During Japan’s Sengoku “Warring States” era (1467-1615), castles were constructed, bolstered and fortified all across the Japanese archipelago, resulting in approximately 5,000 individual keeps.

Japan’s Imperial family resided in Kyoto, the ancient capital, for over 1,000 years, which accounts for the fact that an estimated 2,000 age-old shrines, temples and castles blanket the city. Today, ...

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