その後～Later History – ページ 36 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

133.Samegao Castle Part3

A way to enjoy visiting castles and castle ruins

Features

Main Enclosure and Granary Ruins

The Main Enclosure on the top of the mountain is above the meeting point of the routes. There is a rest station on the top where you can take a rest and enjoy a nice view of the Kubiki Plain, which was the core territory of the Uesugi Clan in the past.

The map around the Main Enclosure

Looking up the Main Enclosure from the meeting point

Another enclosure called Komegura-ato, or the granary ruins, is just below the Main Enclosure over another ditch. Lots of burned rice grains were found in this enclosure, probably for the same reason as the Third Enclosure. The ditches around the Main Enclosure seem to have been used as access ways, which is also interesting.

The granary ruins seen from the Main Enclosure

The ditch between the Main Enclosure and the granary ruins

The Main Enclosure seen from the granary ruins

This ditch has also been used as an access way

Later History

After the Otate Rebellion, Samegao Castle was abandoned. The burned rice grains in the granary ruins were already known in the Edo Period. The research of the castle ruins started in 1963. The excavation was also done between 2001 and 2006. It found that the ruins still kept the state of the abandoned castle in good condition. As a result, They were designated as a National Historic Site in 2008.

The sign of Samegao Castle Ruins at the Main Enclosure

My Impression

The ruins of Samegao Castle are becoming popular among history fans, including women, due to the tragic story of Kagetora Uesugi. Some historians also speculate that if Kagetora had won in the Otate Rebellion, the three clans, the Uesugi, Takeda and Hojo, could have been united against the threat from the rulers in western Japan, Nobunaga Oda and Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Historical fact tells us the Takeda and the Hojo were isolated from each other after the rebellion, and defeated one by one. Only the Uesugi somehow survived. It may be a good way to visit a castle or castle ruins to think about real history or speculative history.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda who defeated the Takeda Clan, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi who defeated the Hojo Clan, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

How to get There

If you want to visit the ruins by car, it is about a 15-minute drive away from Joetsu IC or Nakago IC on the Joshinetsu Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the park.
If you want to use public transportation, it takes about 30 minutes on foot from Kita-Arai Station on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway to get there.
To get to Kita-Arai Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen Super Express and transfer at Joetsu-Myoko Station to the Echigo Tokimeki Railway.

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

133.鮫ヶ尾城　その３

城や城跡巡りの楽しみ方

特徴、見どころ

本丸と米蔵跡

２つのルートの合流地点の上の方、山の頂上に本丸があります。頂上には休憩所があり、そこで休んだり、過去には上杉氏の中心的領地だった頚城平野の景色を楽しむことができます。

本丸周辺の地図

本丸下の堀切を越えたところには、米蔵跡と呼ばれるもう一つの曲輪があります。この曲輪では、大量の焼け焦げた米が見つかっています。三ノ丸のおにぎりと同様の事情と思われます。本丸の周りにある堀切は、連絡通路にも使われたようです。こういった城の仕組みは大変興味深いです。

その後

御館の乱の後、鮫ヶ尾城は廃城となりました。米蔵跡の焼け米は、江戸時代から既に知られていました。この城跡の調査は1963年に始まりました。城跡の発掘も2001年から2006年の間に行われました。これらにより、この城跡は廃城となった直後の状態がよく残っていることがわかったのです。その結果、城跡は2008年に国の史跡に指定されました。

私の感想

鮫ヶ尾城跡は、上杉景虎の悲劇の物語によって、最近女性を含む歴史ファンの間で有名になってきています。歴史ファンの中には、もし景虎が御館の乱で勝利したならば、上杉、武田、北条の三大名が結束することで、織田信長や豊臣秀吉といった西日本からの脅威に対抗できたのではないかと考える人もいます。歴史的事実としては乱の後、武田と北条はそれぞれ孤立し、逐次撃破されてしまいました。そして、ただ上杉だけが生き残ったのです。実際の歴史とそれにまつわる空想を巡らすことも城や城跡を訪れる際の楽しみの一つなのではないでしょうか。

武田氏を滅ぼした織田信長の肖像画、狩野宗秀作、長興寺蔵、１６世紀後半 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

北条氏を滅ぼした豊臣秀吉の肖像画、加納光信筆、高台寺蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：上信越自動車道の上越ICまたは中郷ICから約１５分かかります。公園の手前に駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、越後トキめき鉄道の北新井駅から歩いて約３０分かかります。
東京から北新井駅まで：北陸新幹線に乗って、上越妙高駅で越後トキめき鉄道に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・斐太歴史の里：鮫ヶ尾城跡、妙高市
・「関東戦国史と御館の乱～上杉景虎・敗北の歴史的意味とは？／伊東潤・乃至政彦著」歴史新書ｙ
・「日本の城改訂版第１２６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。
「鮫ヶ尾城その１」に戻ります。
「鮫ヶ尾城その２」に戻ります。

128.Yogaiyama Castle Part3

More needs to be done to improve this historical site

Features

Strong defense in Back side

If you have time, you should check out the back side of the castle. This is because the ridge on the back is very narrow, so original trail and the ruins along it seem to remain as it was. The Main Enclosure and the enclosure behind it are divided by an artificial ditch to prevent enemies from attacking form the back. The ditch is partly supported by stone walls to avoid collapsing, which is rare in Japanese castles.

The ditch using stone walls divides the Main Enclosure and the back

The map around the castle

Moreover, two earthen lookout platforms are in line on the ridge at the back of these enclosures. They are also partly supported by stone walls or stone mound, which are also uncertain who built or improved it.

The trail gets thin between the platforms

The trail goes beside the platforms and between them, which was made thin cut by vertical moats both sides. That meant the defenders on the platforms would see and counterattack enemies easily.

Looking up the platform from the thin trail

Later History

In the Edo Period, a stone statue of the Takeda Fudoson or Acala, which worshiped Shingen Takeda, was built in an enclosure between the Gate Ruins No.2 and No.3. It has since been called the Fudo Enclosure. After the Meiji Restoration, the castle site continued to deteriorate, so local people built the stone monument of the birthplace of Shingen Takeda in 1929 to preserve them. The title of the monument was written by Heihachiro Togo, a famous admiral of the Japanese Imperial Navy. The castle ruins have been designated as a National Historic Site since 1991.

The stone monument for the birthplace of Shingen Takeda at the Main Enclosure

My Impression

I recommend visiting both ruins of Yogaiyama Castle and Takeda Clan Hall at the same time because you will be able to see how the Takeda Clan protected their home base. They must have been like one castle or a set. On the other hand, let me ask one thing to Kofu City. In the ruins of Takeda Clan Hall, excavations and studies are often being done in recent years. However, why have the ruins of Yogaiyama Castle not been developed? More explanations is needed for historical fans at the site. Some parts of the ruins are covered with bushes. I hope in the future that the city will develop this mountain castle ruins as a set with Takeda Clan Hall.

A Masugata entrance of Takeda Clan Hall (The northern entrance of the Western Enclosure)

Excavations are ongoing at Takeda Clan Hall Ruins

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit the castle ruins because there are few buses to visit them.
It is about a 20-minute drive away from Kofu-minami IC on the Chuo Expressway. There is a parking lot in front of the trail entrance to the castle ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Yamanashi-Kotsu Bus bound for Sekisuiji Temple from JR Kofu Station and ride to the end. It takes about 15 minutes on foot from the bus stop to get the entrance.
To get to Kofu Station from Tokyo: Take the limited express Azusa or Kaiji at Shinjuku Station.

The parking lot in front of the trail entrance

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