Number of reviews 7/ Number of likes 20
Tower of the Sun (Expo '70 Commemorative Park)
This symbolic art installation for the Theme Pavilion in Japan’s first Expo '70 (Osaka Expo) was designed by the artist Taro Okamoto. It is approximately 70m tall. Currently, the tower is a symbol of Osaka’s Expo '70 Commemorative Park.
You can't enter without a reservation, and you also have to pay an entrance fee!
Matsue Castle
Perched on a 29-meter tall hill in the flatlands near Shinji Lake, Matsue Castle was designated a Japanese national treasure in 2015. It was built some 400 years ago by Yoshiharu Horio, the lord of Izumo and Oki Provinces. The castle is sometimes nicknamed “Plover Castle” due to the castle gables resembling a plover bird with outstretched wings.
This is one of the few remaining national treasure castles in Japan. The surrounding area is really well maintained, and the view of the lake from the top is fantastic!
Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle was built between the years 1593 and 1594. It is one of the oldest of the still-standing “gojuu-rokkai” (five roofs, six stories) structures in Japan, and it has been registered as a national treasure.
The weather was perfect when I visited, and the black-and-white contrast of Matsumoto Castle looked stunning against the backdrop of the mountains. The stairs inside the main keep are pretty steep, so be careful when you go up and down.