List of National Treasures of Japan (castles)
{{short description|None}}
File:Himeji Castle The Keep Towers.jpg is the most visited castle in Japan{{Harvnb|Turnbull|Dennis|2003|p=52}} and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.]]
The Japanese Sengoku period from the mid-15th to early 17th century was a time of nearly continual military conflict. Powerful military lords known as daimyōs, such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi or Tokugawa Ieyasu, struggled to unify Japan.{{Harvnb|Deal|2007|p=315}} During the Sengoku period, because of constant warfare, many fortifications and castles were built. Archetypal Japanese castle construction is a product of the Momoyama period and early Edo period.
A new era of castle construction began when the daimyo Nobunaga built Azuchi Castle from 1576 to 1579.{{Harvnb|Coaldrake|1996|p=104}} Earlier fortifications of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods were crude large-scale structures; Azuchi, however, with rich ornamentation and a keep rising seven stories high, became the prototype for castle construction of the period.{{Harvnb|Nishi|Hozumi|1996|p=93}} The style of Azuchi Castle marked a shift in the function of the castles from a place that was merely a fortress and military garrison to a political, cultural and economic center. The newer style castles functioned as home to the daimyōs, his family, and his most loyal retainers. Because of the expense of building such a lavish structure, castles in the style of Azuchi, functioned also to highlight the power and prestige of the daimyōs.{{Harvnb|Coaldrake|1996|pp=105–106}} These new castles were built of wood and plaster on a stone foundation. Generally the main keep or tenshu was positioned at the highest point, surrounded by a series of interlocking baileys with walls, small towers and pathways.{{Harvnb|Turnbull|Dennis|2003|p=21}} Residential buildings were located in one of the outer circles. The daimyō conducted his business in the citadel.{{Harvnb|Deal|2007|p=318}}
Almost 100 major castles were built between 1596 and 1615.{{Harvnb|Coaldrake|1996|p=106}} The peak of castle-building occurred during the years 1600 to 1615: in 1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated the Toyotomi clan in the Battle of Sekigahara; and in 1615 the Toyotomi forces were finally destroyed in the siege of Osaka.{{Harvnb|Coaldrake|1996|p=105}} The Tokugawa shogunate then limited the number of castles to one per province; and banned the building of new castles entirely in 1620. By the time of the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, castles were in a state of disuse and neglect. Seen as symbolic of the ruling elite of previous eras, some castles were dismantled and sold as firewood. Others were destroyed by fire, earthquake or typhoon. Only twelve castles have a donjon that is considered original.
The term "National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897.{{Harvnb|Coaldrake|1996|p=248}}
The definition and the criteria have changed since the inception of the term. These castle structures adhere to the current definition, and were designated national treasures when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties was implemented on June 9, 1951. The items are selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology based on their "especially high historical or artistic value".{{cite web
|title = Cultural Properties for Future Generations
|url = http://www.bunka.go.jp/tokei_hakusho_shuppan/shuppanbutsu/bunkazai_pamphlet/pdf/pamphlet_en_03_ver05.pdf
|publisher = Agency for Cultural Affairs, Cultural Properties Department
|location = Tokyo, Japan
|date = March 2017
|access-date = 2017-12-17
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171216231044/http://www.bunka.go.jp/tokei_hakusho_shuppan/shuppanbutsu/bunkazai_pamphlet/pdf/pamphlet_en_03_ver05.pdf
|archive-date = 2017-12-16
|url-status = dead
}} This list presents nine entries of National Treasures from five castles built during the late Momoyama to early Edo period; however, the number of structures is actually more because in some cases multiple structures have been combined to form a single entry. The structures listed include donjon, watch towers and connecting galleries.{{Cite web
| publisher = Agency for Cultural Affairs
| script-title = ja:国指定文化財 データベース
| trans-title = Database of National Cultural Properties
| access-date = 2017-12-17
| url = http://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/index_pc.html
| language = ja
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170502003537/http://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/index_pc.html
| archive-date = 2017-05-02
| url-status = dead
}}
In addition to the primarily defensive structures at these five castles, there are also six structures in Nijo Castle's Ninomaru Goten complex, a fortified palace complex located in the castle’s second or outer bailey (Ninomaru) that have National Treasure status.{{cite web | url=https://nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp/introduction/highlights/ninomaru/?lang=en | title=Ninomaru-goten Palace / Garden | World Heritage Site Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo Castle (Nijo-jo) }} Because these palace structures are listed as residences{{cite web | url=https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/searchlist | title=国指定文化財等データベース }} by the Japanese cultural authorities, Nijo Castle is often not listed as a castle with national treasure structures. However, as goten (castle palaces) were the central and arguably most important feature of Japanese castles, the palace is a historical part of Nijo Castle.{{cite web | url=https://shirobito.jp/article/1616 | title=超入門！お城セミナー【鑑賞】お城の中心だった御殿 その装飾にはどんな意味があるの？ }} In spite of its residential classification, Ninomaru Goten was actually used primarily for administrative purposes.Nijo Castle - Jcastle.info The Ninomaru Goten structures are not included in the list below.
Features
File:National Treasures of Japan (castles).png
{{GeoGroup}}
The nine national
treasures on this list are distributed over five castles as follows: Himeji Castle has five national treasure structures; Hikone Castle, Inuyama Castle, Matsue Castle and Matsumoto Castle each have one. Three main types of
castles exist. Generally the types are characterised according to the
topography of the castle's site and named accordingly:
{{nihongo|mountain castles|山城|yamajiro}}; {{nihongo|flatland
castles|平城|hirajiro}}, as exemplified by Matsumoto Castle; and
{{nihongo|flatland mountain castles|平山城|hirayamajiro}}, which are
castles built on hills in a plain such as Himeji Castle, Hikone Castle, Inuyama Castle, and Matsue Castle.{{Harvnb|Deal|2007|p=316}}
The
donjon can be constructed in two ways. In the older
{{nihongo||望楼型|bōrōgata}} style,{{cite web
| url
= http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/b/bourougatatenshu.htm
|
title = bourougatatenshu
| publisher = JAANUS – Japanese Architecture and Art Net User System
| access-date = 2009-11-09
}} the top of the main keep is formed by a type of lookout tower placed on top of one or more hip-and-gable
(irimoya) style roofs. Hikone Castle, Himeji Castle,
Inuyama Castle and Matsue Castle are representative of this style. The
{{nihongo||層塔型|sōtōgata}}{{cite web
| url = http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/s/soutougatatenshu.htm
| title = soutougatatenshu
| publisher = JAANUS – Japanese Architecture and Art Net User System
| access-date = 2009-11-09
}} style represented by the keep of
Matsumoto Castle has a virtually square foundation. Each level is slightly smaller than the one below but maintains the same shape.{{cite web
|url = http://jcastle.info/view/Main_keep
|title = Donjon
|publisher = jcastle.info
|access-date = 2017-12-17
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171216235510/http://jcastle.info/view/Main_keep
|archive-date = 2017-12-16
|url-status = dead
}}
Only in rare cases the
donjon stands independent of other structures. Generally it is
connected to smaller watch towers called yagura, either directly ({{nihongo||複合式|fukugōshiki}}) or via a {{nihongo|connecting
gallery|渡櫓|watariyagura}} in which case the style is called
{{nihongo||連結式|renketsushiki}}.{{cite web
| url = http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/f/fukugoutenshu.htm
| title = fukugou tenshu
| publisher = JAANUS – Japanese Architecture and Art Net User System
| access-date = 2009-11-09
| url = http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/r/renketsutenshu.htm
| title = renketsu tenshu
| publisher = JAANUS – Japanese Architecture and Art Net User System
| access-date = 2009-11-09
}} Matsumoto Castle has both styles, renketsushiki in the northwest
and fukugōshiki in the southeast. At Himeji Castle three watch
towers, four connecting galleries and the main donjon enclose a
A typical keep would have between three and seven stories discernible from the outside. Its inner structure including the number of floors could differ from the outward appearance.{{Harvnb|Turnbull|Dennis|2003|p=30}} Castle towers at Himeji, Inuyama, Matsue and Matsumoto Castle have one floor more than is visible from the outside.
Usage
The table's columns (except for Image) are sortable pressing the arrows symbols. The following gives an overview of what is included in the table and how the sorting works.
- Name: name of the structure as registered in the Database of National Cultural Properties
- Castle: name of the castle in which the structure is located
- Construction: architecture and general remarks including the number of stories (outside) and floors (inside); the column entries sort by the type of structure (donjon, yagura, watariyagura)
- Date: period and year of the construction; the column entries sort by year. If only a period is known, they sort by the start year of that period.
- Location: "town-name prefecture-name" and geo-coordinates of the structure; The column entries sort as "prefecture-name town-name".
- Image: picture of the structure; If the image shows more than one structure, the respective structure is indicated by a blue rectangle.
Treasures
| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%" style="background:#ffffff;" |
| align="left" style="background:#ffdead;" | Name
!align="left" style="background:#ffdead;" | Castle !align="left" style="background:#ffdead;" | Construction !align="left" style="background:#ffdead;" | Date !style="background:#ffdead;" | Location !align="left" style="background:#ffdead;" class="unsortable"|Image |
|---|
| {{nihongo|Tenshu|天守}}The National Treasure structures of Hikone Castle are registered as a single National Treasure under one registration number. Only in the main treasure table of this article, the single entry is split in two parts for readability.{{cite web
|url = http://www.jcastle.info/view/Hikone_Castle |title = Hikone Castle |publisher = jcastle.info |access-date = 2017-12-17 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171216234504/http://www.jcastle.info/view/Hikone_Castle |archive-date = 2017-12-16 }} | {{sort|donjon|donjon, three stories/three floors with an underground room and entry hall, hongawarabuki roof{{#tag:ref|(hongawarabuki, 本瓦葺): a tile roof composed of flat broad concave tiles and semi-cylindrical convex tiles covering the seams of the former{{cite web | url = http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/h/hongawarabuki.htm | title = hongawarabuki | publisher = JAANUS – Japanese Architecture and Art Net User System | access-date = 2009-11-09 }}|group="ex"|name="hongawarabuki-expl"}}}} | {{sort|1606|Momoyama period, 1606}} |Hikone, Shiga |
| {{nihongo|Connecting tower|附櫓|tsukeyagura}} and {{nihongo|Tamon Tower|多聞櫓|tamon yagura}}
| {{sort|yagura|yaguras, each single-storied, hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1606|Momoyama period, 1606}} |Hikone, Shiga |
| {{nihongo|Big Tenshu|大天守|daitenshu}}{{cite web
| url = http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5242.html | script-title = ja:姫路城大天守 | trans-title = Himeji Castle Big Tenshu | publisher = Himeji city | language = ja | access-date = 2009-11-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160624065926/http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5242.html | archive-date = 2016-06-24 | url-status = dead }} | {{sort|donjon|main donjon, five stories/six floors with a one-story basement, with hongawarabuki roof; connected to the ni-corridor in the west and the i-corridor in the north}}The four corridors at Himeji Castle are labeled as "I", "Ro", "Ha", "Ni" corresponding to "A", "B", "C", "D". | {{sort|1608|Momoyama period, 1608}} |Himeji, Hyōgo |
| {{nihongo|Northwest Small Tower|乾小天守|inui kotenshu}}{{cite web
| url = http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5277.html | script-title=ja:姫路城乾小天守 |trans-title=Himeji Castle Northwest Small Tower | publisher = Himeji city | language = ja | access-date = 2009-11-17 }} | {{sort|donjon|donjon three stories/four floors with a one-story basement, with hongawarabuki roof;}} connected to the ro-corridor in the east and the ha-corridor in the south | {{sort|1609|Momoyama period, around 1609}} |Himeji, Hyōgo | File:Himeji castle-InuiShotenshu+NishiShotenshu-focused-left.jpg |
| {{nihongo|West Small Tower|西小天守|nishi kotenshu}}{{cite web
| url = http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5275.html | script-title = ja:姫路城西小天守 | trans-title = Himeji Castle West Small Tower | publisher = Himeji city | language = ja | access-date = 2009-11-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160624090357/http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5275.html | archive-date = 2016-06-24 | url-status = dead }} | {{sort|donjon|donjon three stories/three floors with a two-story basement, with hongawarabuki roof;}} connected to the ni-corridor in the east and the ha-corridor in the north | {{sort|1609|Momoyama period, around 1609}} |Himeji, Hyōgo | File:Himeji castle-InuiShotenshu+NishiShotenshu-focused-right.jpg |
| {{nihongo|East Small Tower|東小天守|higashi kotenshu}}{{cite web
| url = http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5278.html | script-title = ja:姫路城東小天守 | trans-title = Himeji Castle East Small Tower | publisher = Himeji city | language = ja | access-date = 2009-11-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160624072124/http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5278.html | archive-date = 2016-06-24 | url-status = dead }} | {{sort|donjon|donjon three stories/three floors with a one-story basement, with hongawarabuki roof;}} connected to the ro-corridor in the west and the i-corridor in the south | {{sort|1609|Momoyama period, around 1609}} |Himeji, Hyōgo |
| {{nihongo|I, Ro, Ha, Ni-corridors|イ, ロ, ハ, ニの渡櫓|i, ro, ha, ni no watariyagura}}The kitchen is attached to the nomination.{{cite web
| url = http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5282.html | script-title = ja:姫路城イ・ロ・ハ・ニの渡櫓附台所1棟 | trans-title = Himeji Castle I, Ro, Ha, Ni-corridors and one attached kitchen | publisher = Himeji city | language = ja | access-date = 2009-11-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160508173802/http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s110/2212786/_5222/_5237/_5239/_5282.html | archive-date = 2016-05-08 | url-status = dead }} | {{sort|watariyagura|two stories/two floors with a one-story basement, hongawarabuki roof;}} I-corridor: between Big Tenshu and East Small Tower, {{convert|9.03|m}} high on a {{convert|8.88|m|abbr=on}} high stone wall Ro-corridor: between East Small Tower and Northwest Small Tower, {{convert|9.03|m}} high on a {{convert|8.3|m|abbr=on}} high stone wall Ha-corridor: between Northwest Small Tower and West Small Tower, {{convert|9.17|m}} high on a {{convert|10.06|m|abbr=on}} high stone wall Ni-corridor: between West Small Tower and Big Tenshu, {{convert|9.68|m}} high covering an area of {{convert|56.78|m2|abbr=on}} | {{sort|1609|Momoyama period, around 1609}} |Himeji, Hyōgo |
| {{nihongo|Tenshu|天守}}{{cite web
| url = http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/attractions/facilities/spots/castles/83dn3a000000ecxn.html | title = Inuyama Castle | publisher = Japanese National Tourism Organization | access-date = 2011-08-29 }} | {{sort|donjon|donjon, three stories/four floors with a two-story basement, ca {{convert|25|m|abbr=on}} high, with hongawarabuki roof. There are single-storied watchtowers with hongawarabuki roofs on the south and west side}} | {{sort|1601|Momoyama period, 1601}} |Inuyama, Aichi |
| {{nihongo|Tenshu|天守}}The National Treasure structures of Matsue Castle are registered as a single National Treasure under one registration number. Only in the main treasure table of this article, the single entry is split in two parts for readability.{{cite web
|url = http://www.jcastle.info/view/Matsue_Castle |title = Matsue Castle |publisher = jcastle.info |access-date = 2017-12-17 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171216235039/http://www.jcastle.info/view/Matsue_Castle |archive-date = 2017-12-16 |url-status = dead }} {{cite web| url = http://www1.city.matsue.shimane.jp/bunka/bunkazai/matsuejyou/kokuhou.html | script-title=ja:松江城天守の国宝指定について |trans-title=National Treasure Matsue Castle Tenshu | publisher = Matsue city | language = ja | access-date = 2015-09-21 }} | {{sort|donjon|donjon, four stories/five floors with an underground room, hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1607|Momoyama period, 1607–1611}} |Matsue, Shimane | File:080720 Matsue Castle Matsue Shimane pref Japan01s Main Keep Highlight.jpg |
| {{nihongo|Connecting tower|附櫓|tsukeyagura}}
| {{sort|yagura|yagura, one story/one floor, hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1607|Momoyama period, 1607–1611}} |Matsue, Shimane | File:080720 Matsue Castle Matsue Shimane pref Japan01s Front Tower Highlight.jpg |
| {{nihongo|Tenshu|天守}}The National Treasure structures of Matsumoto Castle are registered as a single National Treasure under one registration number. Only in the main treasure table of this article, the single entry is split in five parts for readability.
| {{sort|donjon|main donjon, five stories/six floors, with hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1592|Momoyama period, Bunroku era}} |Matsumoto, Nagano |
| {{nihongo|Northwest Small Tower|乾小天守|inui Kotenshu}}
| {{sort|donjon|secondary donjon, three stories/four floors, hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1592|Momoyama period, Bunroku era}} |Matsumoto, Nagano |
| {{nihongo|Connecting Tower|渡櫓|watari yagura}}
| {{sort|watariyagura|yagura, two stories/two floors, hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1592|Momoyama period, Bunroku era}} |Matsumoto, Nagano |
| {{nihongo|Southeast Connecting Tower|辰巳附櫓|tatsumi tsukeyagura}}
| {{sort|yagura|yagura, two stories/two floors, hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1592|Momoyama period, Bunroku era}} |Matsumoto, Nagano |
| {{nihongo|Moon-viewing Tower|月見櫓|tsukimi yagura}}
| {{sort|yagura|yagura, one-storied with one-storied basement, hongawarabuki roof}} | {{sort|1624|early Edo period, Kan'ei era}} |Matsumoto, Nagano |
See also
Notes
;General
;Architecture
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
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}}
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}}
{{Refend}}
{{commons category|National Treasures of Japan (castles)|National Treasure castles}}
{{Lists of National Treasures of Japan}}
{{Cultural Properties of Japan}}
{{Japanese architectural elements}}
{{featured list}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Treasures of Japan - Castles}}