Description
Book SynopsisThe elegant, multi-storey main towers of Japanese castles, surrounded by massive fortifications, are widely known as symbols of samurai rule. However, the first of these tenshukaku were built only at the very end of the Sengoku period. Most fortifications were built of wood with eart- hen ramparts and ditches exploiting the natural environment. The second volume of this series details these constructions as well as the fortifications that were affected by major sieges: Fushimi, Tanabe, Otsu and Ueda in 1600, and Osaka in 1614/15. The author explains the sophisticated siege techniques and countermeasures employed by samurai armies of the period, and the Japanese artillery of the time.
Table of ContentsCastles, Forts and Fortifications An Eye Witness Report Fortifications Built of Wood and Earth Yamashiro Castles Built of Stone, Wood and Earth Elements of Japanese Fortification Architecture Sieges, Siege Equipment and Artillery Sieges: Four Case Studies from the Year 1600 Siege Technology and Engines Samurai and Artillery Heraldry, Banners, and Battle Standards - Forms & Functions Kamon, the Japanese Coat of Arms Large Rectangular Banners - Nobori no hata Back Flags - Sashimono Other Forms and Functions of Flags Maritime Heraldry Heraldic and Other Military Unit Distinctions Samurai Clothing, Colours and Textile Patterns Development of Clothing - Kimono and Noragi A Garment fit for a Warrior - the Jimbaori Social Status, Clothes and Choice of Colours Colour Combinations Traditional Japanese Clothing Colours and their Applications Textile Patterns Bibliography
