Another castle that got away from us - and this one's pretty special. Kumamoto Castle is one of those places that shows just how resilient Japanese architecture can be. Even after taking hits from earthquakes in 2016, it's still standing proud and showing off to visitors.
What makes it extra impressive is how complete the experience is supposed to be. While a lot of Japanese castles are just empty shells, this one lets you actually see how the daimyo (feudal lords) lived in style. We're talking the whole package - massive stone walls that look like they could stop an army (which they did), proper moats, turrets, and those classic storehouses.