Drum Tower (Taiko Yagura)    Okiku Well    "Nu" Gate

This tower is called Drum Tower or Taiko Yagura but the old Drum Tower used to be near Ote Gate. This tower was a vital guard post. In the present location it guarded Main Bailey or Bizen Bailey, serving as a checkpoint for visitors who came to see the lord.

"Ri" Gate

An ornamental board, black-lacquered and edged in gold foil, is attatched to the top of the gate posts. Perhaps this gate was an entrance commonly used by the lord and other important people.

Okiku Well

This well is called Okiku Well, which is famous for the legend of Banshu Sara Yashiki. Once in the time of Eisho(around 1470), Aoyama Tessan, the chief retainer of Kotera Norimoto(the lord of the castle), plotted the intrigue against the lordship. But Okiku, who was not only the lover of Kinugasa Motonobu, a loyal retainer, but also the maidservant of the Aoyama Family warned the young lord of the danger, and the plot failed.
Aoyama Tessan and his follower Chonotsubo Genshiro falsely charged her with losing one of the valuable dishes which were the family treasure and killed her and threw her body into this well.
From then, every night they heard her sad voice counting dishes,"one piece, two pieces, three pieces" from the well. Later, Okiku was enshrined as Okiki Goddess in Junisho Shrine in this city, and it is said that her voice couldn't be heard after that.

Photo of Okiku Well

"Nu" Gate

This gate is called "Nu" Gate and has an unusual structure in the point that it has a two-storied corridor on top. Located in a very important position leading to Bizen Gate, it was strongly built to prevent attackers from getting into Main Bailey or Bizen Bailey where Lord Ikeda's Mansion existed.

Peep Window

When you look up from just under this gate, you can see a rectangular hole; this is a peep window. Guards could watch or attack enemy soldiers who were passing through the gate from the guard room above. The windows of this kind were fitted in may important gates, such as Bizen Gate, etc. This Area is called "Second Bailey".