Castle Access:
Visitors are able to access castles by roadways and bridges. The entrance to the castle is called the "ode". "Ode" translates to meeting place.
Bridges:
Bridges came in many different styles, however many of the bridges tended to be made of wood. There are examples however of Japanese Castles that have stone bridges. An example of this type of bridge can be seen at Fukue Castle. Wooden bridges tended to be straight, although Hikone, Yamagata, and Matsumoto castles, all had curved bridges. From old sketches and drawings, historians know that drawbridges were made, however there are none left to be seen today, and were very rare when they were made. The drawbridges that were made were not the same as European drawbridges that are frequently thought of. Japanese drawbridges were a removable bridge that could be rolled out. (Elements and Features)
Gatehouses:
Gatehouse are what visitors first encountered when visiting castles. Gatehouses are made up of "complex micro-system of defense" (Elements and Features). Two large gateways would cover the entrance of the castle. The first gate was open to the road. This gate typically had a roof. The second gate was an inner gate. The gate was set at a right angle, so an attacker would have to make an abrupt turn when entering the castle. (Elements and Features). The gates that were hung on the gateway were made of timber. To attach them onto the gateway, they were secured with iron hinges and reinforced with other iron pieces such as iron plates.
Visitors are able to access castles by roadways and bridges. The entrance to the castle is called the "ode". "Ode" translates to meeting place.
Bridges:
Bridges came in many different styles, however many of the bridges tended to be made of wood. There are examples however of Japanese Castles that have stone bridges. An example of this type of bridge can be seen at Fukue Castle. Wooden bridges tended to be straight, although Hikone, Yamagata, and Matsumoto castles, all had curved bridges. From old sketches and drawings, historians know that drawbridges were made, however there are none left to be seen today, and were very rare when they were made. The drawbridges that were made were not the same as European drawbridges that are frequently thought of. Japanese drawbridges were a removable bridge that could be rolled out. (Elements and Features)
Gatehouses:
Gatehouse are what visitors first encountered when visiting castles. Gatehouses are made up of "complex micro-system of defense" (Elements and Features). Two large gateways would cover the entrance of the castle. The first gate was open to the road. This gate typically had a roof. The second gate was an inner gate. The gate was set at a right angle, so an attacker would have to make an abrupt turn when entering the castle. (Elements and Features). The gates that were hung on the gateway were made of timber. To attach them onto the gateway, they were secured with iron hinges and reinforced with other iron pieces such as iron plates.