Japanese Castle

Long ago Japan was divided into many small provinces. The lords of each province fought to

take each other’s territory. Castles were built by the lords to show off their power and control

their provinces. They were both residences and military bases.

They were made of wood, but used various defensive devices for protection. For example,

moats were built around some castles. In fact, moats around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo,

which used to be Edo Castle, are still preserved.

Additionally, many castles were built on plateaus or hills. The slopes were then steepened,

making them difficult for enemies to climb. In some castles the grounds from the gate to

main building were designed like a maze to confuse enemies.

The main castle building is usually in the center and is called the Tensyukaku (Castle tower).

They are tall and magnificent structure. The loads and their immediate servants lived in the

Tensyukaku.