TOKYO -- Japan's ancient castles, always beautiful, are even more stately at this time of the year, as the drier, clearer air allows light to shine more brilliantly on the snow. Snowfall in Japan ...

A western Japan city has begun offering overnight stays at Fukuyama Castle, a site dating back 400 years, as regional economies seek ways to attract wealthy visitors amid the country’s tourism boom.

A historic city on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, Kumamoto is renowned for its imposing castle, rich regional food culture and friendly, welcoming inhabitants.

Upon being proclaimed Shogun (feudal military dictator) of Japan ... to creak under even the lightest footstep, these floors prohibited anyone from walking through the Nijo Castle unnoticed.

Usually closed to the public, this wooden structure is one of the oldest turrets among Japanese castles. The turret, believed to have been relocated from the ill-fated Fushimi Castle in Kyoto when ...

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, has supported Japan’s nomination strategy that emphasizes the castle’s role ...

This would make it the highest fee in Japan for entering a castle keep. However, Himeji residents will have their fee maintained at around 1,000 yen, and entrance will be free for those under 18.

Currently, a project is under way to rebuild damaged stone walls there, boosted by traditional craftsmanship and the latest technology. The project is helping the castle again attract sightseers ...

The castle witnessed some of the most important ... periods of stability and prosperity in Japanese history. Japan was unified under the rule of the Tokugawa family after the Battle of Sekigahara ...