After leaving Mie Prefecture, I traveled to Kyoto Prefecture.
This castle was a little bit of a walk from the train station and turned out to be an odd castle. You'll see from the photos.
This is the information from J-Castle.
Sonobejō has the distinction of being the last ever castle built in Japan! It was built in 1868, the same year as the Meiji Restoration, and thus, the year the Edo Shogunate ended. In the Bakamatsu Period (end of the Edo Period), the situation in Kyōto become very dangerous, with Shinsengumi (Shogunal police corps) engaging in street fights with anti-Shogunate revolutionaries. There were several skirmishes around the Imperial palace in Kyōto between Satsuma and Chōshū, at that time rival clans fighting for the influence over the Imperial Court. Chōshū advocated for continuing the Shogunate albeit with more influence from the throne, whereas Satsuma wanted to overthrow the Bakufu completely, re-installing the Emperor as sole sovereign of Japan. These forces, and the forces of the Shogunate, and various other revolutionaries, all fought over the Imperial Capital, making it a very dangerous place to be. Sonobejō was built as a place of refuge for the Emperor should he ever have to flee Kyōto. It was founded by the Koide Clan who had served as the Emperor's guards throughout the Edo Period.
This is some kind of cultural hall that has been built on the grounds. The glass at the bottom makes it very strange looking.
I've never seen a sign directing to the toilet like this.
Beneath the bridge is a swimming pool, not a moat.
6 comments:
I enjoyed your Holiday Castle Tour! Thanks for all the interesting posts.
Another interesting place, I too have enjoyed your castle tour. This is an impressive building with its many layers.
Thanks for information. I haven't known the history of Sonobe castle.
certainly Sonobe castle is strange.It may be because the Edo shogunate hurriedly built it as a shelter for the emperor.
I think the toilet guide is nonsense.😓
A long trip 11days.You have visited more places than I expected.It's a wonderful trip.
Thank you for sharing
That's the most interesting toilet sign EVER! This is lovely, Pamela, and I've loved the castle tour. Maybe you'll be able to tell me the name of the one in the background of a photo that will be in my post next week about our 1998 trip to Japan! I never wrote it down. It looks like a fabulous holiday and one that was really packed. Well done!
This seems like a bit more modern take on the typical Japanese castle. Interesting for sure, but not as pretty as the 'real' ones I think!
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