2015.  Intending to visit the next-door gardens but spent some time in the castle grounds and explored the magnificent stone walls that still stand today.   There still remain some original buildings but the castle itself is slowly being rebuilt.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Kumamoto Castle
+|date=15 December 2014
 |comment=Visited on 15 December 2014 and again on 21 December 2014.  Excellent castle with imposing castle grounds.  This has to rank among the best castles I have visited and will visit again.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Matsumoto Castle
+|date=14 October 2015
 |comment=Visited on 14 October 2015.  A magnificent specimen of a castle.  I loved the interior of the castle and the views from atop the castle.  From across the moat the castle looks beautiful and aside from Himeji, this has to be the next great site to visit for Japanese castle enthusiast looking for original specimens of the species.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Nagoya Castle
+|date=8 October 2015
 |comment=Visited on 8 October 2015.  A reconstructed castle that sits on very beautiful grounds.  The history exhibited in the castle makes this a worthwhile visit.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Okayama Castle
+|date=7 September 2016
 |comment=Visited on 7 September 2016.  Reconstructed Castle but majestic.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Osaka Castle
+|date=10 September 2016
 |comment=Visited on 10 September 2016.  More of a modern museum built in the shape of a castle than a castle.  Grounds are more impressive than the castle itself.  Crowd ruin the experience.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Takayama Castle
+|date=16 October 2015
 |comment=Visited on 16 October 2015.  Really just a few stones and a few steps.  There is no castle but just a few ruins in a park.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Wakayama Castle
+|date=9 September 2016
 |comment=Visited on 9 September 2016.  Visited too late in the day to fully take the time to appreciate the castle or walk along the reconstructed covered bridge.  Nonetheless worth a re-visit.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Odawara Castle
-|comment=Visited
+|date=9 November 2017
+|comment=I visited this castle on 9th November 2017. This is a reconstructed castle with a nice keep and lovely gardens. Its a nice castle to just drop by and visit if you have the time and if you are around the region. It is within walking distance from the train station. The castle itself is nothing spectacular when compared to others around the Kansai, Chubu or Chukogu regions where I feel there are the highest concentration of beautiful castles, but it has nice ground and it offers an excellent view from its top floor. However in my view the castle itself nor the grounds are the main attraction here - its the small museum on its ground with its collection of nice artefacts that is worth a look. Also there is its 5 minute graphic light show projected against the mock-up samurai suit of Tokugawa Ieyasu that I enjoyed the most. Talk about the perfect blend of traditional and modern.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableBody
 |castle=Hikone Castle
-|comment=Visited
+|date=13 November 2017
+|comment=I visited this castle on 13 November 2017.  This is one of the best original castles I have visited and arguably a better example of a medieval castle than Himeji.  From a historical perspective, it is easy to appreciate the thinking and strategy that went into designing this castle.  The castle keep is magnificent and the castle grounds are arguably the best I have visited.  It really has the effect of creating an atmosphere of stepping back in time.  And not to mention the gardens.  This castle nestled on the shores of Lake Biwa and about 1 hr by train from Kyoto is definitely worth the trip and not to be missed by anyone who has an affinity for Japanese castles.  P.S - the town, small as it is, is also worth a walk if for no other reason than to sample the Omi Beef and the Matcha ice cream.  Make the trip. You will not regret it.
 }}
 {{Forms/UserCastleListTableFooter}}