Soken-ji: Sanjunoto by jpellgen (@1179_jp)

The sanjunoto (3-story pagoda) of Soken-ji is still in excellent condition despite the fact that the temple itself is now nothing but ruins, and that it was actually here prior to the building of the castle. Nobunaga built Azuchi-jo around the temple partly due to the influence of Portuguese missionaries. It is classified as important cultural property. Azuchi-jo was the elaborate castle of daimyo Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga was perhaps the greatest warlord in the history of Japan and had brought almost all of the country under his submission by the time of his death in 1582. His castle in Azuchi was a short distance from Kyoto, and was situated strategically among a mountain range and along portions of Lake Biwa. It is said that Azuchi-jo may have been the greatest castle in Japanese history. It was seven stories high with an approximate height of 138 feet. Even more imposing is the fact that the tenshu sits on the top of Mount Azuchi with an elevation of almost 200 meters. It has residences for both of his top generals, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Toshiie Maeda to increase the security factor. Also, the mausoleum of Nobunaga sits near the top of the castle grounds. As you descend from the tenshu ruins, you may come across a sanjunoto (3-storey pagoda) belonging to the old Soken-ji temple. I am shocked that no effort has been made to reproduce the castle in this location. A replica does exist, however, in Ise.