Château de Washijo, Japanese castle in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
Château de Washijo is a Japanese castle in Tochigi Prefecture with stone foundations supporting wooden buildings arranged as a defensive complex with multiple gates and watchtowers positioned along protective walls. The site spreads across different levels, with storage areas inside guard towers, living quarters, and administrative offices distributed throughout the fortification.
The fortress began during the Sengoku period when regional lords built protective structures to control strategic points near trade routes and river crossings. It represents the defensive building methods that developed during that era of feudal competition.
The castle shows how local lords of that era designed spaces for both living and defense, blending residential comfort with warrior functionality in a single complex.
Walking through the site means navigating uneven ground and climbing between different levels as the complex spreads vertically across the hillside. Wear comfortable shoes and allow time to move between the various sections without rushing.
Small stone openings cut into the castle walls allowed defenders to shoot arrows and drop objects on attackers while staying protected inside. These narrow shooting ports show how medieval castle builders solved the problem of defense without exposing themselves.
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