2021年7月 – ページ 6 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

44.Nagoya Castle Part2

The castle makes Nagoya what it is.

Location and History

Nagoya Castle revived

There was another Nagoya Castle which had the same name and was built at the same place as the present Nagoya Castle in the middle 16th century during the Sengoku Period. It is said that the famous warlord Nobunaga Oda was born at the old Nagoya Castle. Nobunaga eventually moved his home base to Kiyosu Castle before the old Nagoya Castle was abandoned. Since then, Kiyosu Castle (about 10km away from Nagoya Castle on the northeast) had been the center of Owari Province (what is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture). In 1609, the Tokugawa Shogunate decided to build a new castle in place of Kiyosu Castle which often suffered from floods. They needed a stronger castle for their relatives to prepare for a battle with the Toyotomi Clan at Osaka Castle. The castle was named Nagoya Castle once again.

The location of Nagoya Castle and Kiyosu Castle

A view of Nagoya Castle from the ruins of Kiyosu Castle *(licensed by 名古屋太郎 via Wikimedia Commons)*

Simple but Strong Castle with one of Largest Main Tower

The area of the castle was very large but built simply and strongly. The center of the castle, the Main Enclosure, was protected on all directions by other enclosures such as the West Enclosure. The Second Enclosure was added on the southeast of the Main Enclosure, which had the Ninomaru Main Hall for the lord of the castle. The largest Third Enclosure was on the south of all other enclosures, which was used as the senior vassals’ houses.

The drawing of Nagoya Castle in Owari Province (exhibited by the National Diet Library)

The aerial photo around the castle

The Main Enclosure had the five-layer Main Tower, one of the largest main towers on record. The two golden grampuses on the top were particularly popular among people. It is said the first generator of them used 215 kilograms of gold. The enclosure also had the Honmaru Main Hall, but it was only for the Shogun’s stay. Actually, just three Shoguns used it. People have been saying that “The castle makes Nagoya what it is.”.

An old picture of the original Main Tower and the Honmaru Main Hall at the Main Enclosure *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Destruction and Revival

After the Meiji Restoration, the large enclosures such as the Second and Third Enclosures were turned into a Japanese Army base. However, the government decided to maintain around the Main Enclosure as a castle. Many traditional buildings including the Main Tower and the Honmaru Main Hall remained as they were. They were designated as the first National Treasure for a castle in 1930. It is regrettable to say this, but almost all of them were burned down in 1945. Only three turrets and three gates remain now.

The remaining Southwest Corner Turret at the Main Enclosure

The remaining Second Front Gate at the Main Enclosure

After 14 years from the tragedy, people in Nagoya rebuilt the Main Tower which we now see. One third of the fund for rebuilding it came from the citizens’ donation. The appearance of the tower is almost the same as the original one, but it is a modern concrete building on a huge caisson inside the original stone wall base. The original golden grampuses, which were also burned in 1945, were restored at the same time. The present ones include 88 kilograms of gold. In 2018, the Honmaru Main Hall in the Main Enclosure was restored using the original methods. The enclosure is returning to its former appearance.

The restored Hommaru Main Hall at the Main Enclosure

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

44.名古屋城　その２

尾張名古屋は城でもつ

立地と歴史

復活した名古屋城

戦国時代の１６世紀中頃、現在の名古屋城と同じ場所に、同じ名前を持つもう一つの那古野（なごや）城がありました。この古い方の那古野城で有名な戦国大名、織田信長が生まれたと言われています。信長は、そのうちに本拠地を清州城に移し、那古野城は廃城となりました。それ以来、清州城（名古屋城の北西約１０ｋｍのところ）は尾張国（現在の愛知県西部）の中心地であり続けました。1609年、徳川幕府は度々洪水の被害にあっていた清州城の代わりに、新しい城を築くことを決めました。大坂城にいた豊臣氏との戦いに備え、徳川の親族が入るためのより強力な城が必要とされたのです。その城は、再び名古屋（なごや）城と命名されました。

名古屋城と清州城の位置

清州城跡から見た名古屋城 *(licensed by 名古屋太郎 via Wikimedia Commons)*

シンプルだが強力な城、最大級の天守

城の範囲は広大で、シンプルであっても強力に作られました。城の中心である本丸は、西の丸などの曲輪群によって全ての方角に対し防御されていました。二の丸は、本丸の南東に付け加えられていて、城主のための御殿が建てられていました。最も大きな三の丸は、他の全ての曲輪の南方にあり、重臣たちの屋敷地となっていました。

城周辺の航空写真

本丸には５層の天守があり、史上最も大きな天守の一つでした。頂にあった２つの金鯱は人々の間で特に人気がありました。初代の金鯱には215kgもの金が使われていたと言われています。また、本丸御殿もありましたが、これは将軍が滞在するためだけに存在しました。実際には3人の将軍しか使用していません。人々は「尾張名古屋は城でもつ」と言い慣わしてきました。

元あった天守と本丸御殿の写真 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

焼亡と復興

明治維新後、二の丸、三の丸といった大きな曲輪は日本陸軍の駐屯地となりました。しかし、政府は本丸周辺は城として維持していくことを決断しました。天守や本丸御殿を含む伝統的建物群がそのまま残されたのです。1930年には、城として初となる国宝にも指定されています。ところが、誠に残念なことに1945年にほとんどの建物が焼け落ちてしまったのです。現在は３つの櫓と３つの門が残るのみです。

空襲で燃え上がる天守 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

その悲劇から１４年後、名古屋の人々は現在見る天守を再建しました。再建のための予算の３分の１は市民からの寄付によりました。天守の外観はほとんど元通りでしたが、実は元の石垣の内側にあるケーソンの上に建てられた、コンクリート製の近代的ビルだったのです。元あった金鯱は1945年に一緒に燃えてしまいましたが、同時に復元されました。現在のものは88㎏の金を含んでいるそうです。2018年、本丸に、従来工法により本丸御殿が復元されました。本丸はかつての姿を取り戻しつつあります。

「名古屋城その３」に続きます。
「名古屋城その１」に戻ります。

44.Nagoya Castle Part1

Do we really need a wooden Main Tower?

What is happening?

Nagoya City’s Policy

Nagoya Castle, which is located in Nagoya City, is very popular. Its Main Tower with the Golden Grampuses on the top is one of the most famous symbols of the city. The Main Tower is not original but was apparently restored in 1959. The original one was burned down due to the Bombing of Nagoya in 1945 during World War II.

The location of the castle

Takashi Kawamura, the mayor of Nagoya City has been suggesting the construction of a wooden Main Tower which would have the same design as the original one. The present Main Tower is over 60 years old and was found to have poor earthquake resistance. He stresses it is a good opportunity for replacing the present concrete Main Tower with an almost original wooden one. He also says the city can do this as it has a lot of pictures, drawings, and other records of the original one before it was burned down. He tells the citizens a wooden Main Tower gives great power to the city and boosts tourism. Many of the citizens support him, but it is not that simple.

A picture of the original Main Tower (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Claim of Agency for Cultural Affairs

Kawamura needs the approval of the Agency for Cultural Affairs before the launch of the replacement, because the castle has been designated as a Special National Historic Site. The agency claims that Nagoya City should investigate and repair the stone wall base for the Main Tower before the replacement. The base is original but has been left damaged from the fire of the bombing. It is more important for the agency to repair the base than to restore a wooden Main Tower.

The part damaged from the fire of the bombing

The present Main Tower is actually a modern building used as a museum with an elevator. If the building is replaced with a wooden building using the original design, this will not be able to have the elevator. Some groups of disabled people argue that the building must be accessable. In addition, the government will also not allow such a building to be used as the museum, even though the wooden building would have sprinklers to avoid fires, and reinforced woods to protect from earthquakes. It will also have regulations for visitors, such as an admission limit.

The present Main Tower has elevators outside and inside.

Other Opinions

Others suggest that the design of the wooden Main Tower should be changed even if it is different from the original one. It can have the elevator and emergency facilities. Some of the officials agree with it, but Kawamura says a new Main Tower must be built in the original design. Few people say that a wooden Main Tower is not needed, instead, the present Main Tower should be renovated for the anti-earthquake construction and the renewal of the museum. A wooden Main Tower will cost nearly 500 million US$, while the renovation would need about 65 million US$ (in the actual case of Osaka Castle). The present Main Tower itself can also be a cultural property. Indeed, the present concrete Main Tower of Osaka Castle became a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property recently and is 90 years old now.

The Main Tower of Osaka Castle which is a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property

To be continued in “Nagoya Castle Part2”