This place has two things going for it, as far as I can see.  One, it’s in Scotland, which is a heavenly place.  Two, it’s really old, and you know how we love OLD stuff.  One thing that is questionable, however, if the ginormous pineapple that sits atop its central tower.  What is that thing for?  Who thought that was a good idea?

Apparently John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, thought it was a fantastic idea.  The structure was built on the grounds of Dunmore House as a garden retreat and greenhouse – where they grew (wait for it) PINEAPPLES!  The place was built in 1761, and cheered Murray so thoroughly that he tottled on over to the US and became the Colonial Governor of Virginia.  Pretty neat, huh?

Quick factoid about John Murray – his first wife’s name was Catherine, and her maiden name was Murray.  So that was really easy for her to remember.  Another quick factoid is that Shenandoah Valley in Virginia was named Dunmore County from 1772 to 1778.

Anyway, back to the pineapple. Pineapples symbolize hospitality, which is why so many people decorate with them even today.  This probably comes from the fact that pineapples were a little harder to get in the 1700′s, and probably the reason why Murray wanted to grow them.

The stone pineapple on the Dunmore property is beautifully carved and together with the cupola stand about 14 meters (that’s more than 45 feet to those of us who never learned the metric system).  Nowadays the building is a Landmark Trust property, and you can rent rooms for vacation.

photo by j howie

A short train ride from Tokyo will take you to the city of Matsumoto, and to Matsumoto Castle.  One of Japan’s most stunning castles, Matsumoto Castle (also called Matsumotojo) was built during the Sengoku peroid – which is dubbed the Warring States period.  It was a time of conflict in Japan that stretched from the mid-15th century to the start of the 17th century.

During this time, guys called Daimyo lorded over their territories of Japan, and some of them lived in these types of castles, which were built into hills or on the edges of rivers to help fortify them and protect them.  Matsumoto Castle is special because it is built on a plain, although it is elevated and surrounded by a moat.

The history of the castle is long and complicated.  At first it was a fort called Fukashi Castle.  Built in 1504, it changed rulers in 1550 and the new rulers built onto Fukashi, adding multiple towers, the keep (which is a Japanese national treasure), and more.  The final product was finished around 1594.

The castle stood throughout the rest of the feudal period in Japan.  6 daimyo families ruled Matsumoto until the Mejii Restoration in the 1870′s.  The Mejii Restoration saw a lot of changes in Japan’s political structure and did away with the feudal style of governing.  At that time, Matsumoto Castle was auctioned off to the city government.

Eventually, the outer castle was demolished but the keep and many of the towers remain.  Kobayashi Unari, a high school principal in the late 1800′s, raised funds to renovate the ancient castle, and it was renovated between 1903 and 1913.  It was renovated further in the 1950′s, and again in 1990 and 1999.

Today the castle is open for tours and is home to many activities during the course of the year.  You can see the cherry blossoms in April, go to a Moon Viewing party in the autumn, or go to the drum festival in the summertime.

photo by ken2754@Yokohama

The Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo is the world’s first capsule-centered piece of architecture built for actual use. This is probably not a new concept to you, but I think it’s rare that when you can actually see the room for yourself. To me, it looks like a room aboard a spaceship. Just imagine, instead of the neighbors across the way in the window, you can see Earth. Fits quite nicely, doesn’t it? Now imagine putting everything you own in an 8 by 12 by 7 ft space.

What’s really cool is that the versatility of the capsules. They can be connected to make larger spaces and are designed to be replaceable, but they haven’t had to replace one since it was completed in 1972. Each capsule is connected to one of the two main shafts by only four high-tension bolts. Only four bolts are keeping you from falling to your death. Plus, knowing everyone loves airplane bathrooms, the designers saw fit to give each room one!

Those Japanese will do just about anything to get everyone else’s attention.