Today, the ruins of Kozukue Castle are preserved by Yokohama City as a park called the Kozukue Castle Ruins Forest. Yokohama City has the largest population among the cities in Japan except for Tokyo Special Ward, with about 3.8 million citizens. Even the hilly area around the ruins is covered with lots of modern facilities, office buildings and residences. However, once you walk into the ruins, you may feel like you are in another world. The hill for the ruins is basically planted with a beautiful and well-maintained bamboo forest. The foundation of the castle also remains under the forest.
The bamboo forest on the ruinsThe location map at the site
The map around the castle
You can climb up on the well-developed trail from the foot of the hill called Nekoya.
The foot of the hillClimbing on the trail
Large-scale Dry Moat
You will soon reach the top of the outer earthen walls and see the large-scale dry moat in front of the enclosures. This dry moat is still about 13m in width and about 12m in depth. It must have been much deeper in the past. When the excavation team recently dug the bottom of another dry moat in the castle at over 2m, they still could not find its original bottom.
The large dry moatLooking at the bottom of the moat
The trail goes on the outer earthen walls at the same level as the top of the moat, but you can also go down to the bottom from some points where the slope of the moat is gentle. If you stand at the bottom looking up, you might find another perspective of the castle.
The trail going on the outer earthen wallsOne of the points where you can go down to the bottom of the moatThe bottom of the dry moat
Eastern Enclosure under Excavation
If you walk around the outer earthen walls to the right, you will reach the Eastern Enclosure which is also called the Second Enclosure at the site. The excavation is also ongoing at the center of the enclosure, where some buildings were built in the past.
The center of the Eastern EnclosureThe excavation site
You can also climb up to the high turret earthen base at the edge of the enclosure, where you can look down the dry moat around it from the top.
Climbing up to the turret baseA view of the dry moat around the enclosure from the base
The trail around the enclosure goes to the bottom of the moat. You will find the beautiful bamboo forest around the enclosure again when you walk on the trail.
The trail on the bottom of the moatThe wonderful bamboo forest
Western Enclosure used as Sports Square
If you walk around the outer earthen walls to the left or walk over the Connecting Enclosure from the Eastern Enclosure, you will reach the Western Enclosure which is also called the Main Enclosure at the site. The inside of it is a flat square, so it is used for sports like baseball now. An altered gate called Kabuki-mon was built at the entrance of it to look like the Main Enclosure. However, in fact, historians have been arguing for over 150 years if this enclosure was really the main one. Some of them think the Eastern Enclosure was main. The excavation may find the correct answer in the future.
You can go there by turning left at the first intersectionOr walking over the Connecting Enclosure from the Second EnclosureThe Western EnclosureThe altered gate
Why would Kochi Castle maintain so many original buildings?
Features
Interior of Main Tower
The first floor of the tower has some equipment for defense, such as machicolations and loopholes for guns. In addition, there are also iron spikes outside the floor to prevent enemies from climbing the tower, which is the only remaining example in Japan.
From the Main Hall to the Main TowerThe first floor of the Main TowerOne of the machicolationsOne of the loopholes for gunsThe iron spikes outside the first floor
On the second floor, you can see lot of exhibitions about the castle like a miniature model.
The second floor of the Main Tower
The third floor is basically the attic of the hip-and-gable roof, but it has windows and space inside the roof for defenders who could counter attackers.
The third floor of the Main Tower
On the fourth floor, you can see one of the bronze grampuses on the roof close by through the window.
The forth floor of the Main TowerThe bronze grampuses seen through the window
The fifth floor is a very dark attic, by contrast, the top floor is open and bright where you can enjoy a great view of the castle and city to all directions. You can also walk around the veranda (another steel handrail was added for safety and preservation) like the lord of the castle used to do.
The fifth floor of the Main TowerThe top floor of the Main TowerThe veranda of the top floorA view from the top floor
Later History
After the Meiji Restoration, Kochi Castle was turned into Kochi Park. All the buildings in the Second and Third Enclosures were demolished while the buildings in the Main Enclosure and a few others remain. All the 15 remaining castle buildings have been designated as Important Cultural Properties since 1950. The castle also became a National Historic Site in 1959.
The Main Tower of Kochi Castle
My Impression
When I visited Kochi Castle for the first time many years ago, I misunderstood the reason for the small Main Hall in the Main Enclosure. I thought it was because Japanese people in the past were shorter and smaller than now. In my recent second visit, I understood its real reason. I guess if the hall was very large, it might have been demolished like the hall in the Second Enclosure when the castle once became the park. If it is true, fortune is unpredictable and changeable.
The interior of the Main Hall of the Main Enclsosure
How to get There
If you want to visit there by car: It is about 15 minutes away from Kochi IC on Kochi Expressway. There are several parking lots around the castle such as the Kochi Park Parking Lot. By public transportation, take the Tosaden Bus from JR Kochi Station and get off at the Kochijo-mae bus stop. If you go there from Tokyo or Osaka, I recommend traveling by plane or using an express bus.
