saku 柵

1　Fence. Read ki (also written 城) in the ancient period. A palisade of stakes aligned at regular intervals to prevent passage. Squared-off timber kakuzai 角材, logs *maruta 丸太, natural bamboo marutake 丸竹, narrow boards kohaba-ita 小幅板, and stone pillars ishibashira 石柱 were used. Typically the stakes were driven into the ground close enough together to prevent people from passing through, with horizontal cross members at the bottom and top secured with wisteria vines or other materials. Originally intended as temporary defensive installation. In the ancient period, saku were often constructed with timbers with the bark left on. Stakes were placed adjacently without gaps, usually around castles. At the end of the ancient period, semipermanent palisades were constructed in the Tōhoku 東北 region using squared timbers 6 m long and 30 cm wide. In the Edo period, stakes were usually placed about 12-14 cm apart secured by three horizontal tie rails.
2　A small castle. See *toride 砦.