Although on the outside a Japanese castle seems quite sumptuous, with roof decorations and walls carefully covered in plaster, on the inside they are quite austere. The exterior was meant to reflect the lord’s richness and power, while the interior was just a military construction, used as general headquarters during the war and as a last defense in case of siege.

Photographed here is the interior of the top floor of the Hirosaki Castle, one of the 12 Japanese castles still in their original form. Of course, just ignore the floor covering and the illustrations hung on the walls…

Hirosaki castle, Hirosaki, Aomori

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese modern architecture, Namba Parks