櫓(やぐら)

やぐら
noun
tower, turret, scaffold
buildingculturehistory
1. tower, turret
A wooden tower structure, historically part of castle fortifications or used as a watchtower.
城(しろ)の櫓(やぐら)が見(み)える。
I can see the castle turret.
この櫓(やぐら)は江戸時代(えどじだい)に建(た)てられた。
This turret was built in the Edo period.
石垣(いしがき)の上(うえ)にそびえる櫓(やぐら)は当時(とうじ)の面影(おもかげ)を残(のこ)している。
The turret rising above the stone wall retains traces of the past.
2. raised platform, scaffold, stage tower
A temporary elevated platform or scaffold, especially one used for taiko drumming at festivals.
櫓(やぐら)の上(うえ)で太鼓(たいこ)を叩(たた)く。
To play the taiko drum on the scaffold.
祭(まつ)りの櫓(やぐら)が広場(ひろば)に組(く)み立(た)てられた。
The festival scaffold was erected in the plaza.
盆踊(ぼんおど)りの会場(かいじょう)の中央(ちゅうおう)に櫓(やぐら)が設置(せっち)された。
A scaffold was set up in the center of the Bon dance venue.

Writing

The kanji 櫓(やぐら) is complex and sometimes written in hiragana.

Cultural note

Sense 1: Castle 櫓(やぐら) served as watchtowers and defensive positions. Many survive as historical landmarks.
Sense 2: At 盆踊(ぼんおど)り (Bon dance) festivals, a wooden 櫓(やぐら) is erected in the center of the dance area, often with taiko drummers performing on top while dancers circle around it.

Common collocations

Related Words

Compare: 天守(てんしゅ) (castle tower)
general
Added 2026.2.9 0:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
10500/10646_yagura