uzumimon　埋門

KEY WORD :　architecture / gates

Lit. buried gate. 1　A gate constructed within the stone walls of a castle. It was used to connect an area having two different levels. From below it looked as if it were buried in the ground. A path led to the steps that led to the higher level. The doors opened inward toward the path. The gate could be buried with soil and gravel if the castle were under attack. 2　The back gate in a stone wall *ishigaki 石垣, or hard-packed mud wall *tsuiji 築地, of a castle. A framework is constructed and doors are hung. Sometimes an opening is created within the stone wall or mud fence. The opening in the stone wall is called anamon 穴門, lit. hole gate, and the opening in the mud fence is called tsuijimon 築地門. Such small gates could be filled in with rubble and soil upon an attack by enemies. Example: The ru る gate at Himejijou 姫路城, in Hyougo prefecture. This gate connects two areas of different elevations. Nijoujou 二条城, in Kyoto, has an uzumimon at the west gate with eaves that cover the wide opening between the stone walls.

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