Aizuwakamatsu Castle -- From Japan

KENICHI had told me that up there at Aizu Wakamatsu on the Banetsu-Saisen Line to Koide there was a quaint castle town called Aizu Wakamatsu. That's ��Îᏼ in Japanese -- that translates roughly (very roughly!) to "Meet Harbour Young Pine". A curious name given there are no harbours in this part of this world; it is high in the mountains on the mountainous spine of Japan. There are plenty of pine trees though and their fragrance filled the clear winter air. It was as the date at the top of the page indicates the middle of winter and even the local swimming pool was frozen over, as illustrated by the photo at the bottom of the page. The moat looked frozen too.

OTHER CASTLE GALLERIES FROM JAPAN!

Matsumoto Castle, Nagano Prefecture