162.Izushi Castle/Arikoyama Castle Part1

The Izushi area is known as its old castle town where many people visit to enjoy walking, eating and shopping around the area including the Izushi Castle Ruins at the foot of the mountain. If you look up at the mountain on a fine day, you will find stone walls on the top, which are other castle ruins in this area, called Arikoyama Castle which had been built before Izushi Castle.

Location and History

Two Castle Ruins in Izushi Area

Izushi Castle is located in modern day in the Izushi area of Toyooka City in the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture. The area is known as the old castle town where many people visit to enjoy walking, eating and shopping around the area including the Izushi Castle Ruins at the foot of the mountain. If you look up at the mountain on a fine day, you will find stone walls on the top, which are other castle ruins in this area, called Arikoyama Castle which had been built before Izushi Castle. These things make you understand the area has a very long history and rich culture.

The range of Toyooka City and the location of the castles

A street of the old Izushi castle town
Izushi Castle Ruins in the front and Arikoyama Castle Ruins in the back
The zooemed stone walls on the mountain

Yamana Clan, One of Greatest Lords during Middle Ages

Arikoyama Castle was first built by the Yamana Clan which is known as one of the greatest lords during the Middle Ages. The clan was a branch family of the Nitta Clan, which came from the Kanto Region in eastern Japan. When the Ashikaga Shogunate was established, Tokiuji Yamana, who was the lord of the clan at that time, greatly supported Takauji Ashikaga, the founder of the shogunate. That’s why Takauji sent Tokiuji to the Sanin area, the northern part of the Chugoku Region to govern, where their enemies were still active. Tokiuji and his descendants conquered their territories by force and finally became the governors of 11 out of 66 provinces in Japan, called Rokubun-no-ichi-dono (meaning the Lord of One Sixth of Japan).

The family crest of the Yamana Clan (licensed by Houunji 1642 via Wikimedia Commons)
The 11 provinces the Yamana Clan became governors (the colored ones)  (licensed by ja:User:味っ子 via Wikimedia Commons)

However, Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the third Shogun, was afraid of the overwhelming power of the Yamana Clan and defeated it in 1391, known as the Meitoku Rebellion. The clan’s power once declined but Sozen Yamana came out in the 15th Century and revived it as they had been. He is known as the commander in chief of the Western Alliance against the Eastern Alliance led by Katsumoto Hosokawa during the Onin War between 1467 and 1477 which would start the Sengoku Period. The clan eventually had many provinces again and its home was in the current Izushi area of Tajima Province which is now known as northern Hyogo Prefecture. The lords of the clan were first based in Konosumi-yama Castle on a mountain, about 5km north of the later Arikoyama Castle. Sozen actually made a sally with about 26 thousand warriors from this castle to fight with the Eastern Alliance in Kyoto.

The portrait of Sozen Yamana, from “Honcho-Hyakushoden” (licensed by Musuketeer.3 via Wikimedia Commons)
The portrait of Katsumoto Hosokawa, owned by Ryoanji Temple  (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Unlike the Hosokawa Clan which had a certain position in the central government, the Yamana Clan had to maintain its provinces by force. It got difficult for the clan to do it during the Sengoku Period when overthrowing their lords were often seen as overthrowing the whole country. The clan eventually lost its provinces one by one, being defeated in many battles against other warlords like the Akamatsu and Amago Clans. As a result, the Yamana’s authority decreased and some of its senior vassals tried to become independent. Suketoyo Yamana, the lord of the clan tried to somehow manage to maintain his last Tajima Province by building Takeda Castle near the border to other provinces, and asking greater warlords like the Oda and Mori Clans for help.

The range of Tajima Province and the location of the castles

The ruins of Takeda Castle

Suketoyo Yamana moves his home to Arikoyama Castle

However, when the Oda Clan attacked the Tajima Province in 1569, Suketomo’s home Konosumi-yama Castle was captured and he had to escape from the place. This might have been caused by the secret agreement between the Oda and Mori Clans that the Tajima Province would belong to the Oda. Suketoyo somehow returned to his territory in 1570 after he had met with Nobunaga Oda (the lord of the clan) while paying lots of money from mining in the province. Then, he moved to his home to Arikoyama Castle, located on a much higher and steeper mountain than Konosumi-yama Castle, and improved it so that the fall of his castle would never happen again. Suketomo usually lived in the residence at the foot of the mountain, which would be the origin of Izushi Castle and its castle town.

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 relief map around the castles

In the 1570’s, the Oda and Mori Clans began to oppose each other. Suketomo was debating on the face on which side he would support. The Oda Clan attacked the Tajima Province again in 1580 by sending Hidenaga Hashiba who was the little brother of Hideyoshi, the later ruler of Japan. It is said that one of the reasons for the invasion was that they wanted to own the mines in the province, such as the Ikuno Silver Mine. Hidenaga’s troops surrounded Arikoyama Castle and Suketomo finally had to surrender perhaps because they had no hope for reinforcements.

The portrait of Hidenaga Hashiba, owned by Shungakuin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Hidenaga Hashiba improves Castle

After that, Hidenaga lived in and improved the castle as the home base of the Tajima Province. The castle had been made of soil so far but its main portion on the top was fortified by building stone walls. It is said that Takatora Todo, who was a senior vassal of Hidenaga and would later become a master of castle constructions, built them. Senjoshiki (meaning the 1,000 mat enclosure), next to the main portion, was developed to accommodate many soldiers and supplies even when other lords in the province gathered for help.

The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The imaginary drawing of Arikoyama Castle, exhibited by Karo Yashiki Residence

Yoshihide Koide builds Izushi Castle

The castle was followed by the Koide Clan, a relative of Hideyoshi Toyotomi after he became the ruler of Japan. The clan somehow survived when the ruler was changed from the Toyotomi Clan to the Tokugawa Shogunate. In 1604, Yoshihide Koide renovated the foot residence and renamed it Izushi Castle perhaps due to the convenience for the government. He also abandoned Arikoyama Castle on the mountain instead. The new castle and its castle town prospered during the Edo Period as the Izushi Domain, which was finally followed by the Sengoku Clan until the end of the period.

The imaginary drawing of Izushi Castle, exhibited by Karo Yashiki Residence

To be continued in “Izushi Castle/Arikoyama Castle Part2”

162.出石城・有子山城 その1

出石は古い城下町を残していることで知られていて、多くの観光客が訪れ、山の麓にある出石城跡を含むエリアでの散策、食事、買い物などを楽しんでいます。晴れた日にその山を見上げてみると、その頂上には石垣があるのがわかります。それがもう一つのこの地区にある城跡で、出石城の前に築かれた有子山城です。

立地と歴史

出石にある2つの城跡

出石城は、現在の兵庫県北部にある豊岡市の出石地区にありました。出石は古い城下町を残していることで知られていて、多くの観光客が訪れ、山の麓にある出石城跡を含むエリアでの散策、食事、買い物などを楽しんでいます。晴れた日にその山を見上げてみると、その頂上には石垣があるのがわかります。それがもう一つのこの地区にある城跡で、出石城の前に築かれた有子山城です。このような城跡群があることで、この地区には長い歴史があり、豊かな文化が育まれたことがわかります。

豊岡市の範囲と城の位置

出石の街並み
手前が出石城跡、背後が有子山城跡
山上の石垣をズームアップ

日本有数の守護大名、山名氏

有子山城は、中世の時代に最も有力な守護大名の一つであった山名氏によって築かれました。山名氏は新田氏の支族で、東日本の関東地方の出身です。足利幕府が設立される頃、その当時の当主であった山名時氏が、初代将軍の足利尊氏の幕府創業に大いに貢献しました。そのため尊氏は、まだ敵方(南朝)の活動が活発であった中国地方の北部、山陰地域の平定のために時氏を送り込んだのです。時氏とその後継者たちは武力をもってその地域を征服し、ついには日本で66ある国のうち、11までの国の守護になりました。よって、山名氏は「六分の一殿」と称されるに至りました。

山名氏の家紋、五七桐に七葉根笹  (licensed by Houunji 1642 via Wikimedia Commons)
山名氏が守護となった11ヶ国  (licensed by ja:User:味っ子 via Wikimedia Commons)

ところが、3代将軍の義満は山名氏の勢力が過度に大きくなることを恐れ、1391年の明徳の乱と呼ばれる戦いにより山名氏を征伐しました。山名氏の勢力は一時衰えますが、15世紀になると山名宗全が現れ、かつてのような勢力を回復します。1467年から1477年の間に戦われ、戦国時代の幕開けとなった応仁の乱において、細川勝元率いる東軍に対抗して、宗全は西軍の総大将を務めました。山名氏は再び多くの国の守護となり、現在の兵庫県北部にあたる但馬国の出石地区を本拠地としました。山名氏の当主は最初は、後の有子山城から約5km北にある此隅山城(このすみやまじょう)を居城としていて、宗全はこの城から2万6千人の軍勢を率いて出陣し、京都で東軍と戦ったのです。

山名宗全肖像画、「本朝百将伝」より  (licensed by Musuketeer.3 via Wikimedia Commons)
細川勝元肖像画、龍安寺蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

中央政府で確固たる地位を築いていた細川氏と違い、山名氏は自国の領土を武力によって維持する必要がありました。しかし、戦国時代になって下剋上が国中に広まっている中で、それが難しくなっていったのです。山名氏はやがて、赤松氏や尼子氏などの他の戦国大名との数々の戦いに敗れ、領地の国を一つずつ失っていきました。その結果、山名の権威は失墜し、その重臣たちまでもが独立を志向しました。山名氏の当主であった山名祐豊(やまなすけとよ)は、何とか最後の但馬国だけは維持しようと、他の国との国境近くに竹田城を築いたりしました。そしてより強大な戦国大名である織田氏や毛利氏に助けを求めようとしました。

但馬国の範囲と城の位置

竹田城跡

山名祐豊が本拠地を有子山城に移転

ところが、1569年に織田氏は但馬国を攻撃します。祐豊の本拠地、此隅山城は落城し、祐豊はそこから逃亡せざるを得ませんでした。このことの背景に、但馬国を織田の勢力圏とするという、織田氏・毛利氏間の密約があったのではないかと言われています。祐豊は、織田信長に会い、但馬国の鉱山からの収益から多額の献金をすることで、1570年に帰還することが叶いました。そして彼はその本拠地を、此隅山城よりずっと高く険しい山にある有子山城に移し、二度と落城することがないよう改修しました。祐豊は普段は山麓にある屋敷に住んでいて、それが出石城とその城下町の起源となります。

織田信長肖像画、狩野宗秀作、長興寺蔵、16世紀後半 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

城周辺の起伏地図

1570年代になると、織田氏と毛利氏は対立するようになります。祐豊は、どちらの側に付いてよいのか逡巡します。そうするうちに織田氏は1580年に但馬国を再び攻撃しました。後に天下人となる羽柴秀吉の弟、羽柴秀長を派遣したのです。その侵攻の理由の一つとして、生野銀山などの但馬国の鉱山を手に入れたかったのではないかと言われています。秀長の軍勢は有子山城を包囲し、恐らくは援軍の望みがなくたったことで、祐豊はついに降伏しました。

豊臣秀長肖像画、春岳院蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

羽柴秀長が有子山城を改修

その後、秀長は有子山城に居座り、但馬国の本拠地として城を改修しました。それまでこの城は土造りでしたが、山頂にある城の主要部分は、石垣を築くことで強化されました。後に築城の名手と称されるようになる秀長の重臣、藤堂高虎が携わったと言われています。主要部のとなりの千畳敷曲輪は、国中の領主たちが援軍として集結しても十分兵員や物資を収容できるよう拡張されました。

藤堂高虎肖像画、個人蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
有子山城の想像図、出石「家老屋敷」にて展示

小出吉英が出石城を築城

城はそれから、豊臣秀吉が天下人となった後、その親族である小出氏に引き継がれました。小出氏は、天下の権が豊臣氏から徳川幕府に移ってもなんとか生き残りました。1604年に小出吉英(こいでよしひで)が山麓の屋敷を大改修し、出石城としました。恐らく統治の利便のためだったでしょう。そして、代わりに山上の有子山城を廃城としました。山麓の新しい城とその城下町は、出石藩として江戸時代の間繁栄しました。その後、仙石氏が藩主となり、江戸時代末まで統治しました。

出石城の想像図、出石「家老屋敷」にて展示

「出石城・有子山城その2」に続きます。

112.Kasama Castle Part3

Due to the damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake back in 2011, it is prohibited to enter the top of the ruins as of November 2023. The city is considering how to repair it to open it to the public again.

Features

Main and Main Tower Enclosures as Center of Castle

The Main Enclosure is an empty space now, where the Main Hall was built in the past. Instead, long and high earthen walls at the southwestern side stands out, which are called Hachiman-dai(base). There was Hachiman-dai Turret on it as a lookout tower or a warehouse. The turret was moved to Shinjoji Temple at the foot after the castle was abandoned, which is consider the only remaining building of the castle. The view from the base or the enclosure is not so good because of the trees surrounding, but you can see the mountains or hills around.

The map of the main portion of the castle

The inside of the Main Enclosure
The Hachiman-dai Base
The top of the base
The ruins of the Hachiman-dai Turret
The turret was moved from the original position to the temple

The final place of the castle is the Main Tower Enclosure on the top over the edge of the earthen wall base to the northeast. You can go on the narrow earthen bridge over the ditch in front of the enclosure and reach the foot of the three-tier stone walls of it. The original Main Tower, which had been built on it, was replaced with the Sashino Shrine building during the Meiji Era. It was said that the waste materials of the tower were used for the construction of the shrine. The stone walls seem to partially use large natural rocks, which look rough and wild. However, visitors are unfortunately not allowed to climb the walls to see the top because the walls might collapse as of November 2023. You can only see a glimpse of the shrine building on the stone walls from the foot.

The earthen bridge in front of the Main Tower Enclosure
Going to the enclosure
The stone walls of the enclosure partially collapsed
You can not enter from here
The glimpse of the shrine building

Returning to Foot by taking another route

You can return to the parking lot at the foot of the mountain going the same way as you took, but there is another route you can try as well but it’s challenging. You can take a trail on the ridge over the earthen wall base opposite the Main Tower Enclosure. The ridge was a defensive point of the castle, where another turret, called Anagasaki Yagura, was built. If you climb down on the trail for a while, the return route goes the bottom of a deep dry moat. This is part of the outer dry moat surrounding the whole castle area, which Satonari Gamo built. You can feel how large it was by walking through it.

The map around the castle

The Hachiman-dai Base
The ruins of the Anagasaki Turret
Climbing down other entrance ruins
Looking back at the ruins
Here comes the outer dry moats
The trail meets the dry moats
The inside of the dry moats

You will finally arrive at the ruins of the suburban residences at the foot, which Naganao Asano built. They have become the Sashiro Sanroku(foot of the mountain) Park which has the Bell Tower including an old bell made at the end of the Edo Period. The parking lot as is your starting point just below the park.

The ruins of the suburban residences (Sashiro Sanroku Park)
The Bell Tower
You can see the parking lot at the foot below

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Kasama Castle was abandoned and all the castle buildings were demolished or moved like the Hachiman-dai Turret. The mountain area became part of Kasama Prefectural Natural Park and the foot area became the Sashiro Sanroku Park. Kasama City has been researching the castle ruins since 2013 to preserve and to be designated as a national or other historical site in the near future. However, due to the damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake back in 2011, it is prohibited to enter the top of the ruins. The city is also considering how to repair it to open it to the public again.

The current Hachiman-dai Turret
It looks like just being placed on the newer base

My Impression

There are many attractions of Kasama Castle and the city. In my cases, once I visited and learned about the castle, I wanted to go there again to try seeing what I had missed or other ways to visit. When I first visited the ruins, I got to the great stone walls on top but they partially collapsed. In my recent visit, they were finally covered with sheets and kept out for visitors. I was very sorry about it and hope it will be repaired to open to the public soon.

The Main Tower Enclosure as of 2019
The Sashino Shrine building on the enclosure as of 2019

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 20-minute drive away from Tomobe IC on the Kitakanto Expressway.
There are parking lots at foot and the mid slope of the mountain as mentioned above.
By public transportation, you can take the sightseeing tour bus from JR Tomobe Station and get off at the Nichido-bijutsukan bus stop near the park.
From Tokyo to Tomobe Station: take the Tokiwa limited express from Tokyo or Ueno Stations.

That’s all. Thank you.
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