ここに行くには～How to get There – ページ 30 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

170.Hamada Castle Part3

Castles look very different depending on people’s perspectives.

Features for History Fans

From Approach Entrance to Nakanomon Gate Ruins

For serious history fans, consider getting back to the starting point of the shrine approach. Let us seek together the original route to the Nakanomon Gate Ruins which we talked about above. The foot had the Main Hall and warriors’ houses and turned into residential areas, so you will need to follow narrow paths among the modern houses. Then the large stone walls of the gate will suddenly appear. These walls are original and they look so great, but are partially covered with wiring nets to prevent them from collapsing.

The map around the casltle, the red broken line is the estimated original route

The shrine approach on the left and the residential area on the right

The narrow path among the residential area

the stone walls of the gate suddenly appears

The stone walls are partially covered with wiring nets

After passing the gate ruins, you will go on a promenade along the valley probably similar to the original route while seeing old stone walls around. You will eventually reach the mid slope beside the shrine.

The promenade which is nearly on the original route

You can see some old stone walls beside the promenade

Going through Third and Second Enclosures

Let us pass the gate building and turn left again, but make sure not to go straight, instead, turn right this time. You can begin now to enter the two tiers of enclosures, surrounded by stone walls, which are original. However, these walls were piled up again during the Showa Era. It was said that the stones for the walls had collapsed before the repair. The lower tier is the Third Enclosure, and the upper is the Second Enclosure. The Second Gate was built between them. A square defensive space called Masugata which was also behind the gate where you can still see the same shape. You will finally reach the Main Enclosure as well from the Second Enclosure passing by the First Gate Ruins.

The restored image by CG of the Second Gate, from the signboard at the site

The square defensive space behind the gate

The ruins of the First Gate to the Main Enclosure

My Impression

After visiting the ruins of Hamada Castle, I realized that people would have different impressions from the same place depending on their purposes such as relaxing or learning about history. I think this idea was similar to the people in the past. Records show that after the warriors in Hamada Castle had gone, children played in the remaining Main Tower until it finally collapsed during the earthquake. There were also very different impressions about the castle between the warriors (the high class) and local people (the low class).

The area around the Main Tower base ruins

The restored image by CG of the Main Enclosure, from the signboard at the site

How to get There

If you want to visit Hamada Castle Ruins by car, it is about a 15-minute drive away from Hamada IC on the Chugoku Expressway. There are parking lots in the western and southern sides of the ruins.
By public transportation, it takes about 20 minutes on foot from JR Hamada Station to get there.
If you go there from Tokyo or Osaka, I recommend traveling by plane, using an express bus or combining them with trains.

The parking lot in the western side of the ruins

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Hamada Castle Part1”
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170.浜田城　その３

城は見る人の視点によって全然違うものです。

特徴、見どころ（歴史ファン向け）

参道入口から中ノ門跡へ

もし歴史にすごく興味がある方だったら、神社の参道の入口まで戻って、先ほど見えた中ノ門跡に至るオリジナルのルートを探してみてはいかがでしょう。丘の麓にはかつては御殿や武家屋敷があったのですが、今では住宅地になっています。よって、その住宅街の間の細い道をぬって進んでいくと、突然中ノ門の大きな石垣が突然現れます。この石垣はオリジナルでとても見栄えがしますが、一部は崩壊防止のためのネットで覆われています。

城周辺の地図、赤破線は推定オリジナルルート

門跡を通り過ぎると、谷に沿った歩道を進んでいきますが、周りに古い石垣も見えますので恐らくはオリジナルのルートに近い道なのでしょう。そうすると、神社のとなりの中腹部分に到着します。

二の丸と三の丸を通ってみる

もう一回、門の建物を通り過ぎて、左に曲がってみましょう。でもその次はまっすぐの道の方に行かないで、今度は右の方に曲がります。ここはオリジナルルートで、石垣に囲まれた二段の曲輪群に入って行きます。しかし、石垣は昭和時代に積み直されています。その修繕の前には、こられの石垣に使われた石は既に崩れてしまっていたとも言われています。下段の曲輪は三の丸で、上段は二の丸となります。二ノ門が両者の間に築かれていました。桝形と呼ばれる防御のための四角い空間がその門の背後に設定されていて、今でもその形がわかります。二の丸からは、一ノ門跡を通って本丸に再度たどり着くことになります。

私の感想

浜田城跡を訪れてみて、同じ場所であっても、訪れる人の目的（くつろぎに来ているか、歴史を学びに来ているかなど）によって全然違う印象を持つものだということがわかりました。これは、過去の人にとっても同じようなものでした。記録によれば、浜田城から武士たちがいなくなった後、地震によって崩れてしまうまでは、まだ残っていた天守の中で子どもたちが遊んでいたというのです。この頃であっても、高い身分の武士と低い身分の地元民の間では、城に対して全然違う印象を抱いていたのでしょう。

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：中国自動車道の浜田ICから約１５分のところです。城跡の西側と南側に駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、ＪＲ浜田駅から歩いて約２０分のところです。
東京か大阪からは、飛行機、高速バス、電車を組み合わせての行程がおすすめです。

リンク、参考情報

・「浜田城」歴史の散歩道その１～その６、浜田市
・「よみがえる日本の城６」学研
・「日本の城改訂版第６０号」デアゴスティーニジャパン
・「幕末維新の城／一坂太郎著」中公新書
・「城山公園整備事業に伴う県史跡浜田城発掘調査報告書」浜田市教育委員会

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

75.Hagi Castle Part3

The destination of the Mori Clan’s castle construction

Features

From Third Enclosure to former Castle Town

Going back to the parking lot, walking around the Third Enclosure is also good. This area is designated as Horiuchi Preservation District for Groups of Historical Buildings. The blocks of the senior vassals’ houses remain as they were. Though the insides of them are used as public facilities, Hagi ware shops, summer orange fields, and so on, there are several remaining stone walls, mud walls, and house gates surrounding the blocks. This is where you can feel as if you were on the real castle area.

The map around the castle

The Third Enclosure (Horiuchi Preservation District for Groups of Historical Buildings)

The front gate of the Mori Clan’s villa, it was built in the Meiji Era in another place and moved the current position in the Third Enclosure, it is used for the Hagi Seminar House

The remaining mud walls at the Toida Masuda Clan’s residence

Stone walls along the street with the background of Shizukiyama Mountain

There are summer orange fields inside the stone walls

Over the Outer Moat, you can also enjoy the castle town attractions such as Kikuya family residence and Kido’s old residence.

Kido’s old residence (licensed by そらみみ via Wikimedia Commons)

Shizuki Mountain as Final Castle

Finally, if you have more time, you should consider climbing Shizuki Mountain as the final castle ruins. It will be an about 20 minute little hard climb, but it worth the trouble. The top has the gate ruins surrounded by stone walls, like ones at the foot.

The entrance of the route to the mountain

This gate also has a defensive square space

The two-tier enclosures on the top are also surrounded by stone walls. Six turrets were on them in the past. You can see nice views of Hagi City and the Japan Sea there.

A view of the Japan Sea from the enclosure

Here comes the upper tier as the Main Enclosure

A view of the Hagi City area from the enclosure

You can also see the reservoir inside for preparing for besieged. There are also many notched huge rocks which look outstanding. These notches are usually understood as a process of making stone walls. However, some people speculate these rocks could have been used by the defenders to counterattack their enemies by cutting and throwing the stones at them.

Later History

After Hagi Castle was abandoned, all the buildings of its center were demolished. People are still wondering why the Choshu Domain, which was one of the winners of the Meiji Restoration, had to do it. Many speculate that they gave an example to a new era by doing so. However, the fact seemed that local people in Hagi had no money to maintain these buildings as the local government had moved to Yamaguchi. As a result, the castle ruins have been a park since 1877 as we see now. They were designated as a National Historic Site in 1951.

The Main Tower was scraped in 1874, the same year as the castle was abandoned

My Impression

I think that Hagi Castle was the destination of the Mori Clan’s castle construction. It was a plain castle, a mountain castle, and also a sea castle. The clan built the castle using all their experiences they got before to make it the strongest. That’s why I also think they didn’t reluctantly choose its location, but actively decide it. I hope Hagi City would repair the restored mud walls on the top of the mountain as there are some writings on the wall.

Shizuki Mountain was integrated with the castle

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 50 minutes away from Mine IC on the Chugoku Expressway. There is a parking lot in front of the Second Enclosure.
By public transportation, It takes about 30 minutes on foot from Hagi Bus Center or Higashi-Hagi Station. Or it may be a good idea to use a rental bicycle from either place as many other historical attractions, such as Shoin Shrine and Ito’s old residence, are disseminated around the city.
To get to Hagi Bus Center or Higashi-Hagi Station from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Highway bus “Super Hagi-go” at Shin-Yamaguchi Station.

The building of Shokason-juku, which was established by Shoin, has been preserved in Shoin Shrine (*licensed by ぽこるん via Wikimedia Commons)*

Ito’s old residence (licensed by そらみみ via Wikimedia Commons)

Links and References

・HAGI Sightseeing Guide

That’s all. Thank you.
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