hishi-no-mon　菱の門

KEY WORD :　architecture / castles

Lit. diamond shaped gate. Also called ooteguchi 大手口 (large front entrance). A two-storied turret gate *yaguramon 櫓門, with a tiled hip-and-gable roof *irimoya yane 入母屋屋根. It is characterized by the use of white plaster covered posts *hashira 柱, penetrating tie beams *nuki 貫, and non-penetrating tie-beams *nageshi 長押. The main posts are square and have metal strips attached. The gate has heavy, stout timber doors. Guard stations are placed to the right and left of the gate on the interior. Three vertical windows, koushimado 格子窓 are placed at the center-front of the turret with ogee arched windows *katoumado 火灯窓, also filled with vertical bars, on either side. Projecting lattice windows, haridashi koushimado 張出格子窓, are located beyond the koushimado. Example: Himejijou Hishi-no-mon 姫路城菱の門 (16c- early 17c) in Hyougo prefecture. .

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