161.Kishiwada Castle Part2

I recommend using a detour route to the castle through the former Kishu Road and castle town. This is because you can understand how the castle and town were developed by seeing them.

How to get There

Today, you can access the current Kishiwada Castle from Kishiwada or Takojizo Stations on the Nankai Line by foot. Takojizo Station is the nearest, but if you walk from Kishiwada Station towards the western direction, you have to turn right at the Kishiwadaeki-minami Intersection, and then turn left at the Shiromibashi Intersection, there you can see the stone walls of the Eastern Main Gate Ruins at the Kishiwada City Library on the way. The gate was the front one in the early stage of the castle and it looks interesting combined with the library’s entrance. Both routes are flat and easy to access.

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Kishiwada Station
Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors
The map around the castle, the blue broken line shows the route from Kishiwada Station to the castle through the Easten Main Gate, the red broken line shows the route through the Kishu Road

Takojizo Station (licensed by Nankou Oronain (as36… via Wikimedia Commons)
Kishiwada Station
The Kishiwadaeki-minami Intersection
The Shiromibashi Intersection
The remaining stone walls of the Eastern Main Gate

However, I recommend using a detour route to the castle through the former Kishu Road and castle town. This is because you can understand how the castle and town were developed by seeing them. You can also choose one of the other nearer routes above when you return to the station. If you first choose the route though the Kishu Road to go to the castle, go on the shopping street in front of Kishiwada Station until you meet the road. The road still has a laid-back atmosphere with some traditional buildings and you will see it has been intentionally zigzagged to prevent enemies from invading the town easily. As you get closer to the castle, you will find the road goes on a lower land than where the castle is located. Maybe the road was the coastline or below the sea in the past while the current coastline is far from there. If you climb the moderate slope to the castle across the modern road, the great high stone walls of the Second Enclosure will come into view.

The shopping street in front of Kishiwada Station
The Kishu Road
The road has been intentionally zigzagged
You can see the castle above the road
The former castle town
The stone walls and water moat of the Second Enclosure

In addition, if you want to visit there by car, it is about 30 minutes from Kishiwada-izumi IC or Kaizuka IC on the Hanwa Expressway. There are several Kishiwada municipal parking lots around the castle.
From Tokyo to both stations: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the Midosuji Line on Osaka Metro Subway at Shin-Osaka Station and transfer to the Nankai Line at Nanba Station.

Features

Gate Ruins connecting Center of Castle

Today, only the Main and Second Enclosures remain with the original stone walls and water moats, and reconstructed buildings in the Main Enclosure. In the past, the Northern and Western Main Gates were open to the castle town side. Currently, the Northern one has become the entrance of the Kishiwada City Hall and the Western one has become a parking lot next to the Danjiri Hall, where you can access the ruins from as well. You can see some remaining stone walls and foundations of the gates on the way. The Second Enclosure is accessible from both sides by going across earthen bridge over the moats.

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Northen Main Gate
Leaflet|国土地理院
The aerial photo around the castle

The Northern Main Gate is in the red circle and the Western Main Gate is in the blue circle, in the miniature model of Kishiwada Castle
The ruins of Nothern Main Gate
The remaining stone walls of the gate
The ruins of the Western Main Gate
The stone walls seem to belong to another enclosure in front of the Second Enclosure

Second Enclosure may be former Main Enclosure

The Second Enclosure had the Main Hall and Fushimi Turret which was moved from Fushimi Castle, but now has modern facilities such as an information center. The enclosure looks to the edge of the hill which was actually on the sea in the past. It was also said this enclosure was the former Main Enclosure, backed by the sea, when the castle was still small. Therefore, you may want to see a view of the city area (the former sea) around, however, you can not see it because of the tall hedge fences in that direction.

The part of the Second Enclosure in the miniature model of Kishiwada Castle, the Fushimi Turret in the red circle
The stone walls of the Second Enclosure, the Fushimi Turret was on the front corner
The inside of the current Second Enclosure
This is not a good view point because of the fences

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

161.岸和田城 その2

現代の岸和田城へは遠回りして旧紀州街道や城下町を通っていくルートをお勧めします。この道を通ることで城と町がどうやって発展してきたかわかるからです。

ここに行くには

現代の岸和田城には、南海鉄道の岸和田駅か蛸地蔵駅から歩いていくことができます。蛸地蔵駅が一番近いのですが、岸和田駅から西の方に歩いて、岸和田駅南交差点を右折し、そして城見橋交差点を左折して行くと、その途中の岸和田市図書館のところに残る東大手門跡の石垣を見ていくことができます。この門は城の初期段階においては正門の扱いでした。また、図書館の入口と組み合わされているのも面白く感じます。両方の駅からのルートは平坦で行くのも簡単です。

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岸和田駅
Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors
城周辺の地図、青破線が岸和田駅から東大手門を通るルート、赤破線が紀州街道を通るルート

蛸地蔵駅  (licensed by Nankou Oronain (as36… via Wikimedia Commons)
岸和田駅
岸和田駅南交差点
城見橋交差点
東大手門の石垣

しかし、ここでは敢えて遠回りして旧紀州街道や城下町を通っていくルートをお勧めします。どうしてかというと、この道を通ることで城と町がどうやって発展してきたかわかるからです。行きはここを通って、帰りに近い方のルートを選んではいかがでしょうか。もし紀州街道を経由するルートを選ばれたなら、岸和田駅前の商店街を街道に行きつくまで進みます。街道には昔ながらの雰囲気が残り、道沿いには伝統的な建物もあります。街道は意図的にジグザグに曲げられていて、もし敵が攻めてきたときには簡単に町に侵入できないようになっていました。城に近づくにつれ、街道が城がある所より低い位置を通っていることに気づかれるでしょう。現在の海岸線は遠いところにありますが、過去にはこの辺りが海岸線か、もしかすると海より低かったかもしれません。城に向かって緩やかな坂を登り大通りを渡ると、二の丸の見事な高石垣が見えてきます。

岸和田駅前商店街
紀州街道
道が意図的に曲げられています
城は街道からかなり高い位置に見えます
旧城下町
二の丸石垣と水堀

なお、車で行く場合は、阪和自動車道の岸和田南ICか貝塚ICから約30分かかります。城の周りにいくつか岸和田市営の駐車場があります。東京から岸和田駅または蛸地蔵駅までは、東海道新幹線に乗って、新大阪駅で大阪メトロ地下鉄の御堂筋線に乗り換え、なんば駅で南海鉄道に乗り換えてください。

特徴、見どころ

城中心部へ通じる門跡

現在は、本丸と二の丸のみがオリジナルの石垣と水堀とともに残っています。本丸には復興された建物もあります。かつては、北大手門と西大手門が城下町側に開いていました。今では、北大手門があった所は岸和田市役所への入口となり、西大手門があった所は駐車場になっていて、となりにはだんじりホールがあります。ここから城跡に向かうことができます。その道すがら、門の石垣や基礎がいくらか残っているのがわかります。二の丸へは、この両側から堀を渡る土橋を通ってアクセス可能です。

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北大手門
Leaflet|国土地理院
城周辺の航空写真

岸和田城模型の赤丸内が北大手門、青丸内が西大手門
北大手門跡
門の石垣が一部残っています
西大手門跡
二の丸の手前の御薬園の石垣が一部残っているようです

元本丸だったかもしれない二の丸

二の丸には御殿や、伏見城から移設されたと伝わる伏見櫓がありました。現在では観光交流センターなどの施設が建っています。この曲輪はかつては実際に、丘陵の端にあって海に臨んた位置にあったように見えます。また、この城がまだ小さかったころには、この曲輪が海を背にして、元は本丸という扱いだったとも言われています。こういうことを知ってみると、ここからもとは海だった市街地を眺めてみたいと思うのですが、その方向には高い垣根が巡らされていて、景色を見ることができません。

岸和田城模型の二の丸部分、赤丸内が伏見櫓
現存する二の丸石垣、手前側が伏見櫓があった場所
現在の二の丸内部
垣根のため、眺望はよくありません

「岸和田城その3」に続きます。
「岸和田城その1」に戻ります。

194.Saiki Castle Part3

People can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area.

Features

Northen Enclosure and Two Reservoirs

Let us visit the Northern Enclosure on the northern ridge of the mountain, which spreads from the Main Enclosure as well. Its top area is also surrounded by low stone walls being lined up neatly. It is separated from the Main Enclosure by an altered gate with stone walls and has the exit to the Back Route (also called Wakamiya Route) nearby.

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Northern Enclosure
Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors
The mountain part of the castle

The long Northen Enclosure on the northern ridge
The edge of the Northen Enclosure
The stone walls surrounding the top of the Northern Enclosure

If you get out of the exit and climb down the trail on the route, you will eventually reach the two major reservoirs on the back valley, the upper Male Pond and the lower Female Pond. They are also surrounded by stone walls, which were probably considered the lifeline of the castle.

The exit to the back gate
Climbing down to the Male Pond
The Male Pond
The Female Pond

If you go up the trail a little, you can walk around the mid slope of the northern ridge where you can see some base stone walls beside the trail. The Northern Enclosure is supported by both of the stone walls around the top and the base. As you walk around, you will also see the great four-tiered stone walls supporting the Main Enclosure, which were recently discovered in 2009.

The path around the mid slope of the northern ridge
The stone walls supporting the base of the northern ridge
Getting close to the Main Enclosure
The great four-tiered stone walls

Defensive spot of Castle

There is also the Western Enclosure on the western ridge, which is next to the Second Enclosure, opposite the Main Enclosure. It is separated from the Second Enclosure by a narrow gate with stone walls and has the end point of the Suimei Route from the foot of the mountain. This was the defensive spot of the castle’s western side which is another viewing spot of the city area. You can also see round-shaped stone foundations there, which do not belong to the castle, but are the ruins of an anti-aircraft gun position during WWII.

The inside of the Second Enclosure
The gate between the Second and Western Enclosures
The turret ruins at the Western Enclosure
A view from the Western Enclosure
The ruins of the anti-aircraft gun position

Remaining Main Hall Gate

The bottom part has the Third Enclosure Turret Gate, the only remaining building of the castle. This gate was the one for the Main Hall for the lord in the enclosure. The inside of it behind the gate is an empty space now. Saiki City Historical Museum is another attraction of the castle where you can learn about the history of the castle and city, including Takamasa Mori, the founder of the castle. You can also enjoy a view of the mountain with great stone walls on the top, from the front of the museum.

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Third Enclosure Turret Gate
Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors
The map around the castle

The remaining Third Enclosure Turret Gate
The inside of the Third Enclosure is empty
The entrance of Saiki City Historical Museum
A view of the castle ruins from the front of the museum

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Saiki Castle was abandoned and all the buildings on the mountain were demolished. The mountain part was eventually used as a park and Mori Shrine. Saiki City started to excavate the mountain in 2009. The excavation team found that the castle was a newly built mountain castle in the Edo Period which was very rare in Japan. As a result, the castle ruins on the mountain were just designated as a National Historic Site in 2022. The bottom part had part of the Main Hall with its gate as an official building or a school for a long time, however the final remaining entrance of the hall was move to another place in 1969 for the construction of the Saiki Cultural Hall. The only remaining gate has been designated as a tangible cultural property of the city.

The photo of the entrance of the hall before being moved, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

My Impression

I think people in Saiki City are proud of their home town and its history. For example, in their daily life, if they have time and the weather is not bad, they can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area. As a result, they can enjoy beautiful scenery, get good health, and learn their local history. I wish I could live in an area like Saiki City.

A full view of the castle ruins (the mountain and foot)

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 15 minute drive away from Saiki IC on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the castle ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Oita bus from JR Saiki Station and get off at the Ote-mae bus stop. It takes a few minutes on foot to get there.
For visitors from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the express bus to Oita Station from Oita Airport after using a plane, and get the train on the Nippo Line from the station.

That’s all. Thank you.
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