2025-10

Ieyasu Travel Guide Detailed

Nijo-jo Castle: Seiryu-en Garden: North Area #1

the Naruko Gate, North Middle Partition Gate, and the ruins of the Northwest Corner Turret. Learn how Edo-period fortification philosophy lives on in these structures—with overviews, highlights, trivia, access tips, maps, and cultural property notes.
Ieyasu Travel Guide Detailed

Nijo-jo Castle: West and South Areas

the relocated stone walls of the former Nijo Castle built for shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki by Oda Nobunaga, the springtime Plum Grove and Sakura Garden, and the fortress-style South Middle Partition Gate (Minami Chu Shikirimon) and Momoyama Gate. Practical access tips, what to see, trivia, and maps included.
Ieyasu Travel Guide Detailed

Nijo-jo Castle: Honmaru Area #2

From the Main Keep Ruins, experience the world from the perspective of Japan’s supreme ruler. At the West Koguchi and West Bridge, discover the ingenuity behind their defensive design and ceremonial grandeur. Journey through Nijo Castle’s lesser-known wonders—where the legacies of the Tokugawa shoguns and the Emperor converge.
Ieyasu Travel Guide Detailed

Nijo-jo Castle: Ninomaru Palace Area

Admire the vividly colored carvings of the Karamon gate, the Ninomaru Palace where the shogun conducted government and ceremony, and the celebrated Ninomaru Garden shaped by Daoist Horai ideals. Immerse yourself in Nijo Castle’s grandeur and beauty.
Ieyasu Travel Guide Detailed

Nijo-jo Castle: Exterior Grounds and Gate Area

A complete guide to Nijo Castle’s Higashi-Otemon (East Main Gate), the Guardhouse (Bansho), Southeast Corner Turret, Tsukiji earthen-plastered walls, and the South Gate. Discover rich historical context, architectural highlights, and the best photo spots throughout the grounds!
Ieyasu Travel Guide Detailed

Nijo-jo Castle: Honmaru Area #1

Savor the structural elegance and ceremonial spaces of “Higashi-bashi,” a symbol of Nijo Castle’s defenses and prestige, and the only surviving Honmaru-era structure, the “Honmaru Yaguramon”—brought to life with photos and rich historical context.
Taiga Drama

Taiga Drama: Gunshi Kanbee — Part III

In the final arc of NHK’s Taiga drama Gunshi Kanbee (starring Junichi Okada), the strategist faces the death of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi’s descent into isolation, and the father-son divide at Sekigahara. This emotional review explores how Kanbee illuminated an era with unshakable sincerity and tactical brilliance.
Taiga Drama

Taiga Drama: Gunshi Kanbee — Part II

In Part II of NHK's Taiga drama Gunshi Kanbee (starring Junichi Okada), Kanbee endures betrayal by his lord and a year in a dark dungeon—emerging as a true strategist. This in-depth review explores Murashige's rebellion, Dashi’s quiet kindness, and the birth of a leader forged in the shadows.
Taiga Drama

Taiga Drama: Gunshi Kanbee — Part I

Dive into Part I of NHK’s epic Taiga drama Gunshi Kanbee (starring Junichi Okada), exploring the young strategist’s unwavering ideals, his fateful meetings with Hideyoshi and Hanbee, the strength of family ties, and the early signs of betrayal. A moving portrait of Kanbee’s formative years in Himeji.
Taiga Drama

Watching the Taiga Drama “Gunshi Kanbee”

Explore the life of Kuroda Kanbee, Japan’s legendary strategist, through NHK's Taiga drama Gunshi Kanbee starring Junichi Okada. In three powerful chapters—Ideals, Betrayal, and Sincerity—this blog unpacks his extraordinary humanity in the chaos of the Sengoku era. A must-read for history drama fans, whether you’ve seen the series or not.