Tenshu (天守, 天主, 殿主, 殿守, also called tenshukaku, 天守閣) is an architectural typology found in Japanese castle complexes. They are easily identifiable as the highest tower within the castle. Common translations of tenshu include keep, main keep, or donjon.
12 original tenshu of various castles
Tenshu are characterized as typically timber-framed, having multiple stories, being seated on ishigaki (dry stone) foundations, and having individual floors delineated by surrounding tiled eaves. Further, tenshu are typically decorated with varying patterns of dormer gables (chidori-hafu), and are capped with hip-and-gabled roofs (irimoya-hafu) with shachihoko finials. Not all Japanese castles originally possessed tenshu (e.g. Sendai), many well-known castles have lost their tenshu (e.g. Nijō, Edo), many have had the tenshu rebuilt on multiple occasions (e.g. Nagoya, Osaka).
While both the term, tenshu and the emergence of tenshu as a distinct architectural typology occurred in the 1560s and 1570s, the early relationship between the etymology and typology are not well understood.
The first known use of the term tenshu can be found in Yoshida Kanemi's journal, Kanemi kyōki, in the entry for the 24th day, 12th month of Genki 3 (27 January 1573):
「明智為見廻下向坂本…城中天主作事以下悉披見也、驚目了… 」 Left the capital with Akechi [Mitsuhide] for Sakamoto for the purpose of a survey...in the center of [Sakamoto] castle, all saw that a tenshu (天主) was being built and were surprised…[1]
Rebuilding the tenshu at Himeji Castle in the early-17th century.
Subsequent mentions in Kanemi kyōki and in other primary sources (such as Tennoji-ya kaki, Tamonin nikki, and in the letters of both Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi) during the 1570s reveal two points about the emergence of the term. First, the term was initially reserved for those castles under the direct control of Nobunaga or one of his vassals. These include Sakamoto Castle, Takatsuki Castle, Ashikaga Yoshiaki's Nijō Castle, Azuchi Castle, Itami Castle, Kitanosho Castle, Yamazaki Castle, Nagahama Castle, Ishigakiyama Ichiyoru Castle, Yodo Castle.[2] Second, in its earliest uses there was no single standard for writing the term. The earliest variants include 天主 (literally translated: “Master of Heaven”), 殿主 (literally translated: “Master of the Palace/Mansion”), 殿守 (literally translated: “Protector of the Palace/Mansion),” or phonetically as てんしゅ. The first known use of the current standard “天守” (literally translated: “Protector of Heaven”) appears in a letter dated the 27th day, 10th month of Tensho 7 (15 November 1579) issued by Nobunaga.[2] While this way of writing tenshu gradually became the standard during the reign of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the older manner of writing is preferred when discussing certain castles. One important example of this is the Azuchi Castle tenshu which is commonly referred as “天主.”
Earliest examples
The history of tenshu as an architectural typology seems to have begun earlier than the use of the term. Towers at Tamonyama Castle (built early 1560s) and Gifu Castle (built 1568) are known to have had the physical character of a tenshu, but are referred to in the primary record as yagura (turret, tower).[3][4]
Azuchi Castle is often credited as the birthplace of the tenshu. Given the earliest usages of the name, however, it seems more likely that Azuchi played a key role in linking the typology and the name.
Function
Unlike the other elements of Japanese castles, tenshu had little military function, but symbolised the power, wealth and extravagance of the castle's owner. Most Edo period castles were built during a period of peace lasting more than two centuries, but legends about earlier warfare suggested that once the outer defences of a castle had been breached, the defenders generally preferred to set fire to the remaining buildings and sally out to their deaths, rather than fight it out inside a fragile tenshu.[5]: 8–9
Survival
These structures have proved vulnerable to fire, earthquake and war. Hundreds of them were destroyed or dismantled during the final stages of the unification wars of the Sengoku period at the turn of the 17th century. Others were demolished, collapsed from neglect or were allowed to burn down during the Meiji Restoration of the 1860s. Of nineteen tenshu that survived into the 20th century, seven were destroyed during Allied air raids on Japan in the Second World War.[6] However, several tenshu have been rebuilt in recent decades; examples are Osaka castle in 1931, Hiroshima castle in 1958 and Ōzu Castle in 2004.[5]: 9
^ abBenesch, Oleg; Zwigenberg, Ran (2019). Japan's Castles: Citadels of Modernity in War and Peace. Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-1108481946.
^Mitchelhill, Jennifer (2018). "Introducing Japan's Samurai Castles". Samurai Castles: History / Architecture / Visitors' Guides. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing. ISBN978-4805313879.
The Compact Nelson Japanese-English Dictionary, Charles E. Tuttle Company, Tokyo, 1999, ISBN4-8053-0574-6
Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, Kenkyusha Limited, Tokyo, 1991, ISBN4-7674-2015-6
Further reading
De Lange, William (2021). An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles. Groningen: Toyo Press. pp. 600 pages. ISBN978-9492722300.
March 03, 2023
tenshu, 天守, 天主, 殿主, 殿守, also, called, tenshukaku, 天守閣, architectural, typology, found, japanese, castle, complexes, they, easily, identifiable, highest, tower, within, castle, common, translations, tenshu, include, keep, main, keep, donjon, original, tenshu, v. Tenshu 天守 天主 殿主 殿守 also called tenshukaku 天守閣 is an architectural typology found in Japanese castle complexes They are easily identifiable as the highest tower within the castle Common translations of tenshu include keep main keep or donjon 12 original tenshu of various castles Tenshu are characterized as typically timber framed having multiple stories being seated on ishigaki dry stone foundations and having individual floors delineated by surrounding tiled eaves Further tenshu are typically decorated with varying patterns of dormer gables chidori hafu and are capped with hip and gabled roofs irimoya hafu with shachihoko finials Not all Japanese castles originally possessed tenshu e g Sendai many well known castles have lost their tenshu e g Nijō Edo many have had the tenshu rebuilt on multiple occasions e g Nagoya Osaka While both the term tenshu and the emergence of tenshu as a distinct architectural typology occurred in the 1560s and 1570s the early relationship between the etymology and typology are not well understood Contents 1 Etymology 2 Earliest examples 3 Function 4 Survival 5 References 6 Further readingEtymology EditThe first known use of the term tenshu can be found in Yoshida Kanemi s journal Kanemi kyōki in the entry for the 24th day 12th month of Genki 3 27 January 1573 明智為見廻下向坂本 城中天主作事以下悉披見也 驚目了 Left the capital with Akechi Mitsuhide for Sakamoto for the purpose of a survey in the center of Sakamoto castle all saw that a tenshu 天主 was being built and were surprised 1 Rebuilding the tenshu at Himeji Castle in the early 17th century Subsequent mentions in Kanemi kyōki and in other primary sources such as Tennoji ya kaki Tamonin nikki and in the letters of both Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the 1570s reveal two points about the emergence of the term First the term was initially reserved for those castles under the direct control of Nobunaga or one of his vassals These include Sakamoto Castle Takatsuki Castle Ashikaga Yoshiaki s Nijō Castle Azuchi Castle Itami Castle Kitanosho Castle Yamazaki Castle Nagahama Castle Ishigakiyama Ichiyoru Castle Yodo Castle 2 Second in its earliest uses there was no single standard for writing the term The earliest variants include 天主 literally translated Master of Heaven 殿主 literally translated Master of the Palace Mansion 殿守 literally translated Protector of the Palace Mansion or phonetically as てんしゅ The first known use of the current standard 天守 literally translated Protector of Heaven appears in a letter dated the 27th day 10th month of Tensho 7 15 November 1579 issued by Nobunaga 2 While this way of writing tenshu gradually became the standard during the reign of Toyotomi Hideyoshi the older manner of writing is preferred when discussing certain castles One important example of this is the Azuchi Castle tenshu which is commonly referred as 天主 Earliest examples EditThe history of tenshu as an architectural typology seems to have begun earlier than the use of the term Towers at Tamonyama Castle built early 1560s and Gifu Castle built 1568 are known to have had the physical character of a tenshu but are referred to in the primary record as yagura turret tower 3 4 Azuchi Castle is often credited as the birthplace of the tenshu Given the earliest usages of the name however it seems more likely that Azuchi played a key role in linking the typology and the name Function EditUnlike the other elements of Japanese castles tenshu had little military function but symbolised the power wealth and extravagance of the castle s owner Most Edo period castles were built during a period of peace lasting more than two centuries but legends about earlier warfare suggested that once the outer defences of a castle had been breached the defenders generally preferred to set fire to the remaining buildings and sally out to their deaths rather than fight it out inside a fragile tenshu 5 8 9 Survival EditThese structures have proved vulnerable to fire earthquake and war Hundreds of them were destroyed or dismantled during the final stages of the unification wars of the Sengoku period at the turn of the 17th century Others were demolished collapsed from neglect or were allowed to burn down during the Meiji Restoration of the 1860s Of nineteen tenshu that survived into the 20th century seven were destroyed during Allied air raids on Japan in the Second World War 6 However several tenshu have been rebuilt in recent decades examples are Osaka castle in 1931 Hiroshima castle in 1958 and Ōzu Castle in 2004 5 9 References Edit Yoshida Kanemi 1971 Kanemi kyōki Tokyo Zoku Gunsho Ruiju Kanseikai p 55 a b Matsushita Hiroshi 1998 Tenshu seiritsu ni kan suru ichi kōsatsu Shokuhō jōkaku 5 Fukushima Katsuhiko 2002 Yamato tamon jō to Matsunaga shokuhō kenryoku Himeji shiritsu jōkaku kenkyushitsu jōkaku kenkyushitsu nenpō 11 March Owada Tetsuo Miyakami Shigetaka 2002 Zusetsu Oda Nobunaga Tokyo Kawade Shobō Shinsha ISBN 4309724795 a b Benesch Oleg Zwigenberg Ran 2019 Japan s Castles Citadels of Modernity in War and Peace Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1108481946 Mitchelhill Jennifer 2018 Introducing Japan s Samurai Castles Samurai Castles History Architecture Visitors Guides North Clarendon VT Tuttle Publishing ISBN 978 4805313879 The Compact Nelson Japanese English Dictionary Charles E Tuttle Company Tokyo 1999 ISBN 4 8053 0574 6 Kenkyusha s New Japanese English Dictionary Kenkyusha Limited Tokyo 1991 ISBN 4 7674 2015 6Further reading EditDe Lange William 2021 An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Groningen Toyo Press pp 600 pages ISBN 978 9492722300 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tenshu amp oldid 1098697006, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
