World · Field notes

Japan

Three details to notice, with the sources behind each story.

history

A wooden castle behind white walls

Himeji Castle in western Japan has white plastered walls, but the tall central tower is built from wood. Its bright walls and layered roofs earned it the nickname White Heron Castle, after a white wading bird.

Source: UNESCO: Himeji-jo · Accessed 2026-10-06

The white walls and layered tiled roofs of Himeji Castle. — Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, known as White Heron Castle.
Tokumeigakarinoaoshima / Wikimedia Commons / CC0. Resized and converted to WebP; no cropping. · CC0

culture

A shrine that seems to float

Itsukushima Shrine is a place of worship on Miyajima, an island near Hiroshima in Japan. At high tide, seawater beneath its buildings makes them appear to float; at low tide, the supports and muddy shore are exposed.

Source: Japan National Tourism Organization: Itsukushima Shrine · Accessed 2026-10-06

Vermilion shrine buildings on the waterfront at Itsukushima. — Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima, between the sea and Mount Misen.
Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; no cropping. · CC BY-SA 4.0

geography

Steep roofs for snowy winters

In the mountain village of Shirakawa-go in central Japan, farmhouses have thick roofs made from bundles of dried grass. The steep angle helps heavy winter snow slide off, while the thick covering helps keep the rooms inside warm.

Source: Japan National Tourism Organization: Thatched farmhouses · Accessed 2026-10-06

Steep thatched roofs on traditional farmhouses in Shirakawa-go. — Gassho-style farmhouses in Shirakawa-go, central Japan.
Savannah Rivka / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; no cropping. · CC BY-SA 4.0