The two gates in this area were reserved for high-ranking visitors. Lords of the Date domain and members of the Imperial family used the grander Onarimon, while their samurai attendants entered through the less imposing Chumon. The difference in prestige is expressed in the construction of the gates: the Onarimon has a hip-and-gable tiled roof, while the Chumon has a simpler gable roof and wooden shingles. The Onarimon is supported by two main posts at the front and a pair of smaller posts at the rear, a style known as yakuimon, whereas the Chumon has two main posts under the central roofline supplemented by pairs of smaller posts on each side (shikyakumon).
The wall on the west side of the gate is a drum wall (taikohei). The center of the wall is loosely filled with stone and it makes a low, drum-like sound when the wall is struck.