その後～Later History – ページ 80 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

22.Hachioji Castle Part3

A castle which may be misundersood

Later History

After Hachioji Castle fell, the castle was abandoned. The ruins have been very well preserved as the Tokugawa Shogunate directly owned the land and did not allow people to access the area. The Japanese Government also considered the area as a national forest and did not allow for the removal of trees. The ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1951. Since then, Hachioji City has been investigating and developing them as a historical park.

My Impression

Hachioji City is a large city with a population of nearly 600,000. The city first started as the castle town for Hachioji Castle. I knew this fact, but I hadn’t visited the castle ruins until recently. Before that, I thought the ruins may not have been interesting because the castle fell in just one day. Since my visit, I now feel the castle could have escaped capture if it had enough commanders and soldiers.

The stone walls around the entrance of the Main Hall ruins

How to get There

If you want to visit there using public transportation:
Take the Nishi-Tokyo bus from the bus stop No.1 at the north entrance of JR Takao Station, and get off at the Reien-Mae, Hachioji-joato-Iriguchi bus stop.
If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 10 minutes away from Hachioji-Nishi IC on Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway.
The guidance facility offers a parking lot.

Links and References

・Hachioji Castle, Official Guide

That’s all.
Back to “Hachioji Castle Part1”
Back to “Hachioji Castle Part2”

22.八王子城　その３

誤解されているかもしれない城

その後

八王子城が落城した後、城跡はとてもよく保存されています。徳川幕府が直接保有し、人々が立ち入ることを禁じていたからです。日本政府もまたこの地を国有林として森林の伐採を禁じていました。城跡は1951年に国の史跡に指定されました。それ以来、八王子市は歴史公園として城跡の調査と整備を行っています。

私の感想

八王子市は６０万人近くの人口を擁する大都市です。この都市は八王子城の城下町として出発したのです。このことを知ってはいたのですが、つい最近まで城を訪れることはありませんでした。それまでは、この城は一日で落城しただけあって、あまり面白い所ではないのではないかと思っていました。ここを実際に訪れてからは、もし十分な指揮と兵士の数があれば、落城は免れたのではないかと感じています。

ここに行くには

公共交通機関を使う場合：
ＪＲ高尾駅の北口、１番バス乗り場から西東京バスに乗り、八王子城跡入口バス停で降りてください。
車で行く場合：
圏央道八王子西ＩＣから約１０分かかります。
ガイダンス施設に駐車場があります。

リンク、参考情報

・八王子城公式ガイド、オフィシャルガイドの会
・「戦国の山城を極める　厳選２２城／加藤理文　中井均著」学研プラス
・「歴史群像１１７号、戦国の城　武蔵八王子城」学研

これで終わります。
「八王子城その１」に戻ります。
「八王子城その２」に戻ります。

121.Motosakura Castle Part3

How to get there from Osakura Station

Later History

After Motosakura Castle was abandoned, the political center of this area was moved to Sakura Castle, about 5km west of Motosakura Castle. The ruins of Motosakura Castle have been focused on recently. They were designated as a National Historic Site in 1998. Shisui Town which partly owns the ruins has been studying them since 2005 to develop them as a historical park.

The entrance of the Settei-yama Enclosure

Overlooking the other dry moat around the Settei-yama Enclosure

The bottom of the other dry moat around the Settei-yama Enclosure

My Impression

I didn’t notice there were the castle ruins along the Keisei Line until I visited them even though I sometimes went Narita Airport using the line. My visit to the ruins was like a small adventure. I guess that Japan has many of these kinds of castle ruins. I will enjoy them more, while making safety a priority.

The starting point for the Higashi-yama Enclosure

A view when you overlook from the Higashi-yama Enclosure

How to get There

It takes about 15 minutes from Osakura Station on the Keisei line.
To reach the ruins, go straight on the road along the southern side of the train line. The road goes into a small settlement and divides into two branches; then turn left. Next, turn right at the next intersection in accordance with the guide sign. After that, turn left at the other guide sign. You will eventually reach the northern side of the ruins.