Keywords
Architecture
Castles
Lit. tortoise shell stack. Also called roppōzumi 六法積; or hachi-no-su 蜂の巣 meaning honeycomb or bee hive. An arrangement of almost hexagonal stones thought to suggest the pattern on the carapace of a tortoise shell. The stones are fitted tightly together to avoid gaps. This style is used for the podia of some Buddhist temple buildings, for castle ramparts, and for stone walls. Examples: Matsubarajō 松原城 and on the ramparts around the gate *Ōtemon 大手門 at Edojō 江戸城.
