◆Kuromon and Honmaru garden◆

  The day I visited the Honmaru, though it was rahter warm for winter, almost leaves of trees had already fallen down. Then I could see clearly the shape of the main tower-complex.
  The sides of the main tower, the side-towers, turrets, and the gates are covered with mud-walls, window-racks and shutters lacqured in black. Also the rooves in black. Therefore some people call it Crow Castle.

  Getting into Honmaru through Kuro　-mon, i.e. the black gate and Masugata　-koguchi, I found the lawn-leaves already withered by hard frost.
  In the garden they had begun to make a preparation for a new year since late autumn. They were very busy in December. All branches of pine trees are sustained by the rope-works of cone-shape to avoid snow-damage.

  In such a desolate garden a young lady appeared in Japanese princess costume. She weared gorgeous Kimonos with brilliant decorations and had a red umbrella in her hand.
  Soon she was encircled by many people having cameras. Most of them are men in early old age. They took pictures of the lady earnestly. She was one of staffs welcoming so kindly the visitors in such a way.

◆Getting into Tower-Comples◆

  At entrance we had to put off our shoes and on slippers.
  It is rather gloomy in the tower as there are no skylight-windows. Then we have to walk depending on guiding lights.
  For main tower is a military apparatus for a warfare, it has no elbowroom. Then all stairways are very steep. It means that the tower has a narrow base area but a tall stature.
  Therefore it has so many pillars, most of which penetrate tree stairs, to sustain its heavy weight.

◆Shining Floors◆

  But everywhere in it floor-bords are shining under the so weak light. It is because of very careful maintainance.
  So many young boys polish the floors thoroughly by duster-clothes wrapping walnut-oil cores every year. The plant fruit oil is the most adequate wax to conserve the wooden floors.

Down side of the top-stair roof