Himeji Castle Japan

Himeji Castle (Japanese: 姫 路 城, Himeji-jo) is a palace located in the city of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. According to the provincial division of the old days, this palace is located in Harima-no-kuni, Shikito-gun, Himeji. Enchanting beauty of white stucco that dominated the palace walls of Himeji Castle has made another call "white egret bird palace" (Japanese: 白鹭 城, Shirasagi-jo). Himeji Castle is one example of architectural relics of the palace from the beginning of the 17th century's most important.

Himeji Castle was always a fire escape from the danger of war and survived the fall of the palace in the hands of the enemy, so the main tower and other buildings of the palace is still much left. The Japanese government set eight buildings, including the main tower, turrets, and Watari-Yagura's in the palace complex as a state heritage. In addition, different kinds of buildings with a total of 74 buildings inside the palace complex (27 buildings Yagura / Watari-Yagura, 15 building gate, 32 building wall) is determined as an important cultural heritage.

Himeji Castle is considered as the world's cultural heritage is very precious, so that in 1993 UNESCO enter Himeji Castle to the list of World Heritage Sites in the category of cultural heritage.

From a distance, looks beautiful with the castle walls are white, often used as the location of Himeji Castle filmdengan historical background of ancient Japan. The palace is also often used as a substitute location for the other palaces such as Edo Castle.


Founder Palace

There are records that can be trusted that Himeji Castle was first built in 1346 at the Palace era North-South Palace by son shogunAkamatsu Norimura (Enshin) named Akamatsu Sadanori Hime mountain site located in the northern city of Himeji.

There are opinions that say, in the days of clan Akamatsu, "palace" which was mentioned at that time are small, so it is more appropriate if called fortress. Building on a large scale that can be called as a "palace," was built in the 16th century by Shigetaka Kuroda from the ruling clan Kodera in lowland areas Harima.

After that, the right hand in 1580 named Oda Nobunaga Hideyoshi Hashiba (later known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi) chose Himeji Castle as the center of power to govern Harima. Palace then repaired by following the model of medieval castle in order to look nice from the outside.

Unfortunately, the remaining palace buildings and architectural heritage that can be seen now is not the architectural relics from the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but from the time of "shogun west country" Ikeda Terumasa which is the husband of the daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Ikeda Terumasa take 8 years to complete the Himeji Castle which was built in 1601. Minister Ikeda daimyo family named Iza Tadazumi appointed as leader of construction (普 请 奉行, fushin bugyō?) And Sakurai Genbei as head carpenter. Development palace workers from mobilizing the population around the palace. According to the calculation of the Japanese way, the construction of the palace is expected to take power handyman with a total between 40 million to 50 million working days.

Building Structure

Himeji Castle is a castle built on a mountain in the middle of the plain (hirayamajiro palace model). Center is on the mountain palace Hime with the main tower which was founded exactly in the middle. Surrounding area is flat land also included in the palace.

Overall, Himeji castle using the order form spiralyang Teikaku model building opposite spin clockwise 3 times, with a starting point north of Mount Hime. The first round is called Uchiguruwa (inner zone), the second round called Nakakuruwa (middle zone), and the third round is called Sotokuruwa (outer zone). Now all that remains is to stay Uchikuruwa zone which is a complex of Himeji Castle today. Other zones Sogamae utilized as a region (territory palace outermost) that circles the city around the palace.

Uchikuruwa inner zone consists of five layers, namely Honmaru (main area), Ninomaru (secondary region), Sannomaru (the tertiary), Nishinomaru (west region), and Demaru (palace caretaker's office.) Uchikuruwa zone in there are also several other zones, namely Mizukuruwa, Koshikuruwa, and Obikuruwa. Each zone is separated in detail with gates which are named based on the composition of hiragana "i-ro-ha", like I-no-Mon, Ha-no-Mon, and so on.

Large field which is now in front of Himeji Castle building, formerly a Sannomaru region, while some regions Zoo Himejimenempati Demaru. In the region there is little Nishinomaru only remaining building, one of whom tower called Kesho-Yagura.

Construction of the palace, led by Ikeda Terumasa done exactly in between the War and the Battle of Sekigahara Winter-Summer Osaka (Osaka no Eki), therefore the court is designed with the intent to use in actual combat. Also at the same court appearance should look beautiful and majestic as the symbol of majesty of "shogun west country" which became the nickname Ikeda Terumasa.

After the Himeji Castle is built, in Japan there is no longer building large palaces such as Himeji Castle, because in 1615 the Tokugawa shogunate government issued a decree "The state of the palace" (Ikkoku-ichijo-rei). Development of a new palace, refurbishment and repair some of the palaces will not be possible without a permit issued by the Tokugawa Shogunate, except Edo Castle and Nagoya Castle which is home Tokugawa clan.

To the north of the mountain Hime remaining wilderness-haraseirin Himeyama that has existed since before the palace was built. According to the newspaper, the underground tunnel from the exit Honmaru have the emergence in the middle of the forest-haraseirin Himeyama, but until now there has been no one who can find it.

In the west flowing rivers of the mountain Hime Senbagawa a useful addition as a route of transportation, most rivers flow diverted into the ditch in the palace.

The hall and the gate

The halls of the palace was designed similar labirinyang a sharp twist and spiral, widening and narrowing in one place elsewhere, in order for the enemy unable to move forward in a straight line toward the main tower. Winding alley Himeji Castle using the composition of Hideyoshi era buildings at the same time optimally utilize the existing topography.

Some gates are also made very narrow, so narrow that only can be passed to people one by one. In addition, the gates are built in places where the unexpected and the buildings are made that are not easily seen by the enemy, with the intention that the enemy caught in the gate and can not continue the assault. One tactic, the enemy were herded into dead-end alley and then clamped with attacks from the right-left confusion so that the enemy is so topsy-turvy.

If you entered the palace through the ramp (located on the north Sannomaru) and walk straight through the gates after Mugi-no-Mon, the road that passes through the gate I-no-Mon, Ro-no-Mon, and Ha- no-Fri will likely look like a shortcut to the main tower. But really, the road to the main tower could be closer if after passing through the gate Mugi-no-Mon, immediately turn right past the low-roofed little door hidden among the stone walls.

Ru gate-no-Mon is the gateway Uzumimon model that can be hidden with a heap of soil, sand, and gravel so that the enemy can not see it. Surely the enemy will be surprised by a sudden attack from an invisible gate.

In the hallway toward the Ni-no-mon from Ha-No-Mon, enemies can only move forward without being able to see those who stand behind him (surely be attacked from behind), let alone the gate of Ha-no-Mon correct form of the metal door- really narrow. Suppose still get away too, without a detour once again under the main tower complex, the enemy will not get to the main tower.

Tower Palace

The main tower at Himeji Castle is one of the castle tower is still the original building construction, outside the palace is still the same appearance as the time in the Edo period, so that no one else if the palace is used as a symbol of the city of Himeji.

On the foundation that was built on a mountain top Hime, there are five flat-roofed main tower which is a seven-story building (6 levels to the top and 1 floor underground), and 3 small towers building (West Tower, Tower Inui, and the East Tower .) 2 flat-roofed building called Watari-Yagura (literally: "the tower to cross") is used for connecting a single tower with another tower.

Use of Watari-Yagura as a liaison between the tower building called Renritsu.Berdasarkan method and model development period of construction, the towers are classified as a model of Himeji Castle watchtowers final period (Japanese: 期望 楼型, goki horo-gata)

The whole tower building is intended to shelter from enemy attacks so that its wall built for fire-resistant, anti-fire and anti-bullet with a white stucco shikkui which also add to the beauty of the palace.

The opposite of white Himeji Castle, Castle Okayama nicknamed "Bird Crow Castle" because the castle walls made of boards like the color black crow. Himeji Castle Development carried out in transition use of wall board (for example, Okayama Palace) to the use of white stucco palace shikkui to the outside wall.

Himeji Castle Tower is rich with architectural diversity when compared with other castle towers in Japan. Kara-hafu is a large ridge that forms a smooth curve, while the Chidori-shaped ridge hafu is an open book that ditelungkupkan. Chidori-hafu variation with a multi-layered roof is called O-Chidorihafu.

Just below the second layer of Kara-hafu south-facing trellis looks gigantic conspicuous. Katomado is a unique window shaped like a bell located in the West Tower and the Tower Inui. Window Katomado model can also be found in the Hikone Castle and several other palaces belonging minaret tower model final period.

High main tower when measured from the foundation of the tower is 15.18 meters, while if the height of the tower foundation counted the overall height of the main tower is 46 meters 36 cm (measured from the south side of the tower).

According to estimates, the weight of the tower that there are now about 5,700 tonnes, whereas the previous weight reaches 6200 tons. The weight of the tower to be reduced thanks to a massive restoration times Showayang replace tile with a lighter material. The main tower is now used to exhibit a wide range of items related to Himeji Castle.

Nishinomaru

The remaining buildings in the area Nishinomaru just stay Watari-Yagura connected by Nagatsubone (row of rooms along the 300-meter), and Keshō-yagurayang located at the northernmost tip. The rooms are Nagatsubone the waitress was used as a bedroom.

Honda Tamadasa Keshō-Yagura tower built after the Kuwana in Ise (now Mie Prefecture region). The cost to build the tower Keshō-Yagura taken from Princess Mon dowry to 100,000 koku. As the name implies, in the tower Keshō-Yagura (Japanese: 化妆 橹, literally: "the tower dressed") found the remains belong to Princess Mon cosmetic restoration when held before World War II.

Princess Sentinggal in the territory occupied residence Nishinomaru called Chūshomaru (another name: Tenjuinmaru, built in 1618) or a big house Musashino-Goten located beside Sannomaru, but unfortunately now there's nothing left of the second building.


Koshikuruwa and Mizukuruwa

On the north side of the main tower there Koshikuruwa region. In this region there are wells and storage warehouses of rice and salt that is intended to supply at the palace in a state of siege. In peacetime, the food stored in warehouses around the mountain Hime.

The ground beneath the palace tower comprises a layer of hard rock that could not be dug water wells in this location, but dug in the area Mizukuruwa with gates built to keep the supply lines between the tower and the palace gate Koshikuruwa. In Mizukuruwa region, the gate is named after the serial number, start-Ichi Mizu Mizu-to-Go Mon-Fri.

In the region Koshikuruwa, precisely on the inner side of the gate of Ho-no-Mon contained a hardened wall of land called Aburakabe wall. This wall is intentionally left bare by the natural color of brown soil, unlike the other walls are plastered shikkui white. There are various theories that try to explain the construction methods and reasons Aburakabe wall is made as it is, but there are also opinions that say this wall relic Hideyoshi.


Harakirimaru

In the southeast of the main tower there Obikuruwa-Yagura towers that have a sinister nickname Harakirimaru. The nickname was born because the atmosphere is gloomy and dark around the existing wells in the area Koshikuruwa. Not surprising considering this place was prepared as a hiding place to surprise the enemy with a rain of gunfire. Nowhere in the record that in Harakirimaru never held a ritual suicide, let alone there can be no innocent people in the neighborhood of this palace that had to commit seppuku.

source : info.indotoplist.com

Posted in: Building,jepang