Time and Tide

Yoshimune, the shogun who saved the city of Edo. Through disaster and economic strife, alongside its people, his wisdom shaped the future of the place now called Tokyo.

With flashy armor and cunning tactics, samurai Maeda Toshiie struck fear in the heart of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and left a lasting cultural influence.

This castle, 200 km north of Tokyo, was a battleground in Japan's last civil war in the mid-19th C. Modern warfare did not bring it down. We look at the secrets to the its strengths and its lords.

Okayama Castle is unique and puzzles visitors. The keep shows a different face, depending on the direction, and each floor is a different shape. We look at how this mysterious castle was built.