I visited Matsumoto Castle and it was amazing!(Part2: Exterior) 松本城:デザインと狭間
I met up with Matt Okuhara san from England. Matt has lived in Matsumoto for 8 years and is well know for his Matsumo Gun Corp content as @gun.samurai イギリス出身、松本住まい:奥原マットさんと合流しました。在住8年目、マットさんは松本城鉄砲隊のメンバー。
Matt san was kind enough to show me around the grounds and interior of Matsumoto Castle. マットさんが御城の敷地内案内してくれました。
After crossing the moat to the Kuromon, Matt san pointed out the design of the area where we we were standing. If enemies infiltrated that part of the castle, both sets of gates could be closed, boxing in the enemy before they breached the castle grounds.
入場チケットゲートと黒門の間のエレアに突然止まりました。マットさんの説明によるともし敵が入ってたら両ゲートを閉めれば敵がとじ込んだ状態になり上の窓から簡単に狙われます。
I realised very quickly on that the design of Matsumoto Castle is intricate and multipurpose. As a town planner the design and layout was very interesting. We had only taken a few steps inside but already there were so many fascinating details.数歩しか入ってないのに御城デザインの細かさを感じました。中にいる方を守るためでも建物。
Interior and outward facing wall s of the area we stood had two types of windows known as sama 狭間（さま). Matt explained the taller elongated window was for archers 矢狭間 yazama, the shorter window for matchlock gunners called 鉄砲狭間 teppozama.
狭間（さま）が興味深かった。鉄砲や矢で敵を攻撃するためにつくられました。控塀には狭間（さま）があり、対岸の敵を弓矢や火縄銃で攻撃できるようになっています。
正方形のものが「鉄砲狭間」、長方形のものが「矢狭間」。The shape and design of the sama windows is fascinating. It is such that the sama is cut away at an oblique angle so that the archer has a wide range of movement.
Windows in European castles are known as arrowslits, arrow loops, loopholes or balistraria (narrow vertical aperture in a fortification through which an archer can shoot).外国では矢間はアロースリット、アローループなどと色んな名前ついてます。
Please look forward to Part 3: inside the castle!
