Japanese Castle Explorer

by Daniel O'Grady

       
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Japanese Castle Buildings

The following buildings, while neccessary in the day-to-day operation of a Japanese castle, didn't serve in a directly offensive or defensive role; unless things had gone massively pear shaped that is. Their role was a much more regular & mundane one.

Goten - 御殿

Some palaces have been built with an extremely high level of sophistication & artistry, those of Nijo & Kumamoto Castles are two fine examples. Not every Daimyo could afford such excesses though. Most were far more simple.

Kura - 倉/蔵

Storing weapons & valuables and providing a barrier between vermin & food supplies was a far from glamorous task no matter how you look at it. Despite this, many of these buildings have been awarded Important Cultural Property status.

Nagaya - 長屋

Typically, these buildings served as barracks for lower-ranking soldiers, though they could be used as storehouses too. Nowadays, they tend to be hard to locate. Some good examples can be found at Kanazawa & Hagi castles.