Lock Heart Castle, Medieval theme park in Takayama, Japan.
Lock Heart Castle is a medieval theme park in Takayama, Japan, set on spacious grounds with stone towers, halls, and garden areas. The architecture follows Scottish models and spreads across several interconnected buildings.
The stone walls of the complex come from a construction in Edinburgh dating to 1829 and were transported to Japan via the Trans-Siberian Railway. The park opened in April 1993 after the reconstruction of the site on Japanese soil.
The gardens surrounding the fortress show European rose varieties and winding paths that recall historical landscape design. Visitors can try on costumes from past centuries and take photographs inside the rooms.
Access runs via the Kan-etsu Expressway, around 90 minutes from Tokyo, and the grounds open daily. Visitors can explore the rooms and gardens at a calm pace and should plan to wear sturdy shoes for the walk.
Several museum rooms within the walls display collections of Christmas figures, historical jewelry, and perfume bottles from past centuries. A library houses first editions of works by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott.
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