12.Edo Castle,Japan

Japanese shiro (meaning castle, not black which also has the same pronunciation) is one the things that made Japan as one of the favourable tourism destination in the world. The unique structure of the castle and the history that written with it made people around the world attracted to this castle.

If you are a fan of Japanese Jidaigeki (feudal period) movies such as Ran or Tajomaru then you must not missed the chance to see Japanese shiro because many Jidaigeki plot revolves around the castle as it had become one of the important elements in Jidaigeki movies. The castle not only available in Japan, it also gain influence especially in their neighbouring country Korea.

The Japanese shiro that are chosen is the Edo Castle that is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. This castle is chosen because of the historical values that it represents. Edo Castle is the castle that are made in the times of the ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. In here, Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate that became the beginning of the famous era that filled in many Jidaigeki movies, dramas and Anime.

Edo Castle was built in 1457 in the city of Edo, which was the former name for the capital city Tokyo. It was a flatland types of castle. The castle was divided into various types of citadels which is Honmaru was in the center, with the Ninomaru (second compound), Sannomaru (third compound) extending to the east; the Nishinomaru (west compound) flanked by Nishinomaru-shita (outer section) and Fukiage (firebreak compound); and the Kitanomaru (north compound).

Honmaru was the central, innermost part of the castle containing the residence of the past shogun. The stately and luxurious main buildings of the Honmaru, consist of the outer, central, and the inner halls. On the eastern side of the Honmaru lies the Ninomaru of Edo Castle. A palace for the heirs of the Tokugawa shoguns was constructed in 1639 in the west area and in 1630 it is reported that a garden designed by Kobori Enshu, who was the founder of Japanese landscaping, was located to its southeast.

The sannomaru or the third enceinte is the eastern most enceinte next to the Ninomaru, separated by the Tenjin-bori. Ōte-bori is located to the north, running then south is Kikyō-bori. Nishinomaru or western enceinte was the location of the palaces and residences of the retired shogun and the heir-apparent for a while. The outer part of the Nishinomaru to the east (today's Outer Gardens of the Imperial Palace) was the site of various residences of daimyo. The Nishinomaru is bordered by moats to the west.

Fukiage  is the western area that was made into a firebreak after the great Meireki fire of 1657. The Fukiage is encircled by the Dōkan-bori to the Nishinomaru to the east, the Sakurada-bori to the south, the Hanzō-bori to the west, the Chidorigafuchi to the northwest and the Inui-bori to the north.

Lastly, Kitanomaru is the northern enceinte next to the Honmaru. It was used as a medicinal garden (Ohanabatake) during the shogun's rule. During the 17th century, the Suruga Dainagon residence was located there as well, which was used by collateral branches of the Tokugawa clan. Today this site is the location of the public Kitanomaru Park.

The Edo Castle territory is so wide that it can take a whole week to discover the whole places. Yet, the Edo Castle has become one of the largest castle in Japan and one of the most beautiful. It also resemble us to some of the Jidaigeki that we always watch on television.