Architecture and Authority in Japan

by William H. Coaldrake

First published in 1996. Architecture is one of the most inspired manifestations of Japanese civilization, a pillar of both traditional society and the modern state. The rugged walls of Himeji Castle, the pristine perfection of the Ise Shrine, and the soaring skyscrapers of modern Tokyo are all examples of consummate artistic inspiration harnessed to building technology in the service of religion or the state. These buildings offer a unique opportunity to identify the ideas and institutions of authority, both religious and secular, embodied in built form. William Coaldrake argues that there is a symbiotic relationship between architecture and authority throughout Japanese history. Examination of Nara and Heian palaces, Kamakura temples and Momoyama castles reveals the changing countenance of aristocratic and warrior power. The study also shows how some buildings helped to mould power relations by creating a physical presence to intimidate and subordinate those under imperial and shogunal rule, such as the Palace of Nij o Castle. More recently, Western architectural styles have been used to restructure the way Japan presents itself to the outside world. Relating buildings to the political ambitions and religious beliefs of the age, this book makes a significant contribution to Japanese studies. By examining architecture as an expression of authority, William Coaldrake highlights many defining moments in Japanese history, opening up new avenues for study on both traditional and contemporary Japan.

Genres: Architecture, Japan, History

360 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 1996

About the author

William H. Coaldrake is Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, where he was Foundation Professor of Japanese and Head of Japanese Studies from 1992-2007. He was born in Japan of Australian missionary parents, and received his PhD from Harvard University, where he was most recently Edwin O. Reischauer Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies.

Professor Coaldrake is the only non-Japanese member of the Kyoto Guild of Traditional Master Builders (Kyoto dentô kenchiku gijutsu kyôkai), working on the restoration of heritage buildings. He has written two books informed by his experience: The Way of the Carpenter: Tools and Japanese Architecture (Weatherhill, 1990), and Architecture and Authority in Japan (Routledge, 1996). He recently edited his parents’ letters and reports from Japan in the immediate postwar years (Japan from War to Peace: The Coaldrake Records, 1939-1956, RoutledgeCurzon, 2003). He is currently completing a major new book on Japanese art and architecture from earliest times to the present for Phaidon Press.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for those who are interested in Japanese architecture and how it may have influenced Japanese society.