Weber, Till (Text) / Fuhrmann, Rolf (Illustrationen) Die Samurai der Sengoku-Zeit

Volume 2: 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. In fact, however, the first of these tenshutaku were built at the very end of the Sengoku period. Most fortifications were built of wood, had earthen ramparts and moats, and cleverly exploited the natural environment.

The second volume in the series will present these older fortifications as well as fortifications that were affected by major sieges such as Takamatsu in 1582, Fushimi and Ueda in 1600 and Osaka in 1614/15. The book explains the sophisticated siege techniques, countermeasures as well as the Japanese artillery system of the time.

A second focus is on the complex heraldry of leading as well as lesser-known samurai families of the Sengoku period, with many colourful examples.

Also important for heraldists, but equally for figurine collectors and painters, the third part continues with an introduction to the world of traditional Japanese textile patterns and colours, their use, the method of manufacture in the pre-industrial age, and their special symbolism.

Contents:
Forts, castles and fortresses
- An eyewitness account
- Fortifications of wood and earth
- Types of Japanese castles
- Fortresses of stone, wood and earth
- Elements of Japanese fortress architecture
Sieges, Sieges, siege equipment and artillery
- Sieges -
Four case studies from the 1600
- Siege techniques and equipment
- Artillery
Heraldry and field signs - variants and functions
- The mon as the basis of Japanese heraldry
- Personal field signs - uma-jirushi
- Large high rectangular banners - nobori no hata
- Back flags - sashimono
- Other forms and functions of banners
- Maritime heraldry
- Heraldic and other
Unit identification
Dress, Colours and textile patterns of the samurai
- Evolution of clothing - kimono and noragi
- Symbol of the warrior: the jimbaori
- Stand, clothing and choice of colours
- Colour mixtures and combinations
- Some colour groups and their applications
- Textile patterns

Till Weber
born. 1965 in Berlin
Occupation: Associate Professor
Since 1998 at Ryukyu University in Okinawa (Japan) as a university lecturer. In addition to teaching and research in the field of German language and culture, numerous publications on the history of Japan.