The Gold pulled back is bound to be a good move.
(Kin wa hiku te ni koshu ari)

Vocabulary: Kin=Gold, wa=as for, hiku=to pull back, te=a move, ni=in, koshu=a good move, ari (declarative)=to be

(1)

Pull back your Gold on the back rank, and your defense will be stronger. Sometimes it may turn out to be a better move than you expect.

Diagram 1 is from a title match by professional players. How would you play here as Black?

White in hand: B 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  * wG  *  *  *  * wL |a
| * wK wS  *  *  * wG  *  * |b
| *  * wP wP  * wP wN wP  * |c
|wP wP  * wS wP  * wR  * wP |d
| *  *  *  *  *  * wP bP  * |e
|bP  * bP bS bP bP  *  * bP |f
| * bP  * bP  * bS bP  *  * |g
| *  * bK bG  *  * bG bR  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: B 
Diagram 1. Up to ....P-8d.
Black played G-3i, anticipating a Rook exchange. Then he moved the Gold onto 4i, thereby strengthening his defense. There followed a flamboyant show of exchanging both Rooks and Bishops (Diagram 2). The position is well-balanced, but take note that Black's camp allows no space for a Rook drop.

White in hand: R B P2 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  * wG  *  *  *  * wL |a
| * wK wS  *  *  *  *  *  * |b
| *  *  * wP  *  * wN  *  * |c
|wP wP wP wS  *  * wG  * wP |d
| *  *  *  * bP  * wP wP  * |e
|bP  *  * bS  * wP  *  * bP |f
| * bP bP bP  *  *  *  *  * |g
| *  * bK bG  *  * bS  *  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  * bG  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: R B P2 
Diagram 2. Up to ....Gx3d.
Below is another example in which the maxim in question was put to good use. Unlike above, this is a joseki position in the central Rook against static Rook opening.

White in hand: nothing
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  *  *  * wG  * wN wL |a
| *  * wR  * wG wS wK wB  * |b
|wP  *  *  * wS wP  * wP  * |c
| *  * wP wP wP  * wP  * wP |d
| * wP  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |e
| *  * bP bP bP bP  *  * bP |f
|bP bP bB bS  *  * bP bP  * |g
| *  * bG  * bR  * bS bK  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  * bG  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: nothing
Diagram 3. Up to ....R7b.

Moves from Diagram 3:

G-7i    P-7e    
Px7e    Rx7e    
R-7h   (Diagram 4)

White in hand: P 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  *  *  * wG  * wN wL |a
| *  *  *  * wG wS wK wB  * |b
|wP  *  *  * wS wP  * wP  * |c
| *  *  * wP wP  * wP  * wP |d
| * wP wR  *  *  *  *  *  * |e
| *  *  * bP bP bP  *  * bP |f
|bP bP bB bS  *  * bP bP  * |g
| *  * bR  *  *  * bS bK  * |h
|bL bN bG  *  * bG  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: P 
Diagram 4. Up to R-7h.
G-7i is exactly what the proverb teaches: to mend the unguarded space, which was at the same time preparing for Black's own Rook to come to 7h. Therefore, this was the best move to play here. Diagram 4 shows that Black has nothing to worry about in case of a Rook exchange. He/she can next play P-6e or B-8h, thereby taking the initiative of the game.


(2)

Diagram 1 shows White has just dropped a Rook in your camp. Your yagura-castle is still intact, but you cannot be too optimistic about that, since White still has a Rook and a Silver in hand. 

White in hand: R S 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |a
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |b
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |c
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |d
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |e
| *  * bP bP bP  *  *  *  * |f
|bP bP bS bG  *  * wB  *  * |g
| * bK bG  *  *  * wR  *  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: nothing
Diagram 1. Up to .....R*3h.
White will next play Rx7h, to which Black will have to respond with Kx7h. Then there will follow S*6i, Kx6i, R*4i, which will practically finish the game. (Diagram 2) 
White in hand: G 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |a
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |b
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |c
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |d
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |e
| *  * bP bP bP  *  *  *  * |f
|bP bP bS bG  *  * wB  *  * |g
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |h
|bL bN  * bK  * wR  *  *  * |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: R S 
Diagram 2. Up to ....R*4i.
From Diagram 2, Black's K-7h won't do. G*7i will end the game.

Back in Diagram 1, there is one move you can play to get yourself out of danger, which is...?

G6g-6h.

By placing two Golds side by side to guard your King, you can buy time. In the yagura-opening, you are supposed to place your Gold on 6g, but when you get into the endgame, the Gold had better be on 6h for the defense.

I might add that S-6h instead of G6g-6h is less preferable, even if it may appear to be similar in effect. There is a well-known endgame tesuji against the Yagura: S*6i, to which S-6h is hardly well-prepared.

Just remember that a Gold functions better when sitting in the back rank.

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