Cosmetic Surgery – A lovely pair!

     


Look familiar?
If so, you’re probably thinking it’s the Tsukimi Turret of Takamatsu castle. And, you’d be right.

And… If it looks very familiar, you’re probably thinking that there is something not quite right with this picture. And again, you would be right.

Rest assured, this is (pretty much) how it has looked throughout its life. From 1676 to the present.


Look familiar?
Perhaps you saw something similar not a moment ago.

And… If you were to visit Takamatsu castle, what is pictured to the right is what you’d actually see.

In addition to the horizontal bars there are arrow-slots, a window & a stone-throwing window. Purdy, ain’t she?

Check out the Takamatsu City official website.

Could I interest you in some more examples?

  • Those massive sweeping arcs of Kokura castle‘s irimoya gables give the main tower a sophisticated look. Much more so than the lego-esque original.
  • Tsu‘s three story turret had six gables added. It was once most blocky.
  • The location of Iwakuni‘s main tower was moved so as it could be seen from the photogenic Kintai-kyō bridge below.

Do you know of any other examples? I’d love to hear them.

So, what’s the deal?
It’s simple, the sexy versions are more appealing. We all buy into Japanese castles… refined elegance… traditional… image. But, it seems they are no different that the models on the covers of magazines. Airbrushed, perfected.

The concrete reconstructions, I’m less concerned with. But, when it comes to Important Cultural Properties, such as the Tsukimi turret above: Hands off!

Who’s with me?

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  • rekishi no tabi

    Interesting. I just hope my wife doesn’t ask if she can get her turrets done! In all seriousness, most castles need periodic lifts, nips and tucks. The problem is that sometimes, the changes or imaginative reconstructions go beyond the merely cosmetic into the realm of fake or fantasy. Chiba and Fushimi castles come to mind.

  • http://www.poolofzen.com コルーズ・真秀

    Hey JC,

    Why would anyone chop up an original and add stuff to it that wasn’t part of the original design? Sounds like a waste of money to me. And who out there thinks that they can improve upon the original design? I have a feeling that the castle designers of old, lived, breathed, and sleeped Castles their whole lives…

    Then again, I guess if it enhances performance, a turret job is just necessary…………

    Rekishi no Tabi… Hilarious post!

  • admin

    Some are blessed with san-kai yagura (三階櫓) and others are lumped with just hira yagura (平櫓) which can lead to self-esteem issues. Rekishi-no-tabi, would you & your wife be happier with three stories?

    Sorry, a pathetic attempt at humour.

    Matt, it does seem a shame to modify them, doesn’t it? As you say “castle designers of old, lived, breathed, and sleeped castles”. You’d think they knew what was necessary.