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Always seeking the ideal master, samurai Todo Takatora was a skilled castle builder, a man of flexibility and rationality who saw the changes to come.

400-year-old Matsue Castle retains its original keep, a National Treasure. Black and imposing, it stands like a battleship. Why did the lord build such an enormous keep on such a small site?

Wakayama Castle was a crucial castle for Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu who both guided Japan to peace. Its location south of the economic center of Osaka near the Pacific Ocean was strategic.

Worn by samurai on formal occasions, in-ro were palm-sized containers crafted with masterful skill. In each piece, we uncover the refined spirit of samurai dandyism.

Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan's most famous fortresses for its keep complex and elegant palace. In the 2016 earthquakes, it suffered serious damage, and multitudes are involved in its restoration.

In one generation, Mori Motonari rose from a minor lord to ruler of most of western Japan despite bitter betrayal. His wisdom still echoes today.

Japan boasts a thousand color names, unmatched worldwide. Uncover the color revolution sparked by women in the 11th century as seen through the elegant kimono known as the "juni-hitoe."

Samurai Kusunoki Masashige rose to fame in just five years. Fighting with cunning and resolve, he became a legend inspiring generations of warriors.

Takeda Castle, the "Castle in the Sky," never saw battle and has been desolate for about 420 years. Only the stone walls remain. Archeological excavations help us reimagine the castle in its heyday.

Yaobikuni was said to be a woman in the fishing town of Obama who was given eternal youth after consuming mermaid flesh, but this envied gift instead condemned her to an apparent life of sorrow.

Goryokaku may be star-shaped, like European fortresses, but it was designed by a samurai. It became a symbol of Japan in transition in the mid-1800s, after 250 years of seclusion and peace.