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Wednesday, 4th November 2015
In General Japan News,
Koriyama Castle wall to be open to the public
Visitors to Yamatokoriyama in Nara Prefecture are to get the opportunity to see a wall from the 16th century at Koriyama Castle.
It will be open to the public on November 14th and 15th, displaying a unique inner structure that was used to ensure the castle was strong, reports the Japan Times.
Historians believe that the nine-metre wall may have provided the foundations for a central tower that is no longer standing.
No knowledge of this structure had come to light until last year, when 23 cornerstones belonging to it were excavated.
Their size alone suggests the original tower could have stood more than 15 metres high.
The wall is currently undergoing repairs, but was originally constructed by large stones, some weighing as much as 2.8 tons, being piled on top of each other.
In its heyday, Koriyama Castle was run by Toyotomi Hidenaga, who lived from 1540 to 1591, the younger brother of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
It was built on a hill to offer the best defence strategy, but this didn’t prevent it from being largely destroyed in the Meiji Period, leaving the ruins that can be seen today.
These remains offer insight into how the castle was built, with none more so than the wall that is to be opened to the public later this month.
Also left standing is the Otemon Gate, as well as structures known as Ottemukaiyagura, Higashisumiyagura, and Tamonyagura, which had restoration work carried out on them in 1980.
Koriyama Castle is a popular destination during cherry blossom season between March and April when it hosts the Oshiromatsuri Festival.
As well as seeing the pretty flowers against the stunning backdrop during the day, visitors can experience them illuminated between 6pm and 9pm throughout the period.
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