The Japanese branch of the world’s largest travel platform Tripadvisor® has posted its 2020 list of the Top 20 most popular castles in Japan amongst Japanese people.
This year marks the 8th run of the most popular Japanese castles ranking. Crowning the number one spot for the fourth year in a row in the list is Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture. Kanazawa Castle and Iwakuni Castle have appeared for the first time ever on the list, while Shurijo Castle—which saw the main courtyard structures destroyed last year in a fire—and Kumamoto Castle—which was damaged as a result of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake—both placed in the Top 10. This shows the greatness of these last two castles, Shurijo Castle and Kumamoto Castle, that despite their damage people still revere them, and their visiting them calls for a quick repairs and rebuilding.
User posts for all the castles in this year’s list commended each site’s incorporation of measures against the spreading of COVID-19, such as making it mandatory to wear masks, and providing alcohol gel everywhere.
Top 20 Most Popular Japanese Castles Amongst Japanese People | 2020 Edition
1st Place: Himeji Castle (Himeji, Hyogo)
2nd Place: Matsumoto Castle (Matsumoto, Nagano)
3rd Place: Matsuyama Castle (Matsuyama, Ehime
4th Place: Matsue Castle (Matsue, Shimane)
5th Place: Nijo Castle (Kyoto, Kyoto)
6th Place: Katsuren Castle (Uruma, Okinawa)
7th Place: Kochi Castle (Koch, Kochi)
8th Place: Shurijo Castle (Naha, Okinawa)
9th Place: Kumamoto Castle (Kumamoto, Kumamoto)
10th Place: Nakagusuku Castle (Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa)
Full Top 20 List (Japanese): https://www.tripadvisor.jp/Trips/99877580
The Reviews
1st Place: Himeji Castle | Himeji, Hyogo
Himeji Castle has placed on this list four years in a row. The castle also gets the name Hakuro-jo, or “White Egret Castle,” due to the structure’s white exterior and resemblance to a bird taking flight. Many users on Tripadvisor commented on their multiple visits to the castle, with one saying they have visited over 10 times, and another having visited 10 years after the castle’s repair work. Another said that although you have to pay to get in, you can learn much and more about the castle if you just ask the guide. Himeji Castle also has its own app you can download which has videos on different spots around the castle grounds.
16th Place: Kanazawa Castle | Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Kanazawa Castle has a rich history that dates back to being the headquarters of the Kaga Domain, also known as the Kanazawa Domain. Many users praise the beauty of the castle’s appearance, often highlighting the bricks various that make it up. The castle is lit up at night, and the scenery during winter is a sight to behold. Numerous events are held there throughout the year.
17th Place: Iwakuni Castle | Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
From the castle keep visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Iwakuni, Kintai Bridge, the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, Miyajima, and more. This is one of the main highlights commended by users on Tripadvisor. One hiker recommended visiting the castle as a set together with a walk along Kintai Bridge.
If you’re planning a trip to Japan, then be sure to use this list as reference so you know which castles are must-visits.
Information
Tripadvisor Japan: https://www.tripadvisor.jp/
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NAKED’s DANDELION PROJECT will be held at Shiga’s Hikone Castle for eight days starting November 5, 2022. The work will be exhibited as a part of NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO, a next-generation art project put on in conjunction with Kyoto City, Uji City, and Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture. Created by Ryotaro Muramatsu, the art project has appeared in a number of towns and cities around the world, inviting participants to create flowers and send them around the globe digitally as a hope for peace. Visitors can use their smartphones to send dandelion fluff digitally to other participants around the world, sharing a wish for world peace. Following last year’s event, the DANDELION art piece will be exhibited at Hikone Castle again in 2022. The castle is over 400 years old and the castle tower, completed in 1606, is designated as a national treasure. During this time, the art piece will also be on display at Enryakuji and Shigain Monzeki Temple in Shiga. Hikone Castle is currently seeking to be registered as a World Heritage site. Why not take part in this unique project to bring the world a bit more peace?
Information
DANDELION PROJECT
Venue: Hikone Castle (1-1 Konkicho, Hikone, Shiga)
DANDELION: Hikone Castle Keep*Hikone Castle is a satellite site of the NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO Project.
Dates:
November 5, 12, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 / December 3
*The Special Autumn Colors Hikone Castle Night Viewing will be held starting on September 10. The DANDELION exhibit will be on display starting November 5.
Hours: 18:00-20:30 (Last entry at 20:00)
Official Site: https://www.knt-ks.co.jp/ec/2020/hikone/ -
Japanese creative company NAKED began a new projection mapping event at Fukui Prefecture's Maruoka Castle on March 31 as part of its Future Creation Project.
Maruoka Castle Castle Tower
Castle Tower Parkお天守前公園
NAKED launched its Future Creation Project back in 2014 as a way to express local sites around Japan in a creative manner going into the future. The project is held together with local children, grown-ups, and businesses, and takes place both inside and outside Japan. The company took its projection mapping technology to Shinsen Izumi Elementary School in Tokyo in 2014 and again to Kesennumakoyo High School in Miyagi in 2015. It then rolled out its 0 x 0 Mugen Project in collaboration with Osaka University of Arts in 2016 which supports the projects and productions of students at the university as well as students looking to study there. This year, NAKED joined hands with the locals of Fukui to set up a one-year projection mapping event at Maruoka Castle as part of the Future Creation Project.Information
Maruoka Castle x NAKED Hikari Musubi
Japanese Event Name: 丸岡城×ネイキッド ヒカリ結び
Start Date: March 31, 2021
Where: Maruoka Castle (1-59 Maruokachō Kasumichō, Sakai, Fukui
Times: 20:00 / 21:00 (Twice a day for 20 mins)
Castle Opening Hours: 09:00-21:00
Official Website: https://www.city.fukui-sakai.lg.jp/ -
Japan's largest movie, drama, and anime review service Filmarks has posted its list of the country's Top 10 Drama and Anime Series for Autumn 2020. The ranking is taken from series broadcast and available for stream between September 1 and November 30 in 2020 and is based on Filmarks own 5★ score system and user reviews.
Top 10 Drama Series for Autumn 2020
1st Place: The Mandalorian Season 2 | ★4.67©2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.
2nd Place: Julie and the Phantoms | ★4.433rd Place: The Queen's Gambit | ★4.34 4th Place: 2gether | ★4.315th Place: The Crown Season 4 | ★4.276th Place: Start-Up | ★4.267th Place: Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! | ★4.248th Place: The Boys Season 2 | ★4.209th Place: Baby Season 3 | ★4.1610th Place: Satsui no Michinori | ★4.14 Top 10 Anime Series for Autumn 2020
1st Place: Golden Kamuy Season 3 | ★4.21©Satoru Noda / Shueisha・Golden Kamuy Production Committee
2th Place: Jujutsu Kaisen | ★4.19©Gege Akutami / Shueisha・Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee
3rd Place: Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club | ★4.07©2020 Project Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club
4th Place: Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle | ★3.935th Place: Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai | ★3.896th Place: Is the Order a Rabbit? BLOOM | ★3.8747th Place: With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun★3.878th Place: Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou | ★3.849th Place: Moriarty the Patriot | ★3.80910th Place: Munou na Nana | ★3.808 Are there any series on this list you have yet to see?Information
Filmarks Top 10 Drama and Anime Series for Autumn 2020
Official Website: https://filmarks.com -
Japanese "hybrid" bookshop honto, which is co-managed by Junkudo and 2Dfacto, has used its online and physical book sales data to rank the top 10 manga series of the current 2020 summer anime roster. Their ranking was released on July 2.
Ito (PR, honto) | Comment
"The 2020 summer anime roster is about to start. With people staying at home right now, there is more opportunity to watch anime, so there must be a lot of people looking forward to the new series coming. So we are releasing our own ranking of manga and light novels from the anime series that are airing this summer. Let's peruse series that are in the spotlight right now by dividing the ranking and the differences in age of people buying the books." *Data is based on the sales taken from the first half of 2020 The Top 3 Series
The slapstick love comedy Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (Volume 4) by Take clocks in at number one. The series has sold over 1 million copies in Japan. The data shows that the series is most popular with people in their 30's, who rate at 41.2% of the sales. Will they be watching the anime adaptation too? In 2nd place is Fire Force (Volume 22) which is serialised in Weekly Shonen Magazine. This series is most popular with those in their 20's. Season two of the anime series will premiere on July 5. And in 3rd place is Sword Art Online (Volume 24), a series loved by fans the world over. This hugely popular series has sold over 20 million light novels, and is popular in all age groups, with the biggest percentage of sales going to those in their 40's at 28.2%. The first season of the anime adaptation aired back in 2012. The second half of the War of Underworld will begin on July 11. Full Top 10 List
1st Place: Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (Volume 4) 2nd Place: Fire Force (Volume 22) 3rd Place: Sword Art Online (Volume 24) 4th Place: Kanojo, Okarishimasu (Volume 14) 5th Place: Baki Dou (Volume 5) 6th Place: Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World (Volume 22) 7th Place: Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater (Volume 6) 8th Place: My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected (Volume 14) 9th Place: Super HxEros (Volume 9) 10th Place: A Certain Scientific Railgun (Volume 15) *According to honto -
NTT Docomo's anime streaming service dAnime Store conducted its latest online survey between February 21-28 this year to ask its users what their favourite anime is for numerous categories, such as the most "moe" series, for winter 2020. Over 71 million users got involved, and here's what they voted for.
Most Moe Anime of Winter 2020
1st Place: BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense.Recommendation Comment: Out of all of the battle-themed anime series set in alternate-worlds and games that I have seen, I believe this one has a new and original character. That of course goes for her defensive power, but she's also the strongest main character for somehow or other finding 'good luck' wherever she goes [...] Her comrades find her fun and great, and support her with all they have, and they're always lively too, so the series has given me a lot of smiles. 2nd Place: Asteroid in Love 3rd Place: Nekopara 4rd Place: Toilet-bound Hanako-kun 5th Place: Interspecies Reviewers Most Fired-Up Anime of Winter 2020
1st Place: Haikyu!! TO THE TOPRecommendation Comment: "It's really cool to see high school students playing volleyball so earnestly, doing all they can to make sure the ball in front of them doesn't fall. It's an anime that gets to you and make you tear up. The lyrics of the opening and ending themes are great too, they really hit home. It's like when I was doing club activities as a high school student; it's such a great anime, it always makes me cry." 2nd Place: A Certain Scientific Railgun T 3rd Place: Darwin's Game 4th Place: BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. 5th Place: In/SpectreMost Moving Anime of Winter 2020
1st Place: Somali and the Forest SpiritRecommendation Comment: "The cheeky and ever curious Somali, and Golem, who doesn't show his emotions. I felt warmth from them coming to understand each other on their trip with their unlikely parent and child relationship. The people they meet during their journey support them too. Somali is surrounded by kindness, so I thin she'll grow into a good adult. I was deeply moved at the scene where Golem lies about his life span to Somali out of good will." 2nd Place: Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World 3rd Place: Smile Down the Runway 4th Place: Haikyu!! TO THE TOP 5th Place: A Certain Scientific Railgun T Most Comedic Anime of Winter 2020
1st Place: Interspecies ReviewersRecommendation Comment: "It's undeniable that this was the funniest anime this season for people. It proved that going off the scale of the outrageous makes for the ultimate comedy. Saying that, it wasn't only just outrageous, and wasn't only hilarious, and that's what I would recommend about this show. I would also highlight how Stunk and company show the differences between each race in his reviews [and] the interactions between him and the characters [...]." 2nd Place: BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. 3rd Place: Isekai Quartet 2 4th Place: Haikyu!! TO THE TOP5th Place: Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga ©2020 夕蜜柑・狐印／KADOKAWA／防振り製作委員会 ©古舘春一／集英社・「ハイキュー!!」製作委員会・MBS ©暮石ヤコ/NSP/ソマリと森の神様プロジェクト, mixer ©天原・masha／株式会社ＫＡＤＯＫＡＷＡ／異種族レビュアーズ製作委員会 Information
Official Website: https://anime.dmkt-sp.jp/animestore/CP/CP00001083
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TripAdvisor® has just released its list of the top 20 castles in Japan from 2019 as reviewed by travellers and tourists.
Himeiji Castle
This is the 7th time the website has run this list. Coming in at No. 1 for the fourth year in a row is none other than Himeiji Castle, located in the city of Himeiji in Hyogo Prefecture.Matsumoro Castle
Kumamoto Castle
Moving up from 4th place to 2nd place this year is Matsumoto Castle in Nagano Prefecture, and from not ranking at all last year to 3rd place this year Kumamoto Castle. These top three castles comes as a package as they are considered Japan's three premier castles. Kumamoto Castle is set to re-open this autumn after reconstruction work is complete. The castle suffered damages after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Although time is required for the full restoration, you can still see the majestic tower keep surrounded by paling. Japanese users on TripAdvisor have commended it as a symbol of restoration and their joy with the repairs being done.Hirosaki Castle
For the first time in four years, Hirosaki Castle ranks on the list in 12th place. Situated in central Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture, the castle is a known living symbol of the Edo Period (1603-1868). Construction work has been taking place since 2015 to repair the base of the castle structure on the east side due to deterioration. In summer 2015, the castle tower was moved 70 meters without taking the castle apart to allow for work to be carried out. A moving castle is certainly a rare sight to see in Japan－and something you only imagine from a Studio Ghibli movie! The castle has been praised on TripAdvisor for how beautiful its surrounding nature is, from the cherry blossoms in spring to the red and yellow leaves in autumn. The castle can be enjoyed throughout all the seasons.Tsuyama Castle
Making the list for the first time ever is Tsuyama Castle which can be found in the beautiful Kakuzan Park in Okayama. When you ascend the magnificent stone steps of the castle and turn around you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Tsuyama. In spring, the castle's white watchtowers look picturesque next to the pink cherry blossom trees. From castles that have been maintained since they were first built to others that have been rebuilt from their former forms, there are countless sites to behold while in Japan. Be sure to use the Top 20 list as reference when travelling there!Information
Top 20 Castles in Japan 2019
Webpage: https://tg.tripadvisor.jp/news/ranking/best-castles/