"The great period of castle building in Japan occurred in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, when powerful lords such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu were striving to unite the nation. The book gives not only the background to this era, but also details the essential elements of castle construction, such as location, layout, walls, moats, towers, storehouses, gates, shooting holes, and more. Each of these elements is described and illustrated in such a way as to etch them on the mind." "Written in sharp, clear prose, illustrated with powerful, full-color photographs, Castles of the Samurai is the perfect introduction to one of Japan's greatest architectural achievements. The book also contains a wealth of practical information for tourists who plan to visit the sites of the surviving castles."--BOOK JACKET.