Keywords
Architecture
Castles
An extremely low embankment *dote 土手, beside a castle moat *hori 堀. Width around 90 cm (3 shaku 尺) and height just below knee-height. The chirifusegi was built to prevent earth from the path being washed into the moat by rain, and also to prevent people falling into the moat at night, particularly during a battle. The chirifusegi was kept to this low height so that it could not be used as a shield by an attacking enemy.