Japan's ancient castles provide deep insights into the country's compelling military history. Discover the secrets of Japan's feudal past by exploring the most famous castles of the Samurai era. The enormous stone walls, multi-level towers, and sophisticated defense systems are not simply impressive fortresses, but spectacular works of Japanese architecture, constructed without the use of steel or modern equipment. These monumental structures fulfilled a need for protection without sacrificing aesthetic values. Understanding the cultural contexts of these Samurai castles helps create a better understanding of Japanese culture today. In this fascinating Japanese castle book you will discover the rich history and creators of well-known castles such as Himeji, Osaka, and Nijo that you would otherwise need to travel to Japan to experience in person. Chronicling the story of each castle individually conveys a greater understanding of how and why they were built, and identifies their singular features for historians, architecture aficionados, world travelers, and Japanophiles alike. With over two hundred colour images, numerous diagrams, maps, and detailed descriptions, Samurai Castles is the most comprehensive Japanese history book on this intriguing topic.

About the Author
Jennifer Mitchelhill received a PhD in Architectural History from the University of Melbourne. Her fascination with castles began when living on the West coast of Japan and her research has been primarily focused on the influence of Japanese architecture on Western architecture.

David Green is a graduate in applied science with Master's degrees in business administration and military history. The author of numerous articles on World War II and an accomplished photographer, his interest in Japanese castles began while he was teaching at a Japanese senior high school.

Reviews
"In her new book Samurai Castles, author Dr. Jennifer Mitchelhill and photographer David Green spent over three years documenting 24 of Japan's samurai-era castles. The idea? To understand the aesthetic details, cultural values and historic happenings surrounding these architectural marvels." --CNN Travel
"With great beauty, this book uncovers the great function of these epic buildings and how they worked. The book is highly visual, packed with maps and photos which are a testament to Japanese design and building." -- Martial Arts & Action Movies blog
"...focuses on some of the country's best castles and the stories behind them." --GaijinPot.com



Book Information
ISBN 9784805313879
Author Jennifer Mitchelhill
Format Hardback
Page Count 128
Imprint Tuttle Publishing
Publisher Tuttle Publishing