I wanted to see a real castle on my trip to Japan. Not one that was burnt down and rebuilt with ferroconcrete, interior details stripped and replaced with elevators, display cases and museums. I was looking for the real thing like it was five hundred years ago. Like in the samurai movies. So I settled on Hikone Castle, which is about an hour from Kyoto in Shiga Prefecture.
Hikone Castle / 彦根城
It was easy to get there by train, and I enjoyed the views of Lake Biwa surrounded by forested hills. The fall colors were just starting to come in, tinting the mountains red, orange, and gold.
At the station I saw a petite man in a red jacket and tentatively approached. Before my trip, I vacillated a lot about hiring a volunteer guide, and finally decided to try. I only had to pay for transportation and entrance fees, and I thought maybe I would learn more about the area than just going by myself.
Lake Biwa from Hakone Castle
Mr. Uchida was a pleasant man in his late 60’s, a retired accountant with accented but fluent English. He briskly led the way to Hikone Castle and suggested that we take the path recommended in the pamphlet. I had a momentary sinking feeling that I had wasted my money, but soon his tales of the castle had me enthralled. He talked about the people who lived there centuries ago as if he knew them personally, and he pointed out details I would never have spotted on my own.
Genkyu-en pond
We started in the Genkyuen Garden with is a strolling garden between the inner and outer moats, and I learned about the Tang Dynasty influences. There was a tea house and he tentatively suggested that we relax for a minute and enjoy the view. Over the bitter tea and maple-leaf shaped candy I confessed that my love of Japan mostly came from old Akira Kurasawa samurai movies. Mr. Uchida did not laugh, instead he turned the conversation to favorite scenes. He even recommended a few other directors.
The castle itself is a large complex with many places to explore. It was designed to house and feed a small contingent in the event of a siege, so there were storehouses and offices and stables and other everyday outbuildings. We spent a long time in the museum, which housed many treasures from the clan that lived there in feudal times. I loved the armor and weapons, and Mr. Uchida told stories about some of the documents, making the message come to life though I could not even read the characters.
The soaring white walls, the stone foundations, the heavy wood gates were everything I could hope for in a castle. It was like walking into the set of one of my favorite movies, except that it was all real. Looking at the wood bridge over the moat and listening to Mr. Uchida tell how it was made to be easily destroyed to prevent enemies from crossing, I felt swept into the past.
Hikone moat
The tower itself was the climax. We climbed the steep, ladder-line stairs to the top, pausing time and again to see the hook designed to hold a flintlock rifle, the racks for swords and spears, the pegs holding the beams together rather than nails. This was no pretty palace for living, rather a military stronghold. The dark beams and subdued lighting hinted at the past; it did not explain what life was like through a museum display, rather it let you experience it yourself. The tower sent my blood racing.
Hikone Castle Moat Bridge
Finally we were at the top, looking over the panoramic views of Lake Biwa and the town below. It was only three stories tall, but commanded a strategic vantage. Hikone Castle almost met its end in the Meiji Era because it was considered a symbol of the old feudal system, but some of the emperor’s followers asked that it be saved. As Mr. Uchida and I stood there together thinking about that, I suddenly realized that my former perspective of “Japanese people” had changed, and that I was now using the words “us” and “we” to describe our kindred emotions.
Beautiful Hikone Castle
Though he was only scheduled to give a tour of the castle and grounds, Mr. Uchida did not have any special plans and agreed to my suggestion of a meal together. Upon finding out that I enjoy sushi, he pulled out his cell phone and chatted a minute. Hanging up, he said that he knew a good place near the station but that it required reservations. He secured one, but we had a bit of time on our hands before that.
Hikone Castle Moat and Walls
I was not interested in the shopping areas, but jumped at his suggestion to see the area where the foot soldiers used to live not far from the outer moat. He apologized that the residences were closed to visitors, but we were able to stroll through the streets looking at the group housing. It was amazing to see so many old buildings still intact, and more amazing still to imagine groups of military men crammed into the same small living space. The streets were narrow and winding to prevent head-on attacks, and I would have gotten easily lost if it had not been for my guide. It was a fun way to round out our tour.
Ginsui Restaurant Hikone
Finally we went to the restaurant he had recommended, the Ginsui. It was a very nice restaurant, definately a way to cap off a lovely day. It had a counter, but we ended up in a small, tatami-floored room with a foot well under the table. I left the ordering to him, and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of dishes. There was standard raw fish, but also steamed and cooked variations. The local specialty, a fermented carp from Lake Biwa, was rather strange but quite palatable. We ate in a sense of companionship, and I did not want to say goodbye.
Ginsui Restaurant Food Hikone (photo: gin-sui.com)
At last it was time to go. I paid the bill and shook Mr. Uchida’s hand. Even though I had hired him as a guide, I felt a sense of connection, and so I gave him my business card and asked if we could remain in touch.
He promptly responded by doing the same, saying that he had enjoyed the day and hoped we could meet again. On the train back to Kyoto I kept looking at his card. I had hired a guide for a day at a castle, but ended up with a new friend.
Hikone
japanesesearch.com would like to thank Erik for sharing his trip with us!
photos by: woinary & Daa Nell, unertlkm, unertlkm, claudius_xiv, woinary
