TOP ＞ Castle Study Guide ＞ Himeji Castle - Walls/roof tiles
The curving walls are designed to force people to enter the castle grounds via a circuitous route, halting enemy momentum and blocking off the front of the castle to form its most basic line of defense. In the thick earthen walls are sama (loopholes) for shooting firearms and bows and arrows, giving the walls the stern look of a military fortress, but the elegant design topped with roof tiles conveys the builders’ wishes that the castle would stand gracious and dignified for all time.
- 西ノ丸 南東土塀
- Nishi no maru Southeast dobei (earthen wall)
- ＜Tenshu seen from the southeast dobei (earthen wall) of the nishi no maru (a castle compound to the west of the main compound)＞
- The wall follows a crooked path so it is easy to intercept attacks from the side.
- 菱ノ門の南方土塀
- Southern dobei (earthen wall) of Hishino-mon Gate
- There is a line of defensive positions before the gate, which also narrows the space in front of the gate.
- 菱ノ門の南方土塀
- Southern dobei (earthen wall) of Hishino-mon Gate
- ＜Sama (loopholes) in dobei (earthen wall) - Round＞
- Sama (loopholes) have various shapes. The round and triangular ones are for shooting firearms.
- 菱ノ門の南方土塀
- Southern dobei (earthen wall) of Hishino-mon Gate
- ＜Sama (loopholes) in dobei (earthen wall) - Triangular＞
- Sama (loopholes) have various shapes. The round and triangular ones are for shooting firearms.
- 菱ノ門の南方土塀
- Southern dobei (earthen wall) of Hishino-mon Gate
- ＜Sama (loopholes) in dobei (earthen wall) - Rectangular＞
- The rectangular holes are for shooting arrows, and the square ones are for firearms. In Himeji Castle, the ratio of gun loopholes to bow-and-arrow loopholes is 2: 1.
- 菱ノ門の南方土塀
- Southern dobei (earthen wall) of Hishino-mon Gate
- ＜Sama (loopholes) in dobei (earthen wall) - Square＞
- The rectangular holes are for shooting arrows, and the square ones are for firearms. In Himeji Castle, the ratio of gun loopholes to bow-and-arrow loopholes is 2: 1.
- 三国堀の土塀
- Dobei (earthen wall) of Sangoku Moat
- The left and right sama (loopholes) are different.
- 三国堀（北辺土塀）
- Sangoku Moat (Northern dobei (earthen wall))
- The sama (loopholes) are widely spaced and positioned halfway up the wall.
- 三国堀（東辺土塀）
- Sangoku Moat (Eastern dobei (earthen wall))
- ＜Part 1＞
- The sama (loopholes) are spaced narrowly together and positioned lower down, near the stone wall.
- 三国堀（東辺土塀）
- Sangoku Moat (Eastern dobei (earthen wall))
- ＜Part 2＞
- There is a small hikaebei (upright pole or post which forms the inner core of an earthen wall with a tiled and gabled roof).
- 三国堀（東辺土塀）
- Sangoku Moat (Eastern dobei (earthen wall))
- ＜Part 3＞
- Building a scaffolding on top of the hikaebei makes it possible to attack through the roof of the wall.
- はノ門の西方土塀と狭間
- Western dobei (earthen wall) and sama (loophole) of Ha no Mon (Ha Gate)
- There are differences in the arrays of sama everywhere throughout the castle grounds.
- はノ門の足元の瓦敷き（排水溝）
- Roof tiles laid of the feet of the Ha no Mon (Ha Gate) (for drainage)
- Roof tiles are not always on roofs. Note the roof tiles on the ground, which make for solid footing.
- とノ四門の土塀
- Dobei (earthen wall) of To no Shi-Mon (To Gate)
- とノ四門の土塀 狭間と排水口
- Dobei (earthen wall) of To no Shi-Mon (To Gate)
Sama (loopholes) and drainage aperture 
- 築地（ついじ）塀
- Tsuijibei (roofed earthen wall)
- ＜Aburakabe (oiled wall) (inside Ho no Mon)＞
- This wall is a rarity at Himeji Castle, where most of the walls are plaster.
- 築地（ついじ）塀
- Tsuijibei (roofed earthen wall)
- ＜Aburakabe (oiled wall)＞
- The horizontal timbers of the wall show that it was made with the hanchiku technique, which involves pounding and tightening the earth little by little.
- 姫路城の軒瓦（ろノ門）
- Himeji Castle eaves tiles (Ro no Mon Gate)
- The circular eave-end tiles are marked with the crest of the castle.
- 屋根瓦（とノ二門）
- Roof tiles (To no Ni-Mon Gate)
- ＜Part 1＞
- Plaster is applied to the joints of the roof tiles.
- 屋根瓦（とノ二門）
- Roof tiles (To no Ni-Mon Gate)
- ＜Part 2＞
- Plaster is applied to the joints of the roof tiles.
- 天守の北下の渡櫓（わたりやぐら）
- Watari yagura (roofed passage) below tenshu on the north side
- ＜Roof tiles of eaves＞
- Roof tiles laid to collect rainwater follow a curve corresponding to the curve of the eaves.
- 大天守（西側の大千鳥屋根）
- Dai-tenshu, west side o-chidori yane (multi-tiered roof)
- ＜Shachigawara (fish-shaped roof ridge ornaments) Part 1＞
- The special roof adorning the castle roof symbolize wishes to avoid fires and disasters.
- 大天守（西側の大千鳥屋根）
- Dai-tenshu, west side o-chidori yane (multi-tiered roof)
- ＜Shachigawara (fish-shaped roof ridge ornaments) Part 2＞
- The special roof adorning the castle roof symbolize wishes to avoid fires and disasters.
- 大天守（四重目）西側
- Dai-tenshu (fourth floor), west side
- This photograph was taken looking down from the kara hafu roof of the west side of the dai-tenshu (fourth floor) towards the Nishi no Maru (a castle compound to the west of the main compound).
- へノ渡櫓（天守の北東下の渡櫓）
- He no Watari yagura (roofed passage) below tenshu on the northeast side
- The peach-themed onigawara (gargoyle roof tiles) are intended to block the “devil’s gate,” believed to exist in this direction, through which evil spirits might enter.
- へノ門
- He no Mon (He Gate)
- Mallet-themed onigawara (gargoyle roof tiles) symbolize omens of good fortune.
