The Japanese castles are classified according to the landform on which they were built. On the mountainside, there are two types, castles built on the top of the mountain, called in Japanese yamajiro ("mountaintop castle") and castles built on large hills or on low mountains, known as hirayamajiro, “flatland-mountain castles".

The Matsuyama castle, photographed here, is a hirayamajiro. These castles were somehow more vulnerable because they were not protected by relief, so they were surrounded by strong turrets and concentric walls.

Matsuyama Castle, Matsuyama, Ehime

EXIF Info:

Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Street scene in Ozu