ページ 64 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

194.Saiki Castle Part1

Many lords built their castles on a plain or a low hill after the Battle of Sekigahara. However, Takamasa’s choice was to build his strongest castle on a mountain, which was rare then.

Location and History

Takamasa Mori builds Castle

Saiki City is located in the southeastern part of Oita Prefecture, Kyushu Region. It is known for its agriculture, forestry and fishing, in particular, Saiki Port is the largest landing port in the prefecture. The city actually originates from the castle town of Saiki Castle which Takamasa Mori first built. He was also the founder of the Saiki Domain which governed the castle and town all through the Edo Period between the 17th and the 19th Centuries.

The range of Saiki City and the location of the castle

Takamasa originally came from Owari Province, which is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture, and worked under Hideyoshi Hashiba who would be the ruler of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. After the unification of Japan, Takamasa was sent by Hideyoshi to Korea in 1592 and became active in the invasion of it. Hideyoshi gave Hita and Kusu Districts in Bungo Province (which is now Oita Prefecture) in 1595 to Takamasa in response to his contribution, following the former lord, the Otomo Clan which was fired by Hideyoshi. He improved some castles including Tsunomure Castle while he was in the territory.

The wooden statue of Takamasa Mori, from the signboard at Saiki City Historical Museum

After Hideyoshi died in 1598, a decisive battle over the county between the East Quad led by Ieyasu Tokugawa and the West Quad led by Mitsunari Ishida supporting the Toyotomi Clan took place in 1600, called the Battle of Sekigahara. Takamasa joined the West Quad which was defeated by the East Quad. He immediately surrendered to the East Quad. Considering other cases of the lords who supported the West Quad, Takamasa might have been fired or killed by the Tokugawa Shogunate which Ieyasu founded. However, he survived as the lord of another territory in Bungo Province, called Saiki. One of the reasons for his survival is said that his friend, Takatora Todo who was a powerful lord of the East Quad saved him. Another reason is probably Takamasa had the capacity to build great castles and improve civil government. He was also a specialist of guns.

*The folding screens of the Sekigahara Battle, owned by Sekigahara Town History and Folklore Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

*The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Some of the demi-cannons Takamasa used, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

New Mountain Castle, rare case after Battle of Sekigahara

The Saeki area already had a great mountain castle called, Togamure Castle, however, Takamasa built a new mountain castle as his new home base in 1601, which would be Saiki Castle. The reasons why he took the trouble to build another mountain castle are said to be as follows. First, the new castle was near the port and the expected castle town, so it was convenient for the government. Second, the mountain the castle was built on had had the Hachiman Shrine, that’s why it was called Hachiman Mountain and considered as a holy place, which could give the castle builder authority. Finally, the situation was still unstable because the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Toyotomi Clan were against each other at that time. Lords in Japan needed to prepare for the next battle. Though some other lords built their castles on a plain or a low hill, Takamasa’s answer was to build his strongest castle on a mountain, which was rare then.

The imaginary illustration of Togamure Castle, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

*The miniature model of* Saiki Castle, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

Saiki Castle was completed in 1605. The mountain is 145m high and has long and narrow ridges in the north and the southwest from the top. The top and ridges were all covered with stone walls. The top had the Main Enclosure and the Main Tower in it. The Second Enclosure was next to the Main Enclosure, which were connected by the Corridor Bridge, the only path to the Main Enclosure. The Second Enclosure had the Main Hall for the lord. It was not so large, but the lord and his family usually had to live on the mountain preparing for an emergency or a battle. The castle also had two reservoirs, called Men-ike or the Female Pond and On-ike or the Male Pond on a valley between the ridges. They were built for a long siege and also surrounded by stone walls.

The Main Enclosure on the right and the Second Enclosure on the left in the miniature model, the Corridor Bridge in inside the red circle

The Male Pond, still surrounded by the stone walls

Main Hall is built at foot of mountains in peaceful period

After the shogunate defeated the Toyotomi Clan in 1615, the situation changed. The government of the shogunate became stable. That meant lords in Japan didn’t need to live in an inconvenient hall on the mountain. In the case of the Saiki Domain, the third lord of the domain, Takanao Mori built the Third Enclosure and his new Main Hall at the foot of the mountain in 1637. As for the Main Tower in the Main Enclosure on the top, it is said to have had three-levels, but its details are quite uncertain. This is because it was unfortunately lost at the very first stage of the castle for some reasons.

The Main Hall at the foot of the mountain in the miniature model

To be continued in “Saiki Castle Part2”

194.佐伯城　その１

関ヶ原の戦いの後、大名の多くは城を平地や低い丘陵に築きました。しかし毛利高政の選択は当時としてはとても珍しく、強力な城を山上に築くというものでした。

立地と歴史

毛利高政が築城

佐伯（さいき）市は、九州地方の大分県南東部に位置していて、農業、林業、漁業が盛んなことで知られています。特に佐伯港は県で最も多くの水揚高があります。この市は、毛利高政が最初に築いた佐伯城の城下町を発祥としています。彼はまた、城と町を含む佐伯藩の創始者でもあり、藩は１７世紀から１９世紀の江戸時代の間、ずっと継続しました。

佐伯市の範囲と城の位置

高政はもとは、現在の愛知県西部にあたる尾張国の出身で、後に天下人の豊臣秀吉となる羽柴秀吉に仕えていました。天下統一がなった後、1592年に秀吉により朝鮮侵攻に派遣され、武将として活躍します。秀吉はこの貢献に応え、1595年に高政に対して豊後国（現在の大分県）の日田（ひた）郡と玖珠（くす）郡を領地として与えました。以前の領主であった大友氏は秀吉により改易されていたので、その後釜になったのです。高政は、その領地にいる間、角牟礼（つのむれ）城などいつくかの城を改修しました。

1598年に秀吉が亡くなると、徳川家康率いる東軍と、豊臣家を支持する石田三成率いる西軍との間で1600年に天下分け目の関ヶ原の戦いが起こりました。高政は西軍に加わりますが、東軍が勝利します。彼は直ちに東軍に降伏しますが、他の西軍に加わった大名たちの行く末からすると高政も、家康が設立した徳川幕府によって改易や処刑といった処分を受けても不思議はありませんでした。しかし、豊後国の別の場所（佐伯）に転封となるだけで済んだのです。彼が生き残った理由としては、高政が懇意にしていた東軍の有力大名であった藤堂高虎が救いの手を差し伸べたことが考えられます。もう一つは恐らく、高政自身が優れた築城術と統治能力を乗っていたことも挙げられるでしょう。彼はまた、優れた銃術家でもありました。

「関ヶ原合戦図屏風」、関ケ原町歴史民俗資料館蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

*藤堂高虎肖像画、個人蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

関ヶ原後としては珍しい新規の山城

佐伯の地には既に、栂牟礼（とがむれ）城という優れた山城がありました。ところが、高政は1601年に新しい本拠地として新しい山城を築きました。それが佐伯城です。彼がわざわざ山城をもう一つ築いた理由としては、以下が考えられます。まず、新しい城は港や将来城下町となる場所に近く、当地のために便利だったからです。次に、この山城が築かれた山には、かつて八幡神社があり、そのため山自体も八幡山と呼ばれ、聖地とされていました。よってそこに城を築くことで、その権威を利用できたということです。それと、当時は徳川幕府と豊臣氏がまだ対立していて情勢が不安定であったことも挙げられます。日本の各大名たちは次なる戦いに備える必要がありました。大名の多くは城を平地や低い丘陵に築いていたのですが、高政の選択は当時としてはとても珍しく、強力な城を山上に築くというものでした。

佐伯城は1605年に完成しました。城を築いた山は標高１４５ｍで、山頂からは細長い峰が北と南西方向に伸びていました。その山頂と峰は総石垣で覆われていました。山頂部には本丸があり、天守が建っていました。二の丸は本丸のとなりにあり、廊下橋によりつながっていて、これが本丸への唯一の通路でした。二の丸には城主のための御殿がありました。この場所は決して広くありませんでしたが、城主もその家族も戦のような非常事態に備えるため、そこに住むことを余儀なくされたのです。城には峰の間の谷間に２つの貯水池があり、それぞれ雌池（めんいけ）と雄池（おんいけ）と呼ばれました。長い籠城戦を想定して作られ、ここもまた石垣に囲まれていました。

平和な時代となり山麓に御殿を建設

1615年に幕府が豊臣氏を倒した後は、状況は変わりました。幕府の統治は安定しました。これは、日本の大名たちがもう不便な山上の御殿に住まなくてもよいことを意味しました。佐伯藩の場合は、３代目の藩主、毛利高直が1637年に山麓に三の丸と新しい御殿を築いたのです。山頂の本丸にあった天守に関しては、三階建てであったとも言われますが、詳細についてはわかっていません。何らかの理由で城の初期の段階で残念ながら失われてしまったからです。

「佐伯城その２」に続きます。

163.Kuroi Castle Part3

Kuroi Castle is a local hero, Naomasa Ogino’s castle. On the other hand, it is known for the activity of the nationwide hero, Mitsuhide Akechi as well.

Features

Arriving at Top

You will reach the top of the mountain with a little more climbing. After you pass the second wire gate, you will see a different appearance of the castle ruins from what you have seen so far. The enclosures on the top are all surrounded by stone walls which you can see from the foot as well. The difference came from the period each part was finally built. The part above the gate was completed by Mitsuhide Akechi or the later lords, while the part below the gate was left as it was after Naomasa Ogino built it. The gate was installed probably in order to protect the stone walls from being destroyed by animal invasion.

The Eastern Enclosure in the front and the Third Enclosure in the back

Three Enclosures on Top with Great Views

The layout of the top area is connected by three enclosures, the front Third, the central Second, and back Main Enclosures. They are surrounded by plain other enclosures, such as the Eastern Enclosure, and each has its own altered gate on their side. The stone walls use natural stones which were collected from neighboring places. Historians point out these features can be seen in other castles Nobunaga or his retainers built. They also say the stone walls of Kuroi Castle were built to show authority to the people.

The map arond the main portion of the castle

*The Third Enclosure in the front and the Second Enclosure in the back*

Looking at the Third Enclosure from the Second Enclosure

*Looking at the Main Enclosure from the Second Enclosure*

Finally, please enjoy a great panoramic view of the area around from the top. It’s worthwhile to climb over 200m from the foot of the mountain.

Later History

The ruins of Kuroi Castle were designated as a National Historic Site in 1989 while they have long been part of hiking courses on Inokuchi Mountain. Therefore, it needs to be established both how to preserve the ruins and how to use the courses. Tanba City made the basic plan for the development of the Kuroi Castle Ruins in 2018. It installed an aluminum stairways into the stone wall gates on the top to preserve it based on the plan. However, some hikers argued that the stairways spoiled the scenery. As a result, the city painted the stairways brown in response. The controversial discussion will continue.

The brown-painted stairway at the Second Enclosure

My Impression

I met a person who said he climbs the mountain to the castle ruins on the top every day, wearing a T-shirt of Naomasa Akai (Ogino). I thought that Kuroi Castle is his local hero, Naomasa’s castle. On the other hand, officials also feature Mitsuhide Akechi who took the castle away from Nomasa’s successor and probably built its stone walls. The castle is known for the activity of the nationwide hero as well. The appearance of the castle ruins actually indicate the two periods, which is a great legacy of the Japanese history. I would like to visit other forts Naomasa built next time, which I didn’t visit on my first visit.

The illustration of Naomasa Ogino on the left and Mitsuhide Akechi on the right, exhibited by the rest house at the foot of the mountain

How to get There

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Kuroi Castle Part1”
Back to “Kuroi Castle Part2”