Japanese government (Geographical Information Authority of Japan) exhibits detailed map of whole Japan at the following address (unfortunately only in Japanese);
http://www.gsi.go.jp/
This map includes elevation data and we can configure to show this. Of course these data is provided for practical use, but utilizing this elevation data we can understand the location and shape of some castles more clearly, because this only shows information on terrain (Of course it is not applicable to every castle. Rural area or mountain area do not have detailed elevation data, and if structures of castles were physically destructed it is difficult to trace the shape). Some screenshots of large or interesting castles are as posted (scale of each picture is not same). It is seen that many castles are built at same condition of terrain, such as edge of height or merging point of rivers.
Below 3D perspective graphics are processed using 3D map navigation software "Kashmir 3D". Express sincere gratitude to Mr. Sugimoto, the developer of this excellent software.
See also part1
Pictures (click to enlarge)
Hikone castle (Shiga prefecture): Medieval style inner area and modern outer area.
Okazaki Castle (Aichi prefecture): Castles stands at merging point of rivers
Hachigata Castle (Saitama prefecture): Huge fortress at river cliff
Wakayama Castle (Wakayama prefecture): Castle of Abarenbo Shogun
Mito Castle (Ibaraki prefecture): Castle of social reforming vice Shogun
Ueda Castle (Nagano prefecture): Small castle rejected overwhelming enemy two times
Hamamatsu Castle (Shizuoka prefecture): Castle stands at the edge of plateau
Tottori Castle (Tottori prefecture) : Towering secure fortress
Bicchu Matsuyama Castle (Okayama prefecture) : Mountain castle became target of long struggle
Aki Koriyama Castle (Hiroshima prefecture): Castle spread all over mountain like starfish
Shinpu Castle (Yamanashi prefecture): Short live castle of tragic successor
Takato Castle (Nagano prefecture): Castle of desperate fight
Akita Castle (Akita prefecture): Huge medieval residence style clay built castle
Kanayama Castle (Gunma prefecture): Impregnable castle stands on isoldated mountain
Morioka Castle (Morioka prefecture): Hill castle surrounded beautiful stone walls
Sumoto Castle (Hyogo prefecture): Fortress built to guard Osaka bay
Hitoyoshi Castle (Kumamoto prefecture): Renovate medieval plateau castle into modern hill castle
Hagi Castle (Yamaguchi prefecture): Combination of beautiful mountain and linear stone wall
Goryokaku (Hokkaido): Star like Western style fortress
Iwamura Castle (Gifu prefecture): Castle of tragic female lord
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