Castles:
Buildings in Japanese castles are usually rectangular because or their use of timber posts and light infilling panel construction. (Hitchcock) Their roofs use composite brackets and corbelled beams on the inside, creating a “pagoda-like form and curvilinear tiled roof” influenced by China (Hitchcock).
Intense thought and planning goes into the design of each “traditional” Japanese building, therefore making the castles huge and elaborate. The earlier castles of Japan were heavily influenced by Korea, but unfortunately none of those castles survived due to the constant location changes of the imperial palace.
Because the overhanging eaves of Japanese buildings often cut off direct light, the main source of light was reflected. Fusuma (painted sliding doors) let light into the rooms of castles. “The painting of the screen partitions assumed a new importance, and beautiful work was done on a large scale, often with brilliant colors.(Hitchcock)”
Castles were generally constructed using timber, metal, clay, and fibre because they were easily accessible. The wood that they used was not treated or painted. Instead, the Japanese selected wood carefully and used it in a way that enhanced its natural texture and color (Hitchcock). Although Japan has an abundance of natural stone, it was rarely used in castles, save for defense systems like walls. This selection of materials was due to the storms and earthquakes Japanese buildings are often subjected to. “To live with these great natural forces, men have been compelled to restrict themselves to the… use of timber for building… to counter the effects of nature. (Hitchcock)” However, the use of easily destructible and biodegradable materials made castles easily burnt down or otherwise damaged. To keep castles and imperial palaces in good condition, they were usually periodically rebuilt, sometimes as often as every twenty years.
There are about 25,000 ruins, reconstructions, and original Japanese castles today.
Gardens:
The gardens of Japanese castles are carefully laid out, where “extreme formality is contrasted and surrounded by the almost self-conscious awareness of nature and natural forms.(Hitchcock)” The gardens often feature raked sand, stepping stones, strangely shaped rocks, and twisted trees. They expressed shinden-zukuri, interacting with the buildings in a natural and complementing way.
The Purpose Of Japanese Castles
Japanese castles had many purposes when they were first built years ago. The castles were “uniquely developed by Samurai” (Castles of Japan). Samurai, who was the warrior class in Japan used the castle as a military advantage. When Japanese castles were first built, they were in the wooden stockade, but later they evolved to be their well-known form of structure that showed power and beauty. One main purpose of the Japanese castles was to “guard important or strategic sites, such as ports, river crossings, or crossroad” (Castles of Japan). The Japanese castles, including the Osaka castle were able to "guard" and/or block important places that the enemy could use to their advantage. Another important use of Japanese castles was to hold extra food and weapons just in case a battle was taking longer than was expected. If a battle or a war was thought to be short and brief but it actually lasted longer than expected, then the castle could hold food and supplies for the people fighting. Lastly, the Japanese castles showed the daimyo’s money and power. Because of this, the “bigger the castle, the stronger and wealthier the daimyo” (Castles of Japan). If a castle was larger, that meant that the daimyo was stronger and had more money. But, if a castle was smaller, that means that the daimyo was smaller and had less money. Just like how the size of the castle shows wealth and power, the samurai’s location to the castle also shows their rank. The closer a Samurai was living to the castle, the higher their rank was (Castles of Japan).
Buildings in Japanese castles are usually rectangular because or their use of timber posts and light infilling panel construction. (Hitchcock) Their roofs use composite brackets and corbelled beams on the inside, creating a “pagoda-like form and curvilinear tiled roof” influenced by China (Hitchcock).
Intense thought and planning goes into the design of each “traditional” Japanese building, therefore making the castles huge and elaborate. The earlier castles of Japan were heavily influenced by Korea, but unfortunately none of those castles survived due to the constant location changes of the imperial palace.
Because the overhanging eaves of Japanese buildings often cut off direct light, the main source of light was reflected. Fusuma (painted sliding doors) let light into the rooms of castles. “The painting of the screen partitions assumed a new importance, and beautiful work was done on a large scale, often with brilliant colors.(Hitchcock)”
Castles were generally constructed using timber, metal, clay, and fibre because they were easily accessible. The wood that they used was not treated or painted. Instead, the Japanese selected wood carefully and used it in a way that enhanced its natural texture and color (Hitchcock). Although Japan has an abundance of natural stone, it was rarely used in castles, save for defense systems like walls. This selection of materials was due to the storms and earthquakes Japanese buildings are often subjected to. “To live with these great natural forces, men have been compelled to restrict themselves to the… use of timber for building… to counter the effects of nature. (Hitchcock)” However, the use of easily destructible and biodegradable materials made castles easily burnt down or otherwise damaged. To keep castles and imperial palaces in good condition, they were usually periodically rebuilt, sometimes as often as every twenty years.
There are about 25,000 ruins, reconstructions, and original Japanese castles today.
Gardens:
The gardens of Japanese castles are carefully laid out, where “extreme formality is contrasted and surrounded by the almost self-conscious awareness of nature and natural forms.(Hitchcock)” The gardens often feature raked sand, stepping stones, strangely shaped rocks, and twisted trees. They expressed shinden-zukuri, interacting with the buildings in a natural and complementing way.
The Purpose Of Japanese Castles
Japanese castles had many purposes when they were first built years ago. The castles were “uniquely developed by Samurai” (Castles of Japan). Samurai, who was the warrior class in Japan used the castle as a military advantage. When Japanese castles were first built, they were in the wooden stockade, but later they evolved to be their well-known form of structure that showed power and beauty. One main purpose of the Japanese castles was to “guard important or strategic sites, such as ports, river crossings, or crossroad” (Castles of Japan). The Japanese castles, including the Osaka castle were able to "guard" and/or block important places that the enemy could use to their advantage. Another important use of Japanese castles was to hold extra food and weapons just in case a battle was taking longer than was expected. If a battle or a war was thought to be short and brief but it actually lasted longer than expected, then the castle could hold food and supplies for the people fighting. Lastly, the Japanese castles showed the daimyo’s money and power. Because of this, the “bigger the castle, the stronger and wealthier the daimyo” (Castles of Japan). If a castle was larger, that meant that the daimyo was stronger and had more money. But, if a castle was smaller, that means that the daimyo was smaller and had less money. Just like how the size of the castle shows wealth and power, the samurai’s location to the castle also shows their rank. The closer a Samurai was living to the castle, the higher their rank was (Castles of Japan).
Important Terms to Know:
- Wateriyagura - corridors and passageways.
- Harakiri-maru - area in courtyard where samurai would commit suicide.
- Yamashio- a japanese word that means “mountain castle”
- Donjon - the great tower or innermost keep of a castle.
- Ishiotoshi - holes in the castle wall for stones and scalding water to be thrown at attackers.
- Sama - holes in the castle wall for rifles and arrows to be shot at attackers.
- Chado or Chanoyu - Way of Tea (basically where samurai drank tea).
- Tenshu(/donjon): main keep
- Yagura: turrets; Yagura translates directly to storehouse for arrows
- Sumi yagura: corner turret, provides “wide field of view and two sides for flanking fire”
- maru/ kuruwa: baileys (circle around the main keep); Baileys usually have 3 basic levels:
- Hanamaru : main bailey
- Ninomaru: second bailey
- Sannomaru: third bailey
- Mon: gates
- Ishigaki: stone walls
- Hori: moats
- Shinden- zukuri includes: “The irregular dispersal of rectangular buildings sometimes linked with covered ways or corridors, and passing through and carefully related to a whole scheme of naturalistic and romantic gardening with rocks, trees, waterways or ponds, creating a self-contained artificial world of its own the design aims at personal and social appreciation and recreation, rather that public advertisement or prestige.”
Contributors:
Home Page:
Sarah- The Purpose of Japanese Castles
Jordan- Castles and Gardens
Sophia- Important Terms
Osaka Castle- Sarah
Himeji Castle - Sophia
Nijo Castle - Jordan
Home Page:
Sarah- The Purpose of Japanese Castles
Jordan- Castles and Gardens
Sophia- Important Terms
Osaka Castle- Sarah
Himeji Castle - Sophia
Nijo Castle - Jordan