http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/tv/special/index1_1.html mpressive towers. Exquisite roofs. Imposing stone walls. Castles built as defensive fortresses and symbols of power have today become symbols of their regions and are loved as cultural artifacts. Why do the Japanese love their castles so much? How should we look at one? What have the castles given to Japanese culture? What needs to be preserved for the future? Japanese castles present diverse faces. We meet the people who maintain the strength and beauty; delve into the allure; and analyze their role in the transmission of history and culture.