The Ugly Pagoda Mast Warships explained

When you are in need, it’s okay to resort to anything. And that’s exactly what the Imperial Japanese Navy did during the 1930s. Back then, they need to further strengthen the capabilities of their existing navy. But there was a problem. The Washington Naval Treaty was still on effect back then, and the result was the “Battleship Holiday” for the Japanese. Although Japan was allied to US, UK, France and Italy, there was a brewing naval arms race between the postwar allies. Between 1916 to the 1919, the US already armed itself with 50 modern battleships. The Imperial Japan on the other hand was gunning for an “eight-eight fleet program,” (Hachihachi Kantai) which stipulated that the navy should have eight modern battleships, and eight armored cruisers. But thanks to the Washington Naval Treaty, battlefield constructions were limited for the affected nations, Japan included among them.

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With the restrictions on the battlefield constructions, Japan then resorted to other means to gain an advantage over other navies. This includes upgrades on existing warships. The Imperial Japanese Navy simply reconstructed and modified their assets to improve their performance in sea combat. The result was a towering superstructure which was not exactly appealing to the eye.

The Pagoda Mast
Close-up of the Fuso's Pagoda Mast.

The Imperial Japanese Navy wanted their ships to be well equipped, and they did so through the addition of a superstructure to house extra equipment, and as lookouts.

Firstly, it started with a tripod mast, which is a superstructure set on three columns. With an existing tripod mast as the base, they then added platforms, additional lookouts, and shelters.