Japanese Castles

[Colonel Kilgore]

We spent a good chunk of today visiting Himeji castle. It's impressive on so many levels: size, complexity, longevity, current condition...
I'll post up some photos when I get back, and have enough material for a The Mill article,  if there's interest out there?

[martin goddard]

Japanese castles. Great.  Is there much Christmas in Japan?

[Colonel Kilgore]

There is Christmas in the sense that there are piped instrumental versions of Christmas-themed songs wherever you go, and shop windows with trees and Santas. So perhaps a bit like Halloween represents a retail opportunity in much of the Western world?

[Sean Clark]

Our Japanese friend visited just before Christmas with armfuks of presents. She certainly embraces the festive season! She bought me a lovely travel mug which will come in useful for my journeys south next year!

[Sean Clark]

Also, yes please on the article.

Battles in the Age of War is one of my all time favourite games and I have always intended to make a section of castle walls for the siege version of the game.

[Colonel Kilgore]

OK Sean, will do. We're in Nagoya today and will try to see how much of the castle here is not closed for renovation (they're replacing the steel and concrete post-war reconstruction with a timber-framed copy of the original).

[Stewart 46A]

I got my castle wall and towers from King & Kerr.
I enjoy 'battles in the age of war' as well.
I think that and AWI will be on the list for next years WWW.

Stewart

[Colonel Kilgore]

I often forget about Kerr & King - they do make some nice stuff (including their Oriental Buildings, which look the part to me).
Simon

[Sean Clark]

Are Kerr and King still going?

[Smoking gun]

Are Kerr and King still going?

Yes, they are closed until 6th January.

Martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

Here are a few of Nagoya castle:









More details and commentary to come in the promised The Mill article...

[Colonel Kilgore]

And some from Himeji (it's BIG):

[Radar]

Great pictures, thank you Colonel.

There was a fabulous line of 10mm Japanese castles and buildings which I believe were picked up Pendraken. No sign of them on their website or Minibits though.

[Colonel Kilgore]

Thanks Radar,

There are also several Japanese firms that make plastic castle kits in the smaller scales. Not great for wargaming inside, but they could be nice in the background of a game.

The nicest building and castle wall models I've seen in 15mm are by Oshiro (which means "castle" in Japanese): https://oshiromodels.wixsite.com/oshiromodelswebshop

[Stewart 46A]

Thanks Simon, great pictures, I have a castle set from King & Kerr.
Makes me want to get my Samurai armies out.