Yagura (tower)

Funai Castle Hitojichi-yagura and base of the main keep tower in the honmaru

Edo Castle Tatsumi-yagura

Yagura (櫓, 矢倉[1]) is the Japanese word for "tower", "turret", "keep", or "scaffold".[2] The word is most often seen in reference to structures in Japanese castle compounds but can be used in other situations as well. The bandstand tower erected for Bon Festival is often called a yagura, as are similar structures used in other festivals.[3] Yagura-daiko (taiko drumming from atop a yagura) is a traditional part of professional sumo competitions.[4]

## Contents

* 1 Etymology
* 2 Castle towers
* 3 References
* 4 Literature

## Etymology[edit]

There were signs that the first written form of kanji was (櫓) during ancient periods, simply being a character representing a tower before being changed to (矢倉) – in which the former replaced the latter once again. The term originally derives from the use of fortress towers as high/tall or arrow (矢, ya) storehouses (倉, kura), and was thus originally written as 矢倉. The term was used for a collection of towers.

Today, modern towers such as skyscrapers or communications towers are almost exclusively referred to or named using the English-derived word tawā (タワー) and not yagura.

## Castle towers[edit]

Castle towers varied widely in shape, size, and purpose. Many served as watchtowers, guardtowers, and for similar military purposes. Arrows were often stored there, with other equipment. As castles served as the luxurious homes of Japan's feudal lords (the daimyō), it was not uncommon for a castle to have an astronomy tower or a tower that provided a good vantage point for enjoying the natural beauty of the scenery.

Japan has rarely feared invasion or maintained border forts. However, it is likely that guardtowers or watchtowers would have been kept, outside of larger castle compounds, at times and places throughout its history.

## References[edit]

1. ^ Kojien, Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo 1980
2. ^ Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, Kenkyusha Limited, Tokyo 1991, ISBN 4-7674-2015-6
3. ^ Shin-meikai-koku-jiten, Sanseido Co., Ltd, Tokyo 1974
4. ^ Official Grand Sumo homepage Archived 2007-08-11 at the Wayback Machine

## Literature[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yagura (Japanese castle).

* De Lange, William (2021). An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles. Groningen: Toyo Press. pp. 600 pages. ISBN 978-9492722300.
* Turnbull, Stephen (2003). Japanese Castles 1540-1640. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
* Motoo, Hinago (1986). Japanese Castles. Tokyo: Kodansha. p. 200 pages. ISBN 0-87011-766-1.

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Fortifications

Ancient|

* Abatis
* Agger
* Broch
* Burgus
* Castellum
* Castra
* Castros
* Circular rampart
* City gate
* Crannog
* Ditch
* Defensive wall
* Dun
* Faussebraye
* Gatehouse
* Gord
* Hillfort
* Landwehr
* Limes
* Oppidum
* Palisade
* Pincer gate
* Promontory fort
* Rampart
* Ringfort (Rath)
* Refuge castle
* Schwedenschanze
* Stockade
* Sudis
* Trou de loup
* Vallum
* Wagon fort (Laager)
* Vitrified fort

Post-classical|

* Advanced work
* Albarrana tower
* Alcazaba
* Alcázar
* Arrowslit
* Barbican
* Bartizan
* Bastion
* Battery tower
* Battlement
* Bawn
* Bent entrance
* Bergfried
* Bretèche
* Bridge castle
* Bridge tower
* Burh
* Butter-churn tower
* Caer
* Caltrop
* Castle
* Chamber gate
* Chartaque
* Chashi
* Chemin de ronde
* Chemise
* Cheval de frise
* Citadel
* Coercion castle
* Concentric castle
* Corner tower
* Counter-castle
* Curtain
* Drawbridge
* Enceinte
* Embrasure
* Flanking tower
* Fortified buildings (church, house)
* Fujian tulou
* Ganerbenburg
* Gate tower
* Gabion
* Glacis
* Guard tower
* Gulyay-gorod
* Gusuku
* Half tower
* Hoarding
* Inner bailey
* Kasbah
* Keep
* Kremlin (Detinets)
* Ksar
* Landesburg
* L-plan castle
* Machicolation
* Merlon
* Moat
* Motte-and-bailey
* Murder hole
* Neck ditch
* Outer bailey
* Outwork
* Peel tower
* Portcullis
* Postern
* Qalat
* Reduit
* Ribat
* Ricetto
* Ringwork
* Roundel
* Quadrangular castle
* Shell keep
* Shield wall
* Shiro
* Toll castle
* Tower castle
* Tower house
* Turret
* Viking ring fortress
* Wall tower
* Bailey (or ward)
* Watchtower
* Witch tower
* Yagura
* Yett
* Zwinger

Modern|

| Early Modern|

* Abwurfdach
* Bastion
* Blockhouse
* Breastwork
* Canal
* Caponier
* Casemate
* Cavalier
* Counterguard
* Couvreface
* Coupure
* Covertway
* Crownwork
* Device Forts
* Entrenchment
* Flèche
* Gorge
* Hornwork
* Kotta mara
* Lunette
* Orillon
* Ostrog
* Palanka
* Place-of-arms
* Polygonal fort
* Presidio (Spanish America)
* Punji sticks
* Ravelin
* Redan
* Redoubt
* Retrenchment
* Sandbag
* Scarp and Counterscarp
* Sconce
* Schanze
* Sea fort
* Station
* Star fort
* Tenaille

|

19th century|

* Barbed wire
* Barbette
* Border outpost
* Bunker
* Coastal artillery
* Disappearing gun
* Fire control tower
* Gun turret
* Land mine
* Martello tower
* Outpost
* Polygonal fort
* Sangar
* Wire obstacles

20th century|

* Admiralty scaffolding
* Air raid shelter
* Anti-tank trench
* Barbed tape
* Belgian gate
* Blast shelter
* Blast wall
* Border security
* Buoy
* Bremer wall
* Concertina wire
* Defensive fighting position
* British "hedgehog" road block
* Czech hedgehog
* Dragon's teeth
* Entry control point (ECP)
* Electric fence
* Fallout shelter
* Fire support base
* Flak tower
* Hardened aircraft shelter
* Hesco bastion
* Main line of resistance
* Missile launch facility
* Pillbox
* Revetment
* Sentry gun
* Spider hole
* Submarine pen
* Underground hangar

By topography|

* Cave castle
* Hill castle
* Hillfort
* Hillside castle
* Hilltop castle
* Island castle
* Lowland castle
* Marsh castle
* Moated castle
* Promontory fort
* Ridge castle
* Rocca
* Rock castle
* Spur castle
* Water castle
* Floating water castle

By role|

* Coastal defence
* Coercion castle
* Counter-castle
* Ganerbenburg
* Hunting lodge
* Imperial castle
* Kaiserpfalz
* Landesburg
* Lustschloss
* Ordensburg
* Refuge castle
* Toll castle
* Urban castle

By design|

* Bastion fort
* Bridge castle
* Circular rampart
* Concentric castle
* L-plan castle
* Motte-and-bailey castle
* Quadrangular castle
* Ringfort
* Ringwork
* Tower castle
* Z-plan castle

Lists|

* Bastion forts
* Castles
* Cities with defensive walls
* Defense line
* Fortifications
* Forts
* Walls

Related word|

* Château
* Dungeon
* Festung
* National redoubt
* Palas
* Schloss
* Vedette

Other topics|

* Civil defense
* Continuity of government
* Subterranean warfare
* Siege
* Siege engine
* Tunnel warfare
* Trench warfare
* Urban warfare

* See also:  Category

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Elements of Japanese architecture

Styles|

| Secular|

* Azekura
* Buke
* Gassho
* Giyōfū
* Hirairi
* Imperial Crown Style
* Jutaku
* Omoya
* Shinden
* Shoin
* Sukiya

|

Religious|

| Shinto|

* Azekura
* Hachiman
* Hiyoshi (Hie)
* Irimoya
* Ishi-no-ma
* Kasuga
* Kibitsu
* Nagare
* Shinmei
* Sumiyoshi
* Taisha

|

Buddhist|

* Daibutsuyō
* Ōbaku Zen
* Setchūyō
* Wayō
* Zenshūyō

Model of Himeji Castle

Types of building|

| Secular|

* Castle
* Chashitsu
* Kura
* Machiya
* Minka
* Yagura

|

Religious|

| Shinto|

* Haiden
* Heiden
* Hokora
* Honden
* Kofun
* Setsumatsusha
* Shinto shrine
* Torii

|

Buddhist|

* Butsuden
* Dō
* Hōkyōintō
* Kyōzō
* Main Hall
* Pagoda
* Shichidō garan
* Shōrō
* Tahōtō

Roof styles|

* Hidden
* Irimoya
* Karahafu
* Mokoshi

Structural and spatial|

* Burdock piling
* Chigi
* Disordered piling
* Engawa
* Hisashi
* Irimoya-zukuri
* Irori
* Katōmado
* Katsuogi
* Kuruwa
* Moya
* Nakazonae
* Namako wall
* Nightingale floor
* Onigawara
* Ranma
* Sōrin
* Tamagaki
* Tatami
* Tenshu
* Tokonoma
* Tokyō
* Tsumairi
* Shibi

* Gates
* Approaches

* Genkan
* Kairō
* Karamon
* Mon
* Nijūmon
* Niōmon
* Rōmon
* Sandō
* Sanmon
* Sōmon
* Torii (Mihashira)

Rooms|

* Chashitsu
* Daidokoro
* Mizuya
* Shoin
* Toilets
* Washitsu

Furnishings|

* Butsudan
* Chabudai
* Emakimono
* Furo
* Futon
* Getabako
* Kamado
* Kamidana
* Kotatsu
* Tamaya
* Tansu
* Zabuton
* Zafu

Partitions|

* Byōbu
* Fusuma
* Jinmaku
* Kichō
* Noren
* Shitomi
* Shōji (washi)
* Sudare
* Tsuitate

Outdoor objects|

* Chōzuya (Temizuya)
* Giboshi
* Ishigantō
* Komainu
* Tōrō

Measurements|

* Ken
* Koku
* Ri
* Shaku
* Sun

Organizations|

* Architectural Institute of Japan
* Japan Institute of Architects
* Metabolist Movement

Related topics|

* Groups of Traditional Buildings
* Iki
* Japanese garden (rock (Zen))
* Kumiko
* Ryokan
* Sentō
* Wabi-sabi
* Yabo

National Treasures|

* Castles
* Residences
* Shrines
* Temples
* Other structures

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