northwest and the "Honmaru", or inner bailey in the middle. Dry moats protect these inner enclosures and are crossed by bridges. The faces of the moats were protected by stones. Originally front gate was "Otemon" gate facing westward, but later the "Sawaguchi" gate facing southeast which connected to Nakasendō became the main gate. To save time and expense, the Ii clan scavenged many stones and buildings by demolishing all other fortifications in their territory and bringing the materials to Hikone. The three-story tenshu located at the center of the castle was brought from Ōtsu Castle. Originally built in 1575, the exterior has an older style of decoration on each roof, and the overall structure appears short and stout, as it was modified from what was originally a five-story tower. The "Tenbin yagura" was brought from Nagahama Castle. it is a gate with two two-story yagura watchtowers on either side, which protect the dry moats in front of the gate. The "Nishinomaru Sanju Yagura" was brought from Odani Castle. History However, due to injuries which he had suffered in battle, he died in 1602 when construction had just begun. The castle was finally completed under his son Ii Naokatsu in 1622 after 20 years of construction. The castle was used as the administrative center of Hikone Domain. Often considered the foremost of the fudai daimyō, the Ii clan served in many important positions within the Tokugawa shogunate. During the Bakumatsu period, the tairō Ii Naosuke was virtual ruler of the country during a time of very weak and ineffectual shoguns. However, his acquiescence in ending Japan's national isolation policy under pressure from the western powers led to his assassination by pro-Sonnō Jōi forces in 1860. The final daimyō of Hikone, Ii Naonori grew increasingly dissatisfied with the hostile treatment still accorded Hikone Domain by the shogunal administration, which was dominated by the Hitotsubashi faction which had been hostile to Ii Naosuke. He also came to the realization that shogunate's military system and equipment was now obsolete compared with the Satchō Alliance. Although Hikone Domain had been one of the strongest supporters of the Tokugawa shogunate, he was among the first to support the imperial cause in the Boshin War. During the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, although Hikone forces were stationed at Osaka Castle, they did not join the shogunal army, but simply marched home. The domain later took part in combat against