Waist Quarter (Koshikuruwa)     Salt Turret    Water Gate 1

This is in a corner of Main Bailey and on the north side of Main Tower; it is called Waist Quarter since it is the "waist" of the castle grounds. In the building there are a series of warehouses used to store rice, salt and water away against a siege. Photo of Waist Quarter with a beautiful roof line

Salt Turret

This building is Salt Turret where salt was stored in case of war. It is said that it held 3,000 bags of salt and we can see the traces of salt in it even today.

The path to Main Tower from Water Gate 1(Mizu-ichi Mon)

This path has a gentle slope. Enemy troops attacking Main Tower would think they were taking a wrong way up to the tower. The combined slope and confusing routes are part of the defense of the castle. The construction seems quite simple at a glance, but it proves to be quite complex, typical of ingenious designs throughout the castle.

The basement of the Main Building Complex

This place is the basement of Main Tower. The outside is surrounded by stone walls. And the area of the cellar is about 386 square meters. The two pillars which stand in the east and the west of the center are the main pillars of Main Tower. The base of the east pillar is 97 centimeters in diameter and it was originally made of a single fir tree. But now the section around 5.4 meters up from the base is a replaced one. The base of the west pillar is 85 by 95 centimeters. The west pillar has two sections on the third floor and is made of Japanese cypress.

Kitchen or other facilities

There are lavatories, a drain board, and a special kitchen corridor which are fine facilities not seen in other castles.

The First Floor of the Main Building Complex

This is the first floor of the Main Tower. It is built on the stone walls of the tower's foundations. It is commonly called the thousand-mat room and in fact it has 330 Tatami mats and an area of 554 square meters.

Weapon Racks and Bamboo Hooks

These are weapon hooks for matchlocks and spears. Upward near the ceiling there is a line of bamboo nails. These are for gun power bags and fuses. Photo of weapon racks and bamboo hooks