Changes

The path into the castle is never straight, the gates often situated at right angles to one another, in theory slowing an invading army and leaving attackers quite open to fire from defenders, stationed in the wooden gate structures and armed with Chinese-style firearms or bows & arrows. [[Stephen Turnbull]] notes, however, that the gates, and castle walls in general, lacked loopholes or other defensive features for defenders to hide behind. All in all, when the castle was invaded by Satsuma samurai in 1609, it fell quite quickly.

The path into the castle is never straight, the gates often situated at right angles to one another, in theory slowing an invading army and leaving attackers quite open to fire from defenders, stationed in the wooden gate structures and armed with Chinese-style firearms or bows & arrows. [[Stephen Turnbull]] notes, however, that the gates, and castle walls in general, lacked loopholes or other defensive features for defenders to hide behind. All in all, when the castle was invaded by Satsuma samurai in 1609, it fell quite quickly.

The next gate after the Zuisenmon is the Rôkokumon, or "Water Clock Gate", the final stone gate, which leads to a small plaza where a replica of the famous [[Bridge of Nations Bell]] is today kept inside a small structure called the Tomoya. The Rôkokumon, constructed in the 15th century, was as far as aristocrats came in their palanquins; in respect to the king, they would alight here. A tank of water was held in the wooden structure atop the gate; as water leaked out, guards charged with watching the water level determined the time and communicated it by beating a ''[[taiko]]'' drum; guards in the nearby Uekimon would then transmit the message further by ringing a bronze bell<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Rôkokumon." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>. A sundial was installed nearby in 1739, and gradually came to replace the water clock<ref>"Shisetsu annai: hieidai." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

The next gate after the Zuisenmon is the Rôkokumon, or "Water Clock Gate", the final stone gate, which leads to a small plaza where a replica of the famous [[Bridge of Nations Bell]] is today kept inside a small structure called the Tomoya. The Rôkokumon, constructed in the 15th century, was as far as aristocrats came in their palanquins; in respect to the king, they would alight here. As a result, the gate is also known as ''Kagoise ujô'', or "gate where palanquins are placed/left."<ref>Plaque at Rôkokumon.</ref> A tank of water was held in the wooden structure atop the gate; as water leaked out, guards charged with watching the water level determined the time and communicated it by beating a ''[[taiko]]'' drum; guards in the nearby Uekimon would then transmit the message further by ringing a bronze bell<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Rôkokumon." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>. A sundial was installed nearby in 1739, and gradually came to replace the water clock<ref>"Shisetsu annai: hieidai." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

===Shicha-nu-Unâ===

===Shicha-nu-Unâ===