Keywords
Architecture
Castles
A stone loophole used to fire a gun through a castle wall. Unlike the usual loopholes *sama 狭間, that are bored through walls in the keep or other castle buildings themselves, ishisama openings are made through the top of the foundation walls *ishigaki 石垣 below. As is usual for loopholes, the inside of the opening is cut wider than the outside. Ishisama were employed at Edo-jō 江戸城 Hirakawamon 平川門 and Kyoto's Nijō-jō 二条城. Good examples can still be seen at Osaka-jō 大阪城.