TOP ＞ Castle Study Guide ＞ Himeji Castle - Gate
In order to reach a tenshu, one must pass through a number of castle gates. At Himeji Castle, after passing the Hishino-Mon Gate at the main entrance, you go through a series of gates named in i-ro-ha order (a traditional way of ordering the Japanese hiragana syllabary alphabet based on an ancient poem). These gates have a defensive function, enabling monitoring of all people entering and leaving. Each gate has a distinctive character and magnificent design.
- 菱ノ門
- Hishino-Mon Gate
- ＜Graceful main castle gate in the Momoyama architectural style (c. 1600)＞
- When you come up against the wall, climb the gradual slope and take two turns, and you will arrive below the gate.
- 菱ノ門の窓意匠（出格子窓）
- Hishino-Mon Gate window design (degoshimado [latticed bay windows])
- Looking up from the foot of the gate, you can see these splendid latticed windows.
- 菱ノ門の窓意匠
- Hishino-Mon Gate window design
- ＜Koshimado (latticed windows)＞
- Golden decorative brackets make a striking contrast with the black lacquer.
- 菱ノ門の窓意匠
- Hishino-Mon Gate window design
- ＜Katomado (bell-shaped windows)＞
- The design of these windows is influenced by temple architecture.
- 菱ノ門
- Hishino-Mon Gate
- ＜Inside, east side＞
- Elegant exterior design with the lines of columns emerging from the wall.
- 菱ノ門
- Hishino-Mon Gate
- ＜Shikigawara＞
- Roof tiles are laid out on the floor with care and elegantly finished, creating a stately effect.
- ぬノ門／櫓門（やぐらもん）
- Nu no Mon (Nu Gate) / Yagura-Mon (turret gate)
- ＜Outside＞
- Turn right in front of the stone wall outside the gate to enter.
- ぬノ門／櫓門（やぐらもん）
- Nu no Mon (Nu Gate) / Yagura-Mon (turret gate)
- ＜Inside＞
- There are no degoshi (lattices), and the window frames are all of shiraki (plain wood).
- ぬノ門
- Nu no Mon (Nu Gate)
- This photo shows the view looking up at the double-layered eaves. (The double taruki (rafters) are finished differently on top and bottom).
- るノ門／石垣中に通路のある穴門
- Ru no Mon (Ru Gate) / Ana-mon (lit. “cave gate”) leading to a passage through the stone wall.
- A tunnel through the stone wall serves as one of the castle gates, designed to be inconspicuous from the outside,
- ほノ門／埋門（うずみもん）
- Ho no Mon (Ho Gate) / Uzumi-Mon (Uzumi Gate)
- ＜Part 1＞
- In cases of emergency, the difference in ground elevation inside and outside is intended to be used, with further earth and sand piled on top.
- ほノ門／埋門（うずみもん）
- Ho no Mon (Ho Gate) / Uzumi-Mon (Uzumi Gate)
- ＜Part 2＞
- In cases of emergency, the difference in ground elevation inside and outside is intended to be used, with further earth and sand piled on top.
- へノ門／高麗門（こうらいもん）
- He no Mon (He Gate) / Korai-Mon (Korai Gate)
- ＜Outside, east＞
- To the east below the sho-tenshu, the gate partitions off the koshiguruwa (lit. “waist compound,” a castle compound on the side of a mountain) behind it.
- へノ門／高麗門（こうらいもん）
- He no Mon (He Gate) / Korai-Mon (Korai Gate)
- ＜Inside＞
- There are also tiled roofs on top of two hikaebashira columns (bracing struts).
- りノ門／高麗門と太鼓櫓
- Ri no Mon (Ri Gate) / Korai-Mon (Korai Gate) and taiko yagura turret
- ＜Outside＞
- There is not enough room due to the taiko yagura turret, so the roof of the inside hikaebashira column (bracing strut) is cut in half.
- りノ門／高麗門と太鼓櫓
- Ri no Mon (Ri Gate) / Korai-Mon (Korai Gate) and taiko yagura turret
- ＜inside＞
- There is not enough room due to the taiko yagura turret, so the roof of the inside hikaebashira column (bracing strut) is cut in half.
- ろノ門／高麗門
- Ro no Mon (Ro Gate) / Korai-Mon Gate
- ＜Outside＞
- A drainage ditch that follows the slope of the terrain passes through the gate.
- ろノ門／高麗門
- Ro no Mon (Ro Gate) / Korai-Mon Gate
- ＜Inside＞
- A drainage ditch that follows the slope of the terrain passes through the gate.
- とノ二門／高麗門
- To no Ni-Mon Gate / Korai-Mon Gate
- ＜Outside＞
- Let’s look at each part of the gate in detail.
- とノ二門／高麗門
- To no Ni-Mon Gate / Korai-Mon Gate
- ＜Gate column decoration＞
- Let’s look at each part of the gate in detail.
- とノ二門／高麗門
- To no Ni-Mon Gate / Korai-Mon Gate
- ＜Metal fittings fixing the door in place＞
- とノ二門／高麗門
- To no Ni-Mon Gate / Korai-Mon Gate
- ＜underpinning for repair of column＞
- ちノ門／棟門（むねもん）と番所
- Chi no Mon (Chi Gate) / Mune-Mon Gate and guardhouse
- ＜Part 1＞
- The gate is supported only by two columns, without hikaebashira bracing struts, and there is a guardhouse inside.
- ちノ門／棟門（むねもん）と番所
- Chi no Mon (Chi Gate) / Mune-Mon Gate and guardhouse
- ＜Part 2＞
- The gate is supported only by two columns, without hikaebashira bracing struts, and there is a guardhouse inside.
- にノ門／櫓門
- Ni no Mon (Ni Gate) / Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜Part 1＞
- The external design features a rich variety of combinations, with the lower part of the sumi yagura (corner turrets) used as castle gates.
- にノ門／櫓門
- Ni no Mon (Ni Gate) / Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜Part 2＞
- The external design features a rich variety of combinations, with the lower part of the sumi yagura (corner turrets) used as castle gates.
- はノ門／櫓門
- Ha no Mon (Ha Gate)/Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜Outside＞
- The slope leading to the gate is a familiar sight from Japanese historical dramas.
- はノ門／櫓門
- Ha no Mon (Ha Gate)/Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜Repurposed foundation and roof tiles.＞
- Here we see various elements that make up the castle.
- とノ一門／古様の櫓門
- To no Ichi-Mon Gate / Koyo (ancient style) Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜outside: tsukiage mado [top-hinged swinging window] / wood-paneled＞
- This castle gate is in the ancient, plain-wood shiraki-zukuri style, and was relocated from an older castle nearby.
- とノ一門／古様の櫓門
- To no Ichi-Mon Gate / Koyo (ancient style) Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜Inside＞
- Built in a grand style suitable for the castle gate rising in front of the karamete (back gate).
- とノ一門／古様の櫓門
- To no Ichi-Mon Gate / Koyo (ancient style) Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜Transom gate＞
- Built in a grand style suitable for the castle gate rising in front of the karamete (back gate).
- とノ一門／古様の櫓門
- To no Ichi-Mon Gate / Koyo (ancient style) Yagura-Mon Gate
- ＜Repair of underpinning at foot of column＞
