Fukuyama Castle
In 1619, Katsunari Mizuno (1564-1651), a cousin of Ieyasu Tokugawa the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868, became the first lord of Fukuyama Castle.
It took Katsunari three years to complete the construction of the castle.
The spectacular five-story castle and its six-story tower were moved from Fushimi Castle in Kyoto.
Although destroyed by fire in an air raid in 1945, the tower was restored in 1966 thanks to citizens donations.
The castle will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2022.
