Japanese Castle Interior, Hikone

Many Japanese castles have been rebuilt after 1950, because of the World War II damages. The exterior was carefully restored to historical accuracy, but the interiors were generally converted to modern museums, with displays and elevators. It is true that a museum can give visitors more information about objects and history, but the charm of the original interior was lost. That's why the twelve castles that survived with the original interior are extremely valuable.

One if them is the Hikone castle, one of the oldest original-construction castles in Japan. Here's how the interior looks at the top floor, which can be reached with some effort, by climbing a couple of steep ladders. The most impressive part is the ceiling, a structure made of crooked tree trunks, assembled in a "post and beam" style, providing flexibility and earthquake resistance.