Keywords
Architecture
Gates
A gate at Kanazawajō 金沢城 (1788) in Ishikawa Prefecture. It is an excellent example of the square *masugata 枡形, arrangement of castle buildings combining a front gate *omotemon 表門, built in the Korean gate *kōraimon 高麗門 style, with a gabled roof placed on square pillars with two smaller roofs at right angle to them. The smaller roofs are set on side pillars within the area between the main pillars, and a turret gate *yaguramon 櫓門, which has two wooden swinging doors at the center. There are also single swinging doors on each side. The watchtower *yagura 櫓 is covered with thick white plaster and the roofing tiles are made of lead. The lower part of the watchtower and the wall are covered with plaster *namakokabe 海鼠壁, and set with tiles.