SAMURAI CASTLES

Part fortresses, part palaces

Synopsis

After 5 years of restoration, Japan proudly celebrates the reopening of the Himeji Castle, a recently added World Heritage UNESCO site.

Too often mistaken for temples, Japanese castles are an integral part of the history of the country. Their slender architecture impressed the first Europeans who landed here in the 16th century. One can easily imagine samurai meandering down the footpaths, checking the defenses, or visiting the dungeons.

From North to South and appropriately during the blossoming of the Sakura – the cherry tree whose flower was the symbol of the samurai – this film unveils monuments still largely unknown outside of Japan.