Abstract

This picture book depicts, from a fixed point, the process of a castle being built from the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through to around the beginning of the Edo period. The lord, his vassals and retainers, and the inhabitants of the territory work together to build the castle, comprised of a main tower, stone walls, and a moat.
In an era without heavy machinery, the workers transport, lift, and assemble the weighty building materials using human strength and ingenuity. Readers can enjoy these scenes in their entirety.
“Build the castle, make rope lines, build the tower foundation, dig the moat, assemble the tower frame, build the roof, build the walls, build the palace and the gates, and the castle is done”

Author’s Information

Professor Emeritus of Hiroshima University, Doctor of Engineering, First Class Architect Born in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo. After serving as a professor at Hiroshima University's Faculty of Letters, he became a professor emeritus at the same university in 2018. He conducts research on the history, structure, and design of Japanese architecture, and is involved in restoration designs in various locations. He has written many books, including ``Tenshu: The Essence and History of Artistic Architecture'' (Yoshikawa Kobunkan) and ``Illustrated Works of Early Modern Castles: Tenshu Edition'' (Hara Shobo). Worked as an architectural consultant for the NHK Taiga dramas ``Kirin ga Kuru'', ``Seiten wo Kake'', ``The 13 People of Kamakura-dono'', and ``What to do with Ieyasu''. / Born in Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture. Graduated from Tottori University of Environmental Studies, Setsu Mode Seminar, and Shibuya Art School. He worked as a carpenter for 20 years, but after working in sales and various other industries, he became an illustrator. It is characterized by a comical style that gently captures the hearts of the viewers. He creates illustrations, manga, and picture books in a wide range of genres, including not only people, but also animals, birds, insects, fish, and machines.