"Looking For Suggestions for a Japan Trip" Topic

I definitely want to check out a castle or two.

Any good Samurai era spots otherwise?

Obviously I'm asking about Gaming related or Historical related things. (Sci-fi too)

Matsumoto castle is a great Samurai destination, especially if you can get there on one of their festivals:
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I have the Sekigahara Festival on my list, looks really cool from the pics I've seen. Plus there is a museum there. There is also the Sengakuji Temple (Tokyo/environs) where the 47 Ronin are buried. Though you can't get inside, there is TOHO studios with that awesome 7 Samurai mural by the street, and a Godzilla statue. Some good photo ops if nothing else

Check out Fukuoka, they have a magnificent museum focusing on the Samurai era in general and the defeat of the Mongol invasion in particular with many examples of armour and stunning paintings from that era and from the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 16th century.

For history as seen in the movies, the Toei Eigamura studio park has a number of different historical movie lots that have been used in quite a few movies and is open to visitors (when not filming…).

You can do a 'walkaround' in Google Streetview:
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Thanks for some great suggestions that I would have never thought of!

If you are a fan of miniature dioramas then the history museum near Osaka Castle is not to be missed. Though it's not a city I would normally recommend first time visitors to Japan.

Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki are good places to go. The Hiroshima Peace Museum and other museums. The best food is from small family-owned restaurants. Atsugi used to have some nice places to eat. It's been a while since I have been there.

If you can get to Iga in the next couple of days, it's the annual Ninja Festival! (Beware of actual ninjas, you'll never be able to spot them in the crowds…)

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