Himeji Castle's Tenshu
The Tenshu, or Guardian of the heavens, is the central feature of a Japanese Castle. Located at the center
of the grounds, it served as the castle's command post and as the
symbol of the castle
lord's strength. As a command post, it was heavily fortified. As the
symbolic
focal point of the castle, great effort was exerted in the architectural
details of the tenshu. It is these arhitectural details that set Japanese
castles apart from their European counterparts. The sweeping rooflines,
gables, and leaping dolphins present a pictue of refinement to what is in
reality a military installation.
Japan is a land racked by frequent earthquakes and stone castles in the
European tradition were not practical. Instead, timber frame superstructures
rested upon stone sheathed earthen bases. This combination of stone and wood
gives Japanese castles their feeling of strength and elegance. Use of wood
also makes
them suseptible to another of Japan's curses; fire. Roughly 144 castles were
in existance at the end of the feudal period
(1867), but now through fire and bombings, only 12 original tenshus remain.
