Pay attention to the roof of three-story yagura (turret) of Shibata castle! There are three Shachihoko (fish shaped ornaments placed on a roof of castles), and it is absolutely wonderful for castle lovers. This is a related castle of Ako Roshi (loadless samurai of Ako domain), Yasubei Horie! Shibata Castle is one of the “Japan’s Top 100 Castles” in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture. Since the surroundings of the castle were wetland and many irises were growing naturally, so it was called as the iris castle. Originally, it was a castle of Shibata family, a clan of Echigo (present Niigata Prefecture) since Kamakura Era, but in 1587, Shibata family was destroyed […]