3 unique tricks of Japanese castles to prevent invasion

Matome Culture & Lifestyle

Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 21:58

Musha Gaeshi (武者返し)

This trick is implemented to many Japanese castles, but the most famous example should be Kumamoto castle's Musha gaeshi.

Musha gaeshi (武者返し) means "Send away enemy samurai".
It is a well designed stone wall.

That starts gentle incline but get steeper and steeper as you climb higher. In the end the angle will be 90 degrees. As a matter of course, it is pretty hard to climb a wall of 90 degrees, they would be split from the wall. Meanwhile, the defending samurais inside the castle can buy some time until enemy invades into the castle.

鬼乃(故)@urmuto1220

武者返し綺麗ここで数百年前武将達が戦ってたのかと思うと興奮するタイムスリップしてぇ( :D)┸┓ﾜｧｰ https://t.co/Fqfh8iRCNO

このメガネの片隅に〜私の名は改心かなぴん@kanapin00

下の勾配は緩くて上になるほど急勾配になる武者返しの石垣と櫓。この辺は無事なのかな、と思ったらすぐ奥はかなりの壊滅具合だった。 https://t.co/EETVKpzRuI

Roof tile made of lead / Kanazawa Castle

日本の城写真集@castle_jpn

2016年アクセス数ランキング第82位：金沢城菱櫓 https://t.co/dEzAidpQs8 https://t.co/nGCEzOG2Am

moch@moch1514

【城の寒冷対策】金沢城の「鉛瓦」
通常の土瓦では冬凍って割れることが多いため。

「鉛瓦」には
装飾のため、初めは鉛が銀色ですが時を経るにつれ白くなる。
鉄砲玉、いざという時に、溶かして弾丸として使うため。
との説も。 https://t.co/TzmhYODDDN

The roof tiles (瓦) of Kanazawa castle are made of lead.
Why??
It is simple. When war wages, they melt the roof tile and recast them into bullets.
In this way, they can store ammunition in low profile way.

Ishi Otoshi / breteche （石落とし）/ Stone throwing hole

Source: Naver

石落とし(Ishiotoshi) are hidden holes made under the exterior wall. When opponents try to climb up the stone wall, the defending samurai inside castle throw stones unto opponents' heads.

Along with Musha Gaeshi, this was such an effective way to prevent enemy to intrude in the castle!