ここに行くには～How to get There – ページ 62 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

138.Echizen-Ohno Castle Part3

Will you be able to see the castle in the sky?

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, all the buildings of Echizen-Ohno Castle were demolished. The mountain of the castle was turned into Kameyama Park. After World War II, some castle buildings including Tenshu were rebuilt.

The rebuilt Main Tower on the stone walls at Kameyama Park

Ohno City, which now owns the castle, promotes it as “Castle in the Sky” like Takeda Castle. The meaning of Castle in the Sky is when clouds spread below the mountain, the castle on the mountain looks like its floating in the sky. If this happens while you are at Echizen-Ohno Castle, you can take a photo of the castle in the sky from Inuyama Mountain where you can see the whole view of the castle. The city also says this situation is most likely to occur in October and November. However, according to the records, the chance to see the castle in the sky happens about 10 days per a year.

The “Castle in the Sky” can be seen at Echizen-Ohno Castle (licensed by Keisuke MAEDA via Wikimedia Commons)

The “Castle in the Sky” can be seen at Takeda Castle (licensed by abok via Wikimedia Commons)

My Impression

I visited Echizen-Ohno Castle to see the castle in the sky on a day in November. The castle was open from early in the morning during the month to make it possible for visitors to see if the castle in the sky situation happens.

The entrance of the Southern Route in the early morning

When I looked up from the top floor of the Tenshu building, the sky around the castle was very clear. Inuyama Mountain, from which you could see the castle in the sky, was rather cloudy. I realized that staying just one night is not enough. Even if the weather conditions for the castle in the sky are ideal, you cannot always see it. You may need to spend several days to see it.

If you stay for only one night in the town, you can at least take a beautiful photo of the illuminated Echizen-Ohno Castle.

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 30 minutes away from Fukui IC on Hokuriku Expressway.
There is a parking lot near the entrance of the Southern Route to the castle.
By public transportation, it takes about 40 minutes walking from JR Echizen-Ohno Station.
To get to Echizen-Ohno Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen super express, transfer to the limited express on the Hokuriku Line at Kanazawa Station, and transfer to the Kuzuryu Line at Fukui Station.
From Osaka: Take the Thunderbird limited express and transfer to the Kuzuryu Line at Fukui Station.

Links and References

・Echizen Ohno Castle Official Site

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Echizen-Ohno Castle Part1”
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138.越前大野城　その３

天空の城を見ることはできるでしょうか。

その後

明治維新後、越前大野城の全ての建物は撤去されました。城があった山は亀山公園となりました。第二次世界大戦後、天守を含む城の建物がいくつか再建されました。

現在この城を所有している大野市はこの城を、竹田城のように、「天空の城」として宣伝しています。天空の城とは、山の下の方に雲が広がったとき、山の上にある城が雲に浮かんでいるようにみえることを言います。越前大野城に来ているときにその現象が起これば、城全体を見渡すことができる戌山に行けば、そこから天空の城の写真を撮ることができます。大野市の情報では、天空の城は１０月と１１月に一番よく現れるとのことです。しかし、これまでの実績によると、天空の城を見ることができるのは、１年に約１０日間しかありません。

越前大野城で見ることができる「天空の城」 *(licensed by Keisuke MAEDA via Wikimedia Commons)*

竹田城で見ることができる「天空の城」 (licensed by abok via Wikimedia Commons)

私の感想

私は、１１月のある日、天空の城を見るために越前大野城を訪れました。この月は、天空の城の現象が起こっているかどうか確認できるように、城は早朝から開いていました。

天守の建物の最上階から見てみましたが、城周辺の空は晴れ渡っていました。天空の城を観察できるという戌山の方がむしろ雲がかかっていました。一泊だけの滞在ではとても不十分とそのとき思いました。天空の城が現れるための気象条件が揃ったとしても、いつもそれを見れるとは限りません。何日も逗留しないといけないかもしれません。

但し、もしこの町に一泊だけしかできないとしても、ライトアップされた美しい越前大野城の写真を撮ることはできます。

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：
北陸自動車道の福井ICから約３０分かかります。
城に向かう南登り口の入口近くに駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、ＪＲ越前大野駅から歩いて約４０分かかります。
東京から越前大野駅まで：北陸新幹線に乗り、金沢駅で北陸線の特急に乗り換え、福井駅でまた九頭竜線に乗り換えてください。
大阪から：特急サンダーバード号に乗り、福井駅で九頭竜線に乗り換えて下さい。

リンク、参考情報

・天空の城　越前大野城
・「歴史群像１６５号、戦国の城　越前大野城」学研
・「よみがえる日本の城８」学研

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

134.Toyama Castle Part3

Toyma City should be more proud of the real history of the castle.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Toyama Castle was abandoned. All the buildings of the castle were demolished or burnt. The center of the castle was turned into the Toyama prefectural office, and the other areas were turned into the city area. Toyama Park was established in 1939 after the prefectural office was moved to the ground of the former Jintsu-gawa River. However, Toyama City was reduced to ashes due to the Great Toyama Air Raid in 1945. After World War II, People in Toyama held an industrial exhibition at the ruins of the castle in 1954. The Imitation Main Tower was built for the event to celebrate the revival of the city. Since then, the ruins are being developed as an urban park.

The ruins of the prefectural assembly hall in the park

The Imitation Tower when it was completed *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

My Impression

The ruins of Toyama Castle are not designated as a historic site at all. That means Toyama City can develop the park however it likes. The city can build imitation buildings as new attractions. However, I think the city should inform the citizens and visitors of what the castle really looked like since there are still some original items. I’m afraid that people would be not sure why the city and people are there and how they survived until today. The city might lose its identity. The city might also think castles must have a great Main Tower and stone walls. However, Toyama Castle has a great history without them. If the city thinks so, I recommend learning what the people in Takaoka City in the same prefecture have been doing. They have been maintaining the ruins of Takaoka Castle with soil-made enclosures and water moats after the castle abandoned, while using them as a natural park and for modern facilities.

The Imitation Tower on the original stone walls, connected to the imitated stone walls on the right

The Imitation Tower and the original stone walls of the Iron Gate

The ruins of Takaoka Castle is maintained as a natural park

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 15 minutes away from Toyama IC on Hokuriku Expressway.
The park offers a parking lot.
By train, it is about 10 minutes on foot from Toyama Station.
To get to Toyama Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen super express.

The entrance of the parking lot in the park

That’s all. Thank you.
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