Edo Castle Tower
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皇居西ノ丸に残る江戸城伏見櫓
While visiting Japan’s Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the historic Fushimi-yagura (伏見櫓) guard tower came into view, standing gracefully atop its stone wall with an ornate lamp post nearby, just beyond the main gate to the palace grounds.
This two-story tower, originally part of Edo Castle in the 17th century, is flanked by two galleries (多聞・tamon), which served multiple purposes: a hiding place for troops during wartime and an armory or storehouse in peacetime.
The name Fushimi supposedly comes from Fushimi Castle in Kyoto, as some theories suggest that this tower was originally built there before being dismantled and reassembled at Edo Castle during the reign of Tokugawa Iemitsu (1623–1651), the third shōgun of the Tokugawa dynasty. However, historical records remain inconclusive, and this story is considered speculative.
At its height, Edo Castle had 19 fortified towers, but due to fires, earthquakes, and the Tokyo air raids of WWII, most structures were lost. Today, only three of these historic towers remain.
Location: Imperial Palace, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo
Timestamp: 10:28・2025/01/02
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 320 for 1/500 sec. at ƒ/14
Provia/Standard film simulation
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