Masugata (square shape)

Japanese: 升形(桝形) - ますがた

Also written as masugata. This is the most developed form of a koguchi (gateway) to a castle, and is made of box-shaped stone walls built around a square space. When a koguchi is placed inside the koguchi, it is called an inner masugata, and this is the normal form, while outer masugata, which are placed on the outside, are rare. Two gates are opened into the masugata, and the first gate facing the outside is a Korean gate (multi-gate) style with a gabled roof supported by two square pillars, while the more important and sturdier inner gate is usually built as a yaguramon style with a hipped roof on a crossing yagura.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

枡形とも書く。城郭への出入口である虎口（こぐち）の最も発達した形態で，方形空間を囲んで築かれた箱形の石垣でつくられる。升形を虎口の内側に設けるのを内升形といい，これが通常の形式で，外側に設ける外升形は数が少ない。升形に二つの門を開き，外に面した一の門を2本の角柱で妻破風造の屋根を支える高麗門(多門)形式とし，より重要で堅固に造られる内側の二の門は，渡り櫓に入母屋造の屋根を載せる櫓門形式で造られるのが通常である。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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