What is the main keep of a Japanese castle?

What is the main keep of a Japanese castle? The castle keep, usually three to five stories tall, is known as the tenshukaku(???) or tenshu(??), and may be linked to a number of smaller buildings of two or three stories. Some castles, notably Azuchi, had keeps of as many as seven stories.

What was the purpose of Japanese castles?

Castles in Japan began as fortresses for military defense. They were placed in strategic locations, along trade routes, roads, and rivers. Though castles continued to be built with these considerations, for centuries, fortresses were also built as centres of governance.

What is the first room in a castle called?

The great chamber was at the dais end of the hall, usually up a staircase. It was the first room which offered the lord of the household some privacy from his own staff, albeit not total privacy. In the Middle Ages the great chamber was an all-purpose reception and living room.

Why were Japanese castles destroyed?

After the end of the feudal age (1868), many castles were destroyed as unwelcome relics of the past or were lost in World War II. Only a dozen original castles, i.e. castles with a main keep that dates from the feudal era (before 1868), survive today.

How much would it cost to build a Japanese castle?

Construction giant Obayashi Corporation estimated that it would cost 78 billion Yen (766 million USD) to replicate Osaka Castle, the grounds and moat using current construction methods. If you want to live like a prince on a pauper's budget, Kumamoto City will let you be a castle lord for a day.

How long did it take to build a Japanese castle?

Osaka Castle was constructed in 1585 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He used it as his base to unify Japan after many years of war. The huge castle took two years to build, with a crew of 20,000 to 30,000 working daily. The stone walls for the main, secondary and tertiary enclosures measure about 12 km in length.

Why are Japanese castle walls curved?

By making the earthwork walls around the kuruwa curved rather than straight, it became possible to attack the advancing enemy from the sides as well as the front. Side attacks were also common on soldiers entering through the koguchi or castle entrance.

What was the most important room in any castle?

The most important room in a castle was the Great Hall. This is where all the members of the household sat down to eat at tables set up for every meal. It was where feasts were held for special days, or when there were guests. King Arthur's Pentecost Feast takes place in such a Hall.

What were the main features of a castle?

external features - such as towers battlements, thick walls, a moat, a drawbridge, etc. internal features - such as a well, large stores to guard against siege, a hall for everyone to socialise.

Do castles have secret rooms?

Some buildings have secret areas built into their original plans, such as secret passages in medieval castles, designed to allow inhabitants to escape from enemy sieges. Other castles' secret passages led to an underground water source, providing water during prolonged sieges.