148.Hamamatsu Castle Part3

The castle still has many mysteries.

Features

Around Castle

The map around the castle

If you have more time, how about visiting the ruins of Hikema Castle which now becomes a Toshogu Shrine. You can see a view and good location of the present Hamamatsu Castle in the distance.

The ruins of Hikema Castle
The Toshogu Shrine

I also recommend visiting ruins regarding the Battle of Mikatagahara such as Saigagake valley. You can still see the deep valley at 13m, which was originally about 40 m. There is the Saigagake Museum beside the valley, where you can learn Ieyasu’s life.

The present Saigagake Valley
The diorama of Ieyasu going to the battlefield. exhibited by the Saigagake Museum

There is also the monument of the battle, about 10km north from the museum.

the monument of the Battle OF Mikatagahara

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Hamamatsu Castle was abandoned and all the castle buildings were demolished. The Many parts of the castle were turned into a city area and only the central part remained as an observation platform. After World War II, Hamamatsu City bought and opened it as Hamamatsu Castle Park. The city is considering restoring the past castle.

The rebuilt Main Tower
The restored Main Tower Gate

My Impression

I once thought the remaining stone walls of Hamamatsu Castle were built by Ieyasu. However, I learned that the legacies of the castle come from many clans and periods. I also learned that the castle still has a lot of mysteries. I hope that these mysteries will be solved one by one through the excavation and studies in the future.

The remaining stone walls of the Main Tower Enclosure
The rebuilt Main Tower seen over the stone walls of the Main Tower Enclosure

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 30 minutes away from Hamamatsu IC on the Tomei Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in the park.
By public transportation, it takes about 20 minutes on foot from the JR Hamamatsu Station.
To get to Hamamatsu Station from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express.

Links and References

Hamamatsu Castle Park

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

148.浜松城 その3

この城にはまだ多くの謎があります。

特徴、見どころ

城の周りの見どころ

城周辺の地図

もしお時間があるようでしたら、現在は東照宮となっている引間城跡に行ってはいかがでしょうか。そこからは遠くに現在の浜松城がよく見えて、そこが良い立地だということがわかると思います。

引間城跡
引間城跡にある東照宮

また、三方ヶ原の戦いの跡地として、犀ヶ崖を訪れてみることもお勧めです。そこにある谷は元は約40mもあったといいますが、現在でも13mの深さがあります。傍らには犀ヶ崖資料館があり、家康の半生を振り返るような展示があります。

現在の犀ヶ崖
出撃する家康のジオラマ(犀ヶ崖資料館)

資料館の北方約10kmのところには、三方ヶ原の戦いの記念碑があります。

三方ヶ原の戦いの記念碑

その後

明治維新後、浜松城は廃城となり、城の全ての建物は撤去されました。多くの城の敷地は市街地となっていき、中心部分だけが展望台として残りました。第二次世界大戦後、浜松市がその地を買い上げ、浜松城公園として公開しました。浜松市は、できるだけ城の昔の姿を再現しようと検討しているところです。

復興天守
復元された天守門

私の感想

私はかつて、浜松城に残っている石垣は家康が築いたと思っていました。しかし調べてみると、この城の遺産は、多くの時代の大名たちによって残されたのだとわかりました。また、この城にはまだ多くの謎が残っていることも学びました(オリジナルの天守の姿、家康に関する伝説など)。今後発掘や研究が進むことで、これらの謎が少しずつ明らかになることを望みます。

天守曲輪の現存石垣
天守曲輪の石垣越しに見える復興天守

ここに行くには

車で行く場合、東名自動車道の浜松ICから約30分かかります。公園にビジター用の駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、JR浜松駅から歩いて約20分かかります。
東京か大阪から行く場合:東海道新幹線に乗ってください。

リンク、参考情報

浜松城公園
・「家康と家臣団の城/加藤理文著」角川選書
・「よみがえる日本の城11」学研
・「日本の城改訂版第77号」デアゴスティーニジャパン

これで終わります。ありがとうございました。
「浜松城その1」に戻ります。
「浜松城その2」に戻ります。

148.Hamamatsu Castle Part2

The small size Imitation Main Tower is on the original stone walls base.

Features

To Park Entrance

Today, Hamamatsu Castle has been developed as Hamamatsu Castle Park. The Main Tower Enclosure and part of the Main Enclosure remain in the park. If you walk to the park from Hamamatsu Station, you will see the Hamamatsu City Hall, which was part of the Second Enclosure in the past, on the left. You can enter the road to the entrance of the park in the north of the hall. You will see the ruins of the Main and Second Enclosures being excavated over the fence on the right.

The map around the castle

The Hamamatsu City Hall
The entrance to Hamamatsu Castle Park
The road to the park
Part of the Main and Second Enclosures under excavation

You will reach the wall of the cross section of the Main Enclosure, which was cut in the present time, so you will need to go around to the left or right corner of the wall to enter the park. No matter which entrance you choose, you’d reach the remaining part of the main enclosure. There is a statue of Ieyasu Tokugawa, and the ruins of the Fujimi Turret on the earthen walls.

The signpost of the park entrance in front of the wall of the cross section of the Main Enclosure
Going to the Main Enclosure through the right side entrance
The inside of the Main Enclosure
The statue of Ieyasu Tokugawa
The ruins of the Fujimi Turret

Remaining Old style Stone Walls

The highlight of the castle is the remaining stone walls of the Main Tower and Main Enclosures. They were basically piled using natural stones, one of the earliest methods for castles’ stone walls, called Nozura-zumi. They look very old and Yoshiharu Horio originally built them

A view of the Main Tower Enclosure from the ruins of the Fujimi Turret
The stone walls of the Main Tower Enclosure

If you look at the back side of the enclosure, you will also find these stone walls were built on the upper part of natural terrain. This is another early method, called Hachimaki-Ishigaki or the Headband Stone Walls, when the techniques for high stone walls weren’t developed. These stone walls were also bent elaborately like a folding screen, called Byobu-ore. This structure allowed the defenders to do direct attack from some points of the stone walls when enemies would attack the castle.

The Headband Stone Walls at the back side of the Main Tower Enclosure
The stone walls like a folding screen

The Main Tower Gate was recently restored in 2014 in a traditional way, based on the achievement of the excavation. You can not only go though the gate but also enter the inside of it.

The restored Main Tower Gate
The entrance to the inside of the gate

Main Tower is rebuilt smaller than Original

Apart from it, the Rebuilt Main Tower on the remaining stone wall base has been a symbol of the castle since it was built in 1958. The reason why we call it “Rebuilt”, and not “Restored”, is the unknown original Main Tower and that, in fact, the tower looks much smaller for the stone wall base. Perhaps it is because there was not enough budget for a tower which fits the base.

The small Rebuilt Main Tower on the original stone wall base
The comparison of the sizes between the rebuilt tower and estimated original one, exhibited in the Rebuilt Main Tower

However, you can enter the tower, learn about the castle, and enjoy a view of Hamamatsu City, as the tower is used as a historical museum and observation platform.

The excavated well for the original tower, exhibited in the Rebuilt Main Tower
An exhibition in the Rebuilt Main Tower
A view of the city area from the observation platform

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