Although it was built in a location without any natural defenses, the Okayama castle was protected by a massive landscaping operation, the deviation a nearby river.

The castle was never conquered, but it changed its owner after the Battle of Sekigahara, when it was taken from the Ukita Clan and was offered as war prize to Kobayakawa Hideaki. After Hideaki died without successors, the castles changed ownership again, and it was owned by the Ikeda Clan until the Meiji Restauration. Burned during the bombings of the WWII, it was rebuilt of concrete 49 years ago.

Okayama Castle, Main Tower, Okayama

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Dogo Onsen, a spectacular 123 years old Japanese building