Chiba Castle

Monday is our day off, and I had seen a castle off in the distance from the train a few stations away so I went exploring. When I found it I was excited upon approaching that there was only one older lady outside. I thought this is great, I'll have the whole place to myself! Turns out the reason it wasn't crowded is that it is closed on Monday. Since I didn't get to go in and up to the top, those pix will have to wait for another day. It was cold, crisp and sunny, great for outside pictures.

 In my wandering around looking for the castle, I found a great ramen shop. Delicious. Always on the lookout for these places!

The main approach

Assuming this is the warlord who owned the place, or maybe just one of his warriors.

Quite a tree trimming job. The car gives perspective for how big it is. Can't imagine the ladder or scaffold or crane needed.

If it had been open, this is where I would have gone in!

A little rest station on the grounds

 As always, there is a shrine nearby. Stone lantern out front.

 

Close up of lantern - that's a sheep, I think. 

Closer still, a macro of the top decoration of the lantern.

The main part of the shrine itself

Side view of shrine with water and flower offerings

 Gateway to the shrine

Back out near the castle, there was tea house on the grounds that oddly enough was open. There was a camellia shrub wall all around it.

I think they serve the tea and sweets as you sit out here. There was also seating inside. But zero customers.

Bamboo grove nearby

Probably a cherry blossom tree. Should look really beautiful in a month or so!

On the way back to the station I saw a graveyard right in the middle of downtown and decided to take a look around. There were two cars parked inside, and what looked like the caretaker / priest's house, but no one to be seen.

 At another similar graveyard years ago we were told these are memorials to children who have died, possibly aborted ones. Don't know for sure about these.

A few blocks down toward the station was the local municipal building with this guy's statue outside. No idea who he was, but a statesman of some kind it appears.