Yagura (tower)

Funai Castle Hitojichi-yagura and base of the main keep tower in the honmaru
Edo Castle Tatsumi-yagura

Yagura (櫓, 矢倉[1]) is the Japanese word for "tower", "turret", "keep", or "scaffold".[2] The word is most often seen in reference to structures in Japanese castle compounds but can be used in other situations as well. The bandstand tower erected for Bon Festival is often called a yagura, as are similar structures used in other festivals.[3] Yagura-daiko (taiko drumming from atop a yagura) is a traditional part of professional sumo competitions.[4]

  1. ^ Kojien, Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo 1980
  2. ^ Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, Kenkyusha Limited, Tokyo 1991, ISBN 4-7674-2015-6
  3. ^ Shin-meikai-koku-jiten, Sanseido Co., Ltd, Tokyo 1974
  4. ^ Official Grand Sumo homepage Archived 2007-08-11 at the Wayback Machine