リンク、参考情報～Links and References – ページ 50 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

127.Shinpu Castle Part3

Was it the mixture of a castle and a hall?

Features

Another mysterious Degamae system

You should finally check out the Degamae system on the northern side of the castle. It consists of two banks sticking out of the mountain, which are very unique to the castle. Historians often wondered if they were used as the strongholds for guns or for adjustment of the water in the moats. It is still uncertain because no other example like that were found in other castles.

The map of the northern part of the castle

There was a water moat around the Degamae system

Later History

The ruins of Shinpu Castle was developed after they were designated as a National Historic Site in 1973. Nirasaki City has been changing them to public land since 1988 and 98% of them are now publicly owned. The city also started the excavation of the site in 1998 and the development as a historical site in 2005. That’s why we can visit and see the castle ruins at anytime.

My Impression

I think that Shinpu Castle was the mixture of a castle and a hall like the combination of Takeda Clan Hall and Yogaisan Castle before. Yogaisan was a mountain castle used for emergencies when a battle happened around Takeda Clan Hall. Shimpu Castle was a hybrid of the two previous castles. That’s why someone can easily see it as a hall. However, Shimpu Castle was too large to be protected by a few soldiers. When Nobunaga Oda’s troops were heading for the castle, most of Katsuyori Takeda’s retainers surrendered or escaped from him. He must have realized that it would be impossible to protect the castle all by themselves. Shimpu Castle couldn’t show full potential.

The imaginary drawing of Takeda Clan Hall (from the signboard at the site)

Yogaisan Mountain (licensed by さかおり (talk via Wikimedia Commons)

The miniature model of the ruins of Shinpu Castle (Nirasaki Folk Museum)

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 10 minutes away from Nirasaki IC on the Chuo Expressway.
There is a parking lot alongside Yamanashi Prefectural Road 17 on the east of the ruins.
By train, it takes about 10 minutes on foot from Shinpu Station on the JR Chuo Line.
To get to Shinpu Station from Tokyo: Take the limited express Azusa or Kaiji at Shinjuku Station, and transfer at Kofu Station to the Chuo Line.

The ruins of Shinpu Castle that can be seen from the parking lot

Links and References

・Shimpu Castle Ruins, Nirasaki City Official Site
・Shinpu Castle Ruins, Nirasaki City Tourism Association

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

127.新府城　その３

城と館の複合体だったのでしょうか。

特徴

これもまた謎の出構

最後に、城の北側部分でに残る出構をご覧になってはいかがでしょう。山側から２つの土手が突き出す構造になっていて、この城独特のものです。歴史家は、これが鉄砲の陣地として使われたのか、堀の中の水量を調整するために使われたのか思案しています。このようなものは他の城には見られないので、答えは見つかっていません。

城北側の地図

その後

新府城跡は、1973年に国の史跡に指定された後に整備されました。韮崎市は、城跡の公有地化を進め、現在では９８％が公有地となっています。また、韮崎市は1988年に城跡の発掘を、2005年には史跡としての整備を始めました。そのため、現在いつでもこの城跡を訪れ、見学できるようになっているわけです。

私の感想

私は、新府城は、その以前に武田氏館と要害山城が組み合わされたように、城と館の複合体であったと思うのです。要害山は、武田氏館の周辺で戦いが起こったとき、緊急のために使われる山城でした。新府城は、先の２つの城が混合されたものだったのです。そのため、ある人にとっては、館として映ってしまうのではないでしょうか。しかし、新府城は少ない兵士によって守るには大きすぎました。織田信長の軍勢がこの城に向かっていったとき、武田勝頼のほとんどの家臣は降伏するか、勝頼の下から去っていきました。勝頼は、彼らだけでこの城を守るのは不可能だと認識したのでしょう。新府城はその潜在能力を発揮することはなかったのです。

要害山 *(licensed by さかおり (talk* *via Wikimedia Commons)*

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：
中央自動車道の韮崎ICから約１０分のところにあります。
城跡の東側を通る山梨県道１７号線沿いに駐車場があります。
電車で行く場合は、ＪＲ中央線の新府駅から歩いて１０分程のところにあります。
東京から新府駅まで：新宿駅から特急あずさ号かかいじ号に乗り、甲府駅で中央線に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・新府城跡、韮崎市
・新府城跡、韮崎市観光協会
・「歴史群像１３５号、戦国の城　甲斐新府城」学研
・「列島縦断「幻の名城」を訪ねて／山名美和子著」集英社新書
・「新府城と武田勝頼」新人物往来社

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

25.Kofu Castle Part3

Castle ruins which should be more popular

Features

Other Attractions outside Castle ruins

Two restored gates called Uchimatsukage-mon Gate and Kaji-kuruwa-mon Gate are open to the public road at the western foot of the hill. they look like the entrances of the castle, but they were the gates between other enclosures, which means the castle was so large in the past.

The map around the castle

The miniature model of the main portion of Kofu Castle, adding the location of the two gates (an exhibition in the Inari Turret)

Finally, I recommend walking outside the eastern side of the hill to have a better look of the high stone walls. The walls are 17m high which are one of the highest ones in eastern Japan. The method of piling the stones is called Nozura-zumi using natural stones, so they look very natural. The method became popular when the castle was built. You can see them close by from the road alongside them which was part of the Inner Moat.

The high stone walls at the eastern side

The present route goes alongside the stone walls

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Kofu Castle was abandoned and all the buildings of the castle were demolished. The ruins were turned into the industrial experimental station such as for silk making and brewing. After that, the ruins partly became a park, but the rest was turned into the city area. They were first designated as a Prefectural Historic Site in 1968. Yamanashi Prefecture has been developing the park investigating the ruins and restoring the castle buildings. They were finally designated as a National Historic Site in 2019.

A picture of the castle ruins about 100 years ago (licensed by 江戸村のとくぞう via Wikimedia Commons)

Part of the castle ruins were turned into the Yamanashi prefectural office

The tower in this picture is the Shaon-to Tower built in 1922

My Impression

I think Kofu Castle may not be so popular for its potential. It could be because people usually think Kofu City is a legacy of the Takeda Clan. Kofu Castle was built after Takeda. However, if you visit and learn about the castle, you will find that the city was clearly developed based on the castle. The restored castle buildings look good, and the remaining stone walls are particularly great. The stone walls look rough, but are piled wisely. We can enjoy seeing the contrast everywhere in the castle.

The stone walls of Kofu Castle (in the central part)

The stone walls of Kofu Castle (in the eastern part)

The Main Enclosure that can be seen from the base for a Main Tower

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 15 minutes away from Kofu-Showa IC or Kofu-Minami IC on the Chuo Expressway.
There are several parking lots around Kofu Station.
By train, it is very close to Kofu Station.
To get to Kofu Station from Tokyo: Take the limited express Azusa or Kaiji at Shinjuku Station, and get off at Kofu Station. It takes about 1 hour and a half.

Kofu Station that can be seen from the base for a Main Tower

The limited express Azusa (licensed by MaedaAkihiko via Wikimedia Commons)

Links and References

・Kofu Castle, Kofu City

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