ページ 123 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

154.Tamaru Castle Part2

Castle ruins coming from several periods

Features

Going through Main and Second Gates

Today, the ruins of Tamaru Castle have been maintained by Tamaki Town and still located in the center of the town. The ruins of the Main Gate behind the remaining Outer Moat are also the entrance of the ruins and the town hall. The route on the entrance is paved and straight, not like the originally bent road, probably because of convenience for cars. If you drive to the ruins, you can use the parking lot of the hall.

The map around the castle

The Outer Moat in front of the Main Gate Ruins

The paved road goes up to the hill passing through the Second Gate Ruins surrounded by stone walls and the partially remaining Inner Moat. The route is still bent similar to the original one. Next comes the Third Enclosure in the past, however, the present route goes around it which is used as a school. You can see one of the few remaining buildings of the castle, the Fujimi-mon Gate, which had been sold, but moved to the present position, not like in the original one, on the way.

The Third Enclosure Ruins which is used as a school

the Fujimi-mon Gate which was moved to the present position

You can enjoy both Earthen and Stone Walls at Northern Enclosure

You can go directly to the Main Enclosure along the way but you should consider going the separate promenade around the Northern Enclosure. This is because you will be able to feel the long history of the castle when you see it. It is surrounded by old stone walls, and earthen walls outside. Earthen walls were commonly used in the Middle Ages before stone walls were used, so the earthen walls might have been built in the early stage of the castle.

The entrance of the promenade around the Northern Enclosure

The earthen walls of the Northern Enclosure outside

The stone walls also look like those of Azuchi Castle, one of the earliest examples of stone walls for castles, which Nobukatsu’s father, Nobunaga built. You might think the stone walls were built by Nobukatsu, but historians point out most of the castle’s stone walls were built by the Inaba Clan.

The stone walls of the Northern Enclosure

The combination of stone and earthen walls of the Northen Enclosure

Main Enclosure has several Attractions

Going back to the main route, the paved road reaches the Main Enclosure, so you can easily enter it. Its alternating entrance surrounded by stone walls, called Koguchi, which was restored in the present time based on the achievements of the excavation.

A view of the entrance from above the stone walls

One of the highlights of it is the stone wall base for the Main Tower. Part of it such as the stone steps were added later than the original. However, the basic type, called Anagura-siki or the Cellar Type, is a very early method for Main Tower bases. Historians say the base might have been built by Nobukatsu.

The inside of the base (the Cellar Type)

The second one has a good view of the town from it. The area around the town looks rich and peaceful, probably the same as in the past. That proves the good location of the castle.

The rest is the stone walls surrounding the enclosure, you can look around. They look newer and more processed than those of the Northern Enclosures, so the Kuno Clan might repaired them.

Part of the stone walls were made with two tiers

To be continued in “Tamaru Castle Part3”
Back to “Tamaru Castle Part1”

154.田丸城　その２

いくつかの時代から成る城跡

特徴、見どころ

大手門、二の門を通る

現在、田丸城跡は玉城町により維持されていて、今でも町の中心部に位置しています。現存する外堀の奥にある大手門跡は、城跡の入口であり、また町役場の入口にもなっています。この入口を通る道路は、もともと折れ曲がっていましたが、現在では恐らくは交通の便のために舗装されてまっすぐになっています。もし、車で城跡に来られたのでしたら、町役場の駐車場を使うことができます。

城周辺の地図

舗装された道路は丘の方に登っていって、石垣と一部残っている内堀に囲まれた二の門跡を過ぎていきます。この部分は昔のように今でも曲げられています。この後はかつては三の丸に至ったのですが、そこは学校地になっているので、現在の道は回り込んでいます。道沿いには城では数少ない現存建物の一つ、富士見門があります。この門は一旦売却されて別の場所にあったのですが、元通りの場所ではないのですが、城跡内の現在地点に戻されました。

土塁と石垣両方を楽しめる北の丸

このまま本丸に行くこともできるのですが、その前に枝分かれする遊歩道の方に行って、北の丸の周りを歩いてみることをお勧めします。それは、この曲輪を見たときにこの城の長い歴史を実感できるからです。この曲輪は古い石垣に囲まれているのですが、更にその外側を土塁が囲んでいます。土塁は、石垣が使われるようになるまでは、中世の城では普通に使われていました。そのため、ここの土塁は初期の段階より存在していたかもしれないのです。

ここの石垣も、城の石垣としては最も古いものの一つである安土城のものに似て見えます。安土城は信雄の父、信長が築いたものなので、この石垣は信雄が築いたものではと思ってしまいますが、歴史家によれば、この城のほとんどの石垣は稲葉氏が築いたとのことです。

見どころが多い本丸

本道に戻ると、舗装道が本丸にまで至っているので、簡単に中に入ることができます。虎口と呼ばれる、石垣に囲まれ食い違いになっている入口は、発掘の成果により現代になって復元されたものです。

本丸の第一の見どころは、天守台石垣でしょう。石段などの一部の部分は、後から追加されたものです。しかし、穴倉式という基本的な天守台の形式は、天守台を作る方式の中では初期のものに当たります。歴史家によれば、この天守台は信雄により築かれたかもしれないとのことです。

次の見どころは、本丸からの町の景色です。この町周辺は、豊かで平和な地域に見えます。きっと過去もそうだったのでしょう。この城の立地がとても良いことがわかります。

他にも、本丸を囲む石垣も見て回ってほしいです。北の丸の石垣よりは新しく且つ精密に見えますが、江戸時代に久野氏が修繕した結果のようです。

「田丸城その３」に続きます。
「田丸城その１」に戻ります。

154.Tamaru Castle Part1

The home base of Nobukatsu Oda

Location and History

Nobukatsu Oda lives in Castle as Ise Province Governor

Tamaru Castle was located in the center of Ise Province which is almost the same as modern day Mie Prefecture. The castle has a long history, which was first built by the Kitabatake Clan in 1336 during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The clan survived as a warlord and the governor of the province until the late 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, while the castle was a branch castle of them. The castle eventually got popular when Nobukatsu Oda became the governor in 1575. He also lived and improved the castle as his home base in the same year. The reason for it was that he had been adopted as the Kitabatake Clan’s successor when the Oda Clan and the Kitabatake Clan had made peace with each other after their battles.

The range of Ise Province and the location of the castle

The portrait of Nobukatsu Oda, owned by Sokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

He is used by Rulers of Japan

Nobukatsu is one of the most difficult historical figures to evaluate fairly. He was a son of Nobunaga Oda, the ruler of Japan. He was first used by Nobunaga to take over the Kitabatake Clan. Nobunaga actually ordered him to kill his father-in-law, Tomonori Kitabatake in order to completely make the province Oda’s own. Some historians say Nobukatsu was a fool and an incompetent. For example, he failed his own invasion of Iga Province located next to Ise in 1579 and was blamed by Nobunaga.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Tomonori Kitabatake, owned by Iseyoshida Library (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

After his real father was killed in the Honnoji Incident in 1582, he was then used by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the next ruler. Hideyoshi used him as a stalking horse of beating Katsuie Shibata, Nobutaka Oda or subordinating Ieyasu Tokugawa to Hideyoshi. In the end, just after the completion of Hideyoshi’s unification of Japan in 1590, Hideyoshi fired Nobukatsu because he complained about moving to another territory. That was also the moment when Hideyoshi completed to take over his original master, the Oda Clan.

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

He is highly educated person

However, was Nobukatsu really incompetent even if he was inferior to the rulers; Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu? He was finally given small territories which included Uda-Matsuyama in Yamato Province and Obata in Kozuke Province by Ieyasu. He was able to govern from the first Ise to the last of these territories smoothly. He was also a highly educated person as he was once the successor of the Kitabatake Clan, which had been a noble of the Southern dynasty. It is proven by a remaining Japanese garden called Rakusanen in Obata which he built. Then, if you want to see what he was like as a warlord, it may be a good idea to see Tamaru Castle.

The location of Nobukatsu’s last territories

The Kasuga-mon Gate of Uda-Matsuyama Encampment (licensed by Saigen Jiro via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle is finally followed by Tokugawa Clan

Tamaru Castle was on a hill near Ise Gingu Shrine, with the main portion as connected the Northern, Main, and Second Enclosures on its top. The Main Enclosure also had the three-level Main Tower. The Third Enclosure was below these enclosures and all were surrounded doubly by the Inner and Outer Moats. The three gates behind the moats and of the Third Enclosure were bent inside to prevent enemies from attacking easily. This structure would lead to a square defensive space called Masugata later. Some stone walls were built including the stone wall base for the Main Tower, but the details are uncertain. As long as you look at the castle, Nobukatsu chose a good location and built it well. However, the castle was unfortunately burned down by an arson in 1580 before he had to move to Matsugashima castle.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower of Tamaru Castle

The Illustration of Tamaru Castle during Horeki Era, from the signboard at the site, adding the red letters for the names of parts

After that, the castle was restored by the Gamo Clan and followed by the Inaba, Todo and finally Tokugawa Clans. In particular, the Inaba Clan renovated the castle by building stone walls surrounding all the main portions. Since 1619, one of the Three Branches of the Tokugawa Family, the Kii Domain owned the castle through the Edo Period. It was based in the Wakayama Castle, so the Kuno Clan which was a senior vassal of the domain lived in the castle. The clan maintained and repaired it when it got old or suffered damage from natural disasters such as earthquakes.

The stone walls of the Main Enclosure of Tamaru Castle, repaired by the Kuno Clan

To be continued in “Tamaru Castle Part2”