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The Ôtemon 大手門 was the main gate leading into the ''honmaru'' (central bailey) of the castle, where the majority of administrative and residential spaces were located. Low- to middle-ranking samurai were obliged to dismount from their horses or palanquins before passing over the bridge leading to this gate. Those granted an exception were known as ''jôyo ijô'' (乗輿以上, lit. "palanquin riders and up"), and included those over 500 ''koku'' in income, and those over fifty years of age.<ref>Fukai Masaumi, ''Edo-jô wo yomu'', Harashobô (1997), 18.</ref>

The Ôtemon 大手門 was the main gate leading into the ''honmaru'' (central bailey) of the castle, where the majority of administrative and residential spaces were located. Low- to middle-ranking samurai were obliged to dismount from their horses or palanquins before passing over the bridge leading to this gate. Those granted an exception were known as ''jôyo ijô'' (乗輿以上, lit. "palanquin riders and up"), and included those over 500 ''koku'' in income, and those over fifty years of age. After passing through the Ôtemon, one would cross another bridge, then pass through another series of gates - the Ôtesan-no-mon, Chûnomon, and Chûjakumon - before coming to the entrance hall (''genkan'') of the ''honmaru'' palace. The highest-ranking visitors to the castle, including members of the ''[[Gosanke]]'' and the abbot of [[Nikko|Nikkô's]] [[Rinno-ji|Rinnô-ji]]<ref>A Buddhist temple associated with the Tokugawa's [[Nikko Toshogu|Nikkô Tôshôgû]] shrine, its head was typically an Imperial prince.</ref>, were permitted to remain in their palanquins up until the Chûnomon, where they too had to dismount. Beyond each of these two dismounting points, visitors were restricted in the size of entourage they could bring along with them. For example, a ''[[kunimochi]] daimyô'' such as the [[Shimazu clan]] lord of [[Satsuma han]] could only bring with him six samurai retainers, one sandal-bearer, two ''[[hasamibako]]'' (luggage) carriers, and four palanquin carriers past the Ôtemon, and then had to leave three of those samurai retainers, half the luggage carriers (along with the luggage itself), and all of the palanquin carriers (along with the palanquin) at the second dismounting point. Finally, upon reaching the entrance hall (''genkan''), even such a high-ranking ''daimyô'' as this would be forced to enter the castle alone. This was perhaps in part a security measure, but was also a great show of the shogun's power (to be able to require that of even such a powerful lord), and of the ''daimyô's'' acknowledgement of that power & authority, and willing submission to it. Lower-ranking ''daimyô'', as well as other official visitors to the castle, were restricted to even smaller entourages during this brief journey between the Ôtemon and the castle ''genkan''.<ref>Fukai Masaumi, ''Edo-jô wo yomu'', Harashobô (1997), 18-19.</ref>

The ''ôhiroma'' (大広間, great audience hall) was among the spaces closest to the entrance to the castle, and thus furthest from the center of the complex. It was used for audiences with foreign emissaries or powerful ''tozama daimyô'', and for other highly formal ceremonies. By contrast, the ''shiroshoin'' ("white study / writing room"), closer to the castle's interior, was used for audiences with ''fudai daimyô'' and the shogun's relatives, while the ''kuroshoin'' ("black study / writing room"), closer still to the interior, was used for meetings with the shogun's most trusted retainers and highest-ranking officials. These two rooms were constructed in white wood and black lacquered wood, respectively.<ref>Arai Hakuseki, Joyce Ackroyd (trans.), ''Told Round a Brushwood Fire'', University of Tokyo Press (1979), 289n38.</ref>

The ''ôhiroma'' (大広間, great audience hall) was among the spaces closest to the entrance to the castle, and thus furthest from the center of the complex. It was used for audiences with foreign emissaries or powerful ''tozama daimyô'', and for other highly formal ceremonies. By contrast, the ''shiroshoin'' ("white study / writing room"), closer to the castle's interior, was used for audiences with ''fudai daimyô'' and the shogun's relatives, while the ''kuroshoin'' ("black study / writing room"), closer still to the interior, was used for meetings with the shogun's most trusted retainers and highest-ranking officials. These two rooms were constructed in white wood and black lacquered wood, respectively.<ref>Arai Hakuseki, Joyce Ackroyd (trans.), ''Told Round a Brushwood Fire'', University of Tokyo Press (1979), 289n38.</ref>