Introduction; Part I. From Feudalism to Empire: 1. Castles and the transition to the imperial state; 2. The discovery of castles, 1877–1912; 3. Castles, civil society, and the paradoxes of 'Taisho militarism'; 4. Castles in war and peace: celebrating modernity, empire, and war; Part II. From Feudalism to the Edge of Space: 5. Castles in war and peace II: Kokura, Kanazawa, and the rehabilitation of the nation; 6. 'Fukkō': Hiroshima Castle rises from the ashes; 7. Escape from the center: castles and the search for local identity; 8. Japan's new castle builders: recapturing tradition and culture; Conclusions.
Provides an innovative examination of heritage politics in Japan, showing how castles have been used to re-invent and recapture the past.
Oleg Benesch is Senior Lecturer in East Asian History at the University of York. He is the author of Inventing the Way of the Samurai: Nationalism, Internationalism, and Bushido in Modern Japan (2014). Ran Zwigenberg is Assistant Professor at Pennsylvania State University. His first book, Hiroshima: The Origins of Global Memory Culture (Cambridge, 2014), won the Association for Asian Studies John W. Hall Book Award in 2016.
'An exciting history of Japan from the Tokugawa period to the
present, as seen through the lens of its castles. The book explores
their shifting meaning within the context of Japan's drive to
modernize, its militarism, construction of empire, wartime
devastation, postwar recovery, and search for meaning in a
postmodern world.' Constantine N. Vaporis, University of Maryland,
Baltimore County
'In describing the life of Japanese castles, Benesch and Zwigenberg
have taken an inherently interesting topic left unexplored by
academics and given us a model of how to launch a new field of
study with grace and aplomb. There is much here to satisfy
students, scholars, and the interested public.' Michael Wert,
Marquette University, Wisconsin
'Oleg Benesch and Ran Zwigenberg's Japan's Castles is a timely
addition to the growing body of literature on historical memory and
heritage in modern Japan … this groundbreaking work will change the
ways readers will look at castles during future visits … this is a
pioneering work that persuasively demonstrates the strengths of
memory studies based on a methodological combination of field
studies, archival research, and the analysis of a broad range of
newspapers and periodicals. The increasing accessibility of such
sources allows the contemporary historian to present a much more
nuanced analysis than was possible in the past, and Benesch and
Zwigenberg deserve the highest praise for having achieved this goal
and for weaving the abundant information gathered together to
produce a coherent, richly documented, and extremely stimulating
volume.' Sven Saaler, The Journal of Asian Studies
'In this well-researched book, Benesch (Univ. of York) and
Zwigenberg (Pennsylvania State Univ.) offer an in-depth historical
look into the vicissitudes of Japanese castles in modern times …
this is a satisfying read!' Q. E. Wang, Choice
'For the general reader, this is a book written, despite its clear
academic rigor, in an eminently accessible style that will greatly
enhance a historical or touristic interest in Japan's castles. For
the academic reader, it is full of valuable arguments and
information pertinent not only to the niche field of castle
studies, but to many areas of Japanese studies and/or modern
history. The authors have done a particularly good job of
demonstrating the relevance of castles to many of the mainstream
issues in post-1850s Japan, making their book highly recommended
for inclusion on any undergraduate or postgraduate reading list
relating to modern Japanese history. Indeed, Japan's Castles
indicates the strong potential of castle studies to form an
integral part of our understanding of the social, cultural,
economic, and political development of modern Japan.' Philip
Seaton, Monumenta Nipponica
'Benesch and Zwigenberg draw on an impressive array of sources,
ranging from official documents to local periodicals. The authors
also include several fascinating visual sources that will help
readers understand some of the more unorthodox trends in modern
castle architecture; and many of the images are simply delightful
in their own right. Overall, this is a sophisticated but accessible
treatment of the eponymous subject, and is thus essential reading
for specialists in modern Japanese history. Scholars interested in
the intersections between urban history, politics and architectural
preservation will also find much of interest. Benesch and
Zwigenberg have made an invaluable contribution to the field, which
will undoubtedly inspire some exciting scholarship in the coming
years.' D. Colin Jaundrill, The English Historical Review
'Benesch and Zwigenberg argue that from the start of the Meiji
period to present time, castles of various extraction- whether
original to the Sengoku period, restored, reconstructed, or newly
invented - have continuously occupied a central place in the
politics, militarization, economy, religion, and cultural identity
of cities across the main islands of Japan. As physical structures
and symbolic features, castles carry the baggage of premodern
heritage while also igniting new aspirations for national unity and
regional revitalization. The book steers us toward the realization
that the majority of castles standing today reveal much less about
Japanese bushido, traditional architecture, and esprit de corps
than we would like to believe.' Alice Y. Tseng, The Journal of
Japanese Studies
'With Japan's Castles, Oleg Benesch and Ran Zwigenberg have
provided a uniquely valuable addition to English language
scholarship on their subject, one that has much to offer to anyone
with an interest in Japan studies and cultural heritage. This
volume, within the context of the authors' wider work on the
subject, will remain the definitive work on the heritage politics
of castles in modern Japan. The authors ably explore how castles
have been used to present the country's feudal past and put to
practical use in both the militarised imperial state and the
demilitarised postwar period, thus presenting Japan's castles as a
mirror for its changing self-conception as a modern nation state …
This work is certainly a necessary addition to any library on
modern Japan, and I recommend it unreservedly.' Jon Morris, Social
Science Japan Journal
Ask a Question About this Product More... |