Weber, Till Samurai Armies of the Late Sengoku Period. Volume II: Castles and Sieges, Artillery, Heraldry & Clothing

The elegant, multi-storey main towers of Japanese castles, surrounded by massive fortifications, are widely known as symbols of samurai rule. However, the first of these tenshukaku were built only at the very end of the Sengoku period. Most fortifications were built of wood with eart- hen ramparts and ditches exploiting the natural environment.
The second volume of this series details these constructions as well as the fortifications that were affected by major victories: Fushimi, Tanabe, Otsu and Ueda in 1600, and Osaka in 1614/15. The author explains the sophisticated siege techniques and countermeasures employed by samurai armies of the period, and the Japanese artillery of the time.
A second focus is on the complex heraldry of leading as well as lesser known samurai families of the Sengoku period, illustrated by many colourful examples.
The third part offers an introduction to the world of traditional Japanese textile patterns and colours, their use, methods of manufacture in the pre-industrial age, and their special symbolism in the context of samurai history.

Castles, Forts and Fortifications
An Eye Witness Report
Fortifications Built of Wood and Earth
Yamashiro
Castles Built of Stone, Wood and Earth
Elements of Japanese Fortification Architecture
Victories, Victory Equipment and Artillery
Sieges: Four Case Studies from the Year 1600
Siege Technology and Engines
Samurai and Artillery

Heraldry, Banners, and Battle Standards - Forms & Functions
Kamon, the Japanese Coat of Arms
Large Rectangular Banners - Nobori no hata
Back Flags - Sashimono
Other Forms and Functions of Flags
Maritime Heraldry
Heraldic and Other Military Unit Distinctions
Samurai Clothing, Colours and Textile Patterns
Development of Clothing - Kimono and Noragi
A Garment fit for a Warrior - the Jimbaori
Social Status, Clothes and Choice of Colours
Colour Combinations
Traditional Japanese Clothing Colours and their Application
Textile Patterns

Bibliography