Introducing Okayama Castle! "【Touken World】「Okayama Castle - A Castle of Swords and Armor｜Armor Displays in the Castle｜YouTube Video" (【刀剣ワールド】「岡山城」刀剣・甲冑に会える城｜刀剣・甲冑展示の城郭 YouTube動画), released by "Virtual Sword Museum [Touken World]," is a video that introduces the popular tourist spot Okayama Castle, located in Okayama prefecture. At Okayama Castle, there many historically valuable artifacts on display, such as the popular sword "Tachi Unsho," or the armor that belonged to Hanabusa Masanari. In this article, we'll talk about Okayama Castle and the swords/armor that are exhibited inside of the castle. For those interested in Japanese history, this video is a must watch. Be sure to follow along with the video as we introduce Okayama Castle! About Okayama Castle Photo：Okayama Castle Okayama Castle is a Hirayama-type castle built in the Teikaku style. It is designated as a national historic site and stands in Kita-ku, Okayama city, Okayama prefecture. The castle was built by Ukita Hideie, a member of the Council of Five Elders of the Toyotomi family and a feudal lord in the Warring States period, under the guidance of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. The historic castle was completed in 1597 after eight years of work. The 3-layer, 6 story castle tower was burnt down during the air raids in 1945; however, it was rebuilt in 1966 and the room of the castle's lord was also restored. Okayama Castle’s castle tower is said to have been modeled after the castle tower of Oda Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle. The base of the castle tower is unique in that it is in the shape of an irregular pentagon and its appearance changes depending on where it is viewed from. As you can see from 0:26 in the video, Okayama Castle stands on a small hill along the Asahikawa River and the river runs through the east outer moat of the castle. The characteristic of Okayama Castle is its beautiful black appearance reminiscent of a crows feathers. It is also referred to as “Crow Castle” and “Golden Crow Castle.” The stone wall of the ruins of Honmaru which can be seen from 1:31 in the video, is a valuable spot for capturing the appearance of the castle as it once was. From 1:52 in the video, you can see the legendary sword "Tachi Unsho," armor used by Hanabusa Masanari, and the armor of Ukita Hideie, Kobayakawa Hideaki, and Ikeda Terumasa. There are many things to see in Okayama Castle, such as the Moon Viewing Tower and Western Observation Tower, registered as Important Cultural Properties, and “Omoteshoin,” the biggest palatial residence within the grounds of Okayama Castle. Tourist Information for Okayama Castle Photo：Okayama Castle at night Access to Okayama Castle is as follows: To get to Okayama Castle, take the streetcar from Okayama Station toward Higashiyama, get off at the Joka stop and it's 10 minutes walking. If you are coming by car, it's a 20-minute drive from the Okayama Interchange. Admission to the castle is ¥320 for adults and ¥130 for elementary and junior high school students during the permanent exhibition period, and ¥160 for adults and ¥65 for elementary and junior high school students when exhibitions are being changed. Various events are held at Okayama Castle as well. At the “Autumn Ujo Togenkyo” event that is held every November, the castle tower of Okayama Castle and its surroundings are lit up by illuminations and you can enjoy the magical scenery. In the spring, you can enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms. There is a lot of information posted on the official website, including maps of the area and the annual calendar. There are also many hotels around Okayama Castle, so even if you're coming from afar for sightseeing, you shouldn't need to worry about lodging. Okayama prefecture also has a variety of local gourmet foods such as “Demi Katsu-don” and “Ebi meshi,” so you can enjoy sightseeing in the area while eating delicious food. Summary of Okayama Castle Source :YouTube screenshot "【Touken World】「Okayama Castle - A Castle of Swords and Armor｜Armor Displays in the Castle｜YouTube Video," released by "Virtual Sword Museum [Touken World]," introduces the allure of Okayama Castle. Okayama Castle is a black, beautiful Japanese castle. They also have illumination events where you can enjoy beautiful views. If you visit Okayama Castle, you can get a goshuin stamp to commemorate your trip to Okayama as well! 【Official Website】Okayama Castle – The Jet Black Castle That Gleams by the River https://okayama-kanko.net/ujo/english/index.html 【Tripadvisor】Okayama Castle https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298134-d323963-Reviews-Okayama_Castle-Okayama_Okayama_Prefecture_Chugoku.html

The Okayama Korakuen Genso Teien Event The video, produced by "Takashi Matsuo", catches a glimpse of the 2018 Okayama Korakuen Genso Garden summer event. Korakuen, situated in Okayama city, capital of the Okayama prefecture in Japan's Chugoku region, is one of Japan's three great gardens. A wonderful light-up event called “Genso Garden” is held in this gorgeous garden every summer, and in less than a minute the clip manages to convey the beauty of its scenery and its illumination under the night sky, all in 4k quality. What Is Korakuen? What Are Its Attractions? Photo：Okayama Korakuen Built 300 years ago by Tsunamasa Ikeda, the second daimyo of the Okayama clan, Korakuen is a historical cultural heritage and one of Japan's three most famous gardens. In addition to being designated as a national special place of scenic beauty, it has been awarded a three-star rating by the Japan Michelin Green Guide. The garden, which also goes by the name of Gokoen, is a stroll garden based on classic Japanese gardens, where the visitors can enjoy the most emblematic features of the four seasons such as cherry and plum blossoms in spring, or moonlit skies and autumn leaves in the fall. The Enyotei house and the Yuishinzan Hill are a must-visit, and if you happen to be there at the right time you should not miss the early summer tea picking and the traditional lawn burning. The garden currently hosts eight Japanese cranes, which freely range around the park from fall to winter. Also, buildings that are generally reserved for private rental, such as the Noh Stage and the Eisho room, are open to the public once a month so that anyone can enjoy the views the they offer. The "Genso Garden Event" Source :YouTube screenshot Korakuen's "Genso Garden" is a popular sightseeing event meant to bring some extra color to Okayama’s summer. In 2019, it was held at the same time as Okayama Castle's Ujo Togenkyo. In addition to the summer event shown in the video, there is a spring version of it which is held between late April and early May. Going through the video, at 0:17 you can see some tourists walking around the Japanese garden in their light yukata. A stroll through the park featuring wind chimes (0:22) and the carp pond (0:29) will certainly make for a relaxing visit. The highlight of this video is the illuminated view of Okayama Castle, featured at 0:41. The magnificent Okayama Castle shines in its pure white tones behind two of the garden’s main features, the Asahigawa and Tsukimi Bridges. Both are sights you want to experience at least once in your lifetime. The garden hosts a number of events throughout the year, such as a beer garden, a Japanese culture experience tour and Yukata Day, and many people regularly come even just to have a nice, cool evening while strolling around the park. Other Sightseeing Spots Around Korakuen Photo：Momotaro Some of the most popular places in the area are the Okayama Castle's Castle Tower, Ujo Park, and Mt. Mikai Zenkoji Temple with its wonderful treasure towers. Many people also like strolling through the retro-style streets of Izushi-cho in Monzen-machi, or visiting the healing spots in Nishigawa Green Road Park and Edagawa Green Road Park. And since we are talking about Okayama, one can’t forget about the statue of Momotaro, the iconic Japanese fairy tale character. Pottery from Bizen is another very popular feature from this area. You can also have lunch at at one of the many nearby hotels, eat local gourmet dishes such as the castle parfait and Okayama Castle rice cakes, or savory Japanese sweets and matcha from the local cafes. Korakuen Genso Garden Video Summary In less then a minute, this video manages to capture the atmosphere of both Korakuen and the summer atmosphere of Japan. Historic Japanese gardens change radically between day and night. That being said, if you want to walk through this beautifully lit up Japanese garden, don’t miss your chance to visit Korakuen during the Genso Garden event! ◆Overview of the Okayama Korakuen Garden◆ 【Address】1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture 【Access】10 minutes by bus from Okayama Station or 25 minute walk from the Okayama station 【Admission Fee】Adults 410 yen, seniors 140 yen, free for high school students and younger children (* 2019) 【Hours】From 17:00 to 20:30 【Average time spent here】30-60 minutes 【Parking】Available (100 yen per hour) 【Telephone】086-272-1148 【Notice】Pets are not allowed to enter the park, admission is until 20:00 【Official Website】Okayama Korakuen https://okayama-korakuen.jp/foregin_taravelers.html 【Tripadvisor】Okayama Korakuen https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298134-d321203-Reviews-Okayama_Korakuen_Garden-Okayama_Okayama_Prefecture_Chugoku.html