Yasukuni Shrine Forge

[ghp95134]

I saw a mention somewhere asking about the design of the now-destroyed [re-purposed?] Yasukuni Shrine Forge. I could not find anything on Google Search about the location, etc., so I took it upon myself to add a few mentions from Tom Kishida's outstanding book, The Yasukuni Swords: Rare Weapons of Japan 1933-1945; Tokyo: Kodansha, 2004; pp. 80-83.

[It was located] in the western part of the grounds of the Yasukuni Shrine, and it was located between a sumo hall and a teahouse....

The entrance, office, and guest room of the forging center were built of wood, but the five workshops, which contained furnaces, were made of reinforced concrete, as were the lounge and bathroom. The exterior of the building is in traditional Japanese style and has a refined look. Square and round windows in the walls are reminiscent of "sukiya-zukuri" (a form of traditional Japanese house prevalent in the Muromachi period)....

...The forging center was renamed "seisen-so" after 1945, but the inside of the building was repaired and refurbished in 1987, and the name was changed to "Gyoun-tei." It has been used as a tea ceremony hall since November 1994.

Elevations:



--Guy

[ghp95134]

[ghp95134]

--Guy

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--Guy

[ghp95134]

Numbers 17 & 18 are where the forge used to be



source and larger map.


--Guy

[BOB COLEMAN]

Guy-
Great bit of information. I have never seen these drawings and plans before.

[SteveR]

Really neat info. Thanks.

[Alan M]

Guy , as Bob and Steve have already remarked , a very interesting map , thanks for your efforts in posting this ! I would love a visit to this Shrine one day

[BOB COLEMAN]

When I first visited the Yasukuni Jinga, I was interested in seeing the site of the katana dojo. As it was long gone in 1980. these images fit in nicely to the site I saw. Following the war's end, undoubtedly, the site was a symbol of militarism and with sword forging prohibited, it is easy to understand why the complex was destroyed. I was fortunate to have met two men who worked there as swordsmiths.

[ghp95134]

... it is easy to understand why the complex was destroyed. I was fortunate to have met two men who worked there as swordsmiths.

Bob,

It was my impression of reading the book that the buildings were re-purposed, not destroyed. I also thought the buildings were destroyed.

Cheers,
--Guy

[BOB COLEMAN]

Bob,

It was my impression of reading the book that the buildings were re-purposed, not destroyed. I also thought the buildings were destroyed.

Cheers,
--Guy

If that is the case, the groundskeeper showed me the wrong place and gave me incorrect information.