Kosaten Shiro is the preeminent military fortress of the Crane, though it cannot hope to rival the great fortresses of the Crab and Lion. Standing at the vanguard during the clan’s seemingly endless wars with the Lion, Crossroads Castle is key to the clan’s defenses, and is the site of constant military drills. The Daidoji hold this castle in the highest regard and it is the linchpin of much of their military strategy. From Kosaten Shiro, Daidoji saboteurs venture out to harass invading forces and wreak havoc on their supply lines; large numbers of conventional troops are also housed here, ready to take the field. For miles between here and the border the land is filled with traps, deadfalls, ambush sites, and similar defensive resources. Three Sides River and the Lake of Sorrows both act as water sources for Kosaten Shiro. The Daidoji have been known to exploit the superstitions and violent history of the Lake of Sorrows to deter their enemies, such as with soldiers camouflaged and hidden in fog.
The architecture of the palace itself is no less military in nature. The castle is designed to shroud the area around it in concealing shadows, and its very walls radiate hostility toward attackers as if the stones themselves were waiting to kill. Considering the number of hideaways and murder holes embedded within those walls, this is not far from the truth.
Although Kosaten Shiro is above all a military holding, during in times of peace the Crossroads Castle lives up to its name by serving as an important link for the trade coming in and out of Crane territory from the west.