Castles · 中住まい
Central House.
The king one step up, to 5h, between golds on 7h and 3h: balance instead of a corner.
How it goes together
The king takes one step straight up, from 5i to 5h, and the golds stand wide on either side of him, on 7h and 3h. The Japan Shogi Association’s guide book, which ja.wikipedia cites, describes the shape as the king one square above its starting square, and gives its purpose as being ready for major pieces dropped into the camp. Neither the golds’ nor the silvers’ squares are fixed, though 7h and 3h are the usual golds; the build here, from the source’s own game record, puts a silver on 4h.
Move by move
Black only, five moves: the bishop’s pawn, the left gold, the king’s one step, the right silver and the right gold.
Step through the moves, or press play.
Tap a move to jump to it. Arrow keys work once the board has focus.
Five moves, the shortest castle on this site.
What it is good against
Speed and balance. The source counts it as able to meet a quick attack, and with a gold on each side of the king a rook or bishop dropped behind the lines does not find an empty wing.
Where it breaks
A long game. The source’s verdict is 持久戦には向かない, not suited to a slow game, and ja.wikipedia adds that it is weak against an attack on the king’s head from above.
When to build it
Static rook against static rook in the aerial openings, Side Pawn Capture and Double Wing Attack, where it is one option among several rather than a plan from move one.
Build it at the board.
The app’s lesson walks the king into a Mino one step at a time, and its review names the castle you were building when a game turned.