Monuments to visit Japan

The Silver Pavilion is one of the must-see places in Kyoto. It is located at the beginning of the Path of Philosophy and nestled in a very pleasant wooded park, mixing moss garden and dry white sand garden. The shōgun Yoshimasa Ashikaga had the Silver Pavilion built between 1479 and 1482 to serve as his place of retreat. Upon his death, the residence became a Buddhist temple. During the shogun's stay in the pavilion, it became the heart of Higashiyama culture, based on Zen ideas in the main. Tea ceremony, ikebana and other arts were developed there while the shogun invited artists and poets to his court. The residence was to be covered with silver shingles, following the model of the golden pavilion, but the crisis caused by the Onin civil war ruined the project. What was supposed to be a pompous building finally became a model of the sober Japanese style. It was in this same residence that the first tea room, or chashitsu, was built. This room had only four and a half tatamis. Later, at the urging of Rikyū Sen, known in Japan for codifying the tea ceremony, the pavilion would be built outside the residence in an appropriate garden. The whole thing is a World Heritage Site.

Ginkaku-ji. The pavilion consists of a first floor and a first floor. The first floor is built in what would later be called the residential shoin style while the upper floor is decidedly Zen with its bell-shaped windows. This aesthetic feature is found in the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji, dating from 1359.

Other buildings: In addition to the pavilion, the temple has a moss-covered woodland and a Japanese garden attributed to the painter, poet and garden architect Soami. This sand garden is very famous. For the little anecdote, a pile of sand, which is said to have been left by the workers when the work was interrupted, is now part of it. It would symbolize Mount Fuji.

Togu Do. You will need special permission to visit the shōgun's residence and chapel. One can see the famous tea room (Dōjin-sai) made up of the 4.5 tatami square. The architectural style remains that of shoin. The building houses a wooden statue of the shōgun as well as two other statues: one of the Buddha executed by Jōchō in the 11th century and the other of Kannon, carved by Unkei in the 12th century.

Himeji Castle has been inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List, since 1993, for "the most perfect expression of early 17th century castle architecture in Japan". It reopened to the public in March 2015, after five years of work, more resplendent than ever! Its strategic position of control of the western and southern provinces on the Sanyō-dō artery and its dominant position on the Harima plain gave Himeji decisive importance. It was in 1346 that Sadanori Akamatsu built a first castle, Himeyama. He entrusted the residence to the Kodera who stayed there until 1577. Hideyoshi took over the castle at this date and decided to embellish and enlarge it to make it his own residence between 1581 and 1585. Then he entrusted it to his brother-in-law Iesada Kinoshita (1543-1608). The latter had to get rid of it after the battle of Sekigahara, which brought together the armies of the Tokugawa and those of Toyotomi. It was Terumasa Ikeda, leader of one of the Tokugawa armies who inherited the custody of the castle. He continued its construction and added twenty castelets (yagura). It was inhabited by a number of prestigious families until 1868. The castle is sometimes called Shirasagi-jō ("of the Egret") because of its white color but also because of the cut of the roofs, or Hakuro-jō ("the castle of the White Heron"). Built on a hill, the castle is surrounded by a number of interlocking enclosures, the walls of which fall directly into the moat. Gates lead to a rather complicated system of courtyards where weapons rooms and stores for food and ammunition are located. Hishinomon (Diamond Gate) is one of the largest gates in Himeji Castle, extending from the second to the third wall. It preserves the architectural style of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Sangokubori (Sangoku Ditch), is a ditch hidden by the Hishinomon Gate and embraces both the main and secondary passages of the second wall. The moated walls had openings (ishiotoshi, "stone fall") that were used to pour boiling oil on attackers, among other things. Its keeps and corridors, which connect the eight towers, are designated as a National Treasure. We appreciate the beauty of this castle that has remained unchanged since its construction, as well as the architectural prowess of the complex. The labyrinthine construction, combined with ingenious ideas, prevented enemies from reaching the main keep. From the top of the dungeon, the visitor can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. During the Second World War, the castle was saved from bombing by the inhabitants of the city who covered it with a large black sheet so that, seen from the sky, the bombers would have the impression of flying over a large lake.

Thebest way to discover the castle is to use the Himeji Castle Great Discovery application which offers additional information throughout the visit, thanks to the terminals installed in the four corners of the castle. To avoid the crowds, it is best to go early in the morning, allowing 2 to 3 hours for the visit. If you want to see the castle from a different angle, climb the steps of Otokoyama Haisuiike Park, not far from there. Many locals go there early in the morning to enjoy the castle at sunrise.

The castle dates from 1603. Ieyasu Tokugawa, then the new shōgun, had it built both to establish his authority, to emphasize the weakness of the emperor, and to have a place of residence during his stays in Kyoto. To accomplish this task, he did not skimp on architectural means and placed the construction under the direction of Enshū Kobori (1579-1647). The famous tea master and garden architect retrieved structural and ornamental elements from Fushimi Castle, located in the southeast of the city.
It is entered through the eastern gate which gives access to some gardens and the two enclosures, Honmaru and Ninomaru. The buildings of Ninomaru have been preserved in their original state. The visit leads us through the audience rooms with richly decorated doors and ceilings, and connected between them by corridors with nightingale floors.
A^second castle was built in the Honmaru, as well as a keep, but both buildings were destroyed by fire in the 18th century and never rebuilt. The current palace was moved after the fall of the shogunate in 1867. It is not regularly open to the public although one can walk in its gardens.
South of the castle, the Shinsen-en garden, with its shrine and pond, remains the only remnant of the original imperial palace burnt down in 1227.
Many varieties of cherry trees can be admired in the gardens, and it is a popular spot during the cherry blossom season in April. A visit at an early or late hour is a good way to avoid being overwhelmed by the crowds.

With its thirty-eight floors, this building dominates the north-western part of the station. Built by the architect Hiroshi Hara, the two towers are joined by the Rotating Sky Window (a window made in such a way that it rotates and allows different pieces of sky to be seen). The view is breathtaking on a clear day. It is possible to reach the top with a transparent elevator and even eat at the restaurant or have a drink at the bar. You can get there by taking the underpass that leaves from the station of Ōsaka or from the Umeda station.

Opened to the public in May 2012, this magnificent tower reaches a height of 634 m, making it one of the tallest buildings on the planet. There are shops, cafes and two observation points, at 350 and 450 m. In 2018, a gallery of explanations and information about the tower opened on the first floor. What attracts visitors above all is the beauty of the structure, not forgetting of course the impressive view. Although off-centre in relation to Asakusa, a visit of the Sky Tree can be combined with a stroll in this area.

You reach the interior of the castle walls by way of a bridge over the moat and moat. When the Hongan-ji Temple of Kyōto burned down, the sect Jōdo-shinshū was established here and the moat and moat were built to defend the temple. It was first besieged by Nobunaga Oda in 1574 and taken in 1580, and Hideyoshi Toyotomi decided to build the castle in 1583 on the ruins of Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple. To do this, he asked his daimyō for financial assistance and the participation of more than one hundred thousand workers. Within three years, the castle became the largest fortress in Japan. In 1598, the widow and son of Hideyoshi Toyotomi retreated there in an attempt to preserve their power, and it was not until 1615 that the Tokugawa clan succeeded in taking it over. After restoring it, the Tokugawa clan entrusted the responsibility to the governor: Masanobu Naitō. In 1868, the castle was destroyed in the war between the supporters of shōgun and the Emperor's supporters. The ramparts resisted, but the keep had to be rebuilt in 1931. The castle was restored again in 1996. The walls are built of stone, the largest of which, 5 m high and over 11 m long, was a gift from General Kiyomasa Katō (Higo ishi). The Nishino Maru Garden is located between the gates Kyōbashi-my and Ōte-my. The Cherry Trees Gate, Sakura-mon, opens onto the Hon-Maru courtyard where the dungeon stands, containing a fine collection of armour and weapons. The castle is best appreciated from the outside.

A must-see for anyone who stops in the city of Nagoya. Originally, a fortress stood on the site of the present castle. It was built by and for the Oda clan. Then Ieyasu Tokugawa built the famous Nagoya Castle for his 9th son, Yoshinao, in 1610, so that he could control the whole central part of Honshū and keep an eye on his opponents, who were still loyal to the Toyotomi. The Tokugawa of Owari remained in possession of the castle until the Meiji restoration. Located on the Tokaido road, it allowed to secure the access to Edo. In 1930, it became the property of the Nagoya municipality. It was bombed at the end of the Second World War in 1945 and rebuilt in 1959 with a reinforced concrete structure.

The foundations of the pre-war Hon Maru can be seen, some parts of which have been collected in the spared keep and now set up as a museum. One can admire the shachihoko (mythical orca-like animals) found on the roof ridge of the castle, and also the fusuma, the painted sliding doors, which are quite remarkable. The visit to Nagoya-jo is particularly spectacular and magical in spring when the cherry trees in the park are in bloom. The foundations of the castle are currently undergoing a restoration which should be completed soon, and which aims at restoring its authentic architecture. This long-term work does not alter the quality of the visit.

A film recounts the glory hours of the castle.

This residence located about ten kilometres northeast of the heart of Kyoto was built by order of Iemitsu Tokugawa for the retired Emperor Go-Mizuno in 1650 and completed by his daughter in 1680. It is built against the mountain and is divided into three terraces called the three tea pavilions on an area of 28 ha. The emperor undertook the construction of the 1st and 3rd terraces while his daughter had the intermediate terrace built, which became a monastery.

The construction of the White Castle, as it is called, dates back to the th century and returns to Yoshitake Shiba, who handed it over to the Oda clan. It is Japan's oldest castle. In 1584, Nobuteru Ikeda attacked her but had to abandon him because he was beaten by Ieyasu Tokugawa himself. From the th century, he belonged to the family of Des, the vassal of the lords of Nagoya. You can marvel at its strong foundations. It is the country's last private castle.

Located 11 km from Tōno, gives an idea of the life of a rich family of Tōno two centuries ago.

The two buildings designed by Minoru Takeyama were built in 1969 and 1970, and have become symbols of architectural post-modernism. The facade of the Ichibankan, which was renovated a few years ago, is clad with white and black stripes. Originally, 49 bars occupied the 8 floors of the building. As for Nibankan, it used to host bars and saunas, but is now falling into disrepair. It can be recognized by the large, colourful graphic signs on its façade.

The "giant 3D cat", located at Shinjuku's eastern exit, suddenly appeared in July 2021. His adorable silhouette spread around the world via videos on social networks. He is the main character of Cross Shinjuku Vision, a sophisticated video content that makes skilful use of 3D illusion. This fictional character has been picked up by foreign media as a typically Japanese line of humor, and is filmed daily by many people. The giant 3D cat can be seen on the official YouTube website.