特徴～Features – ページ 123 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

176.Ichinomiya Castle Part2

Unexpected stone walls on the mountain

Features

Well-developed Trail to Castle Ruins

If you drive to the ruins of Ichinomiya Castle, you will go through the route on the narrow area sandwiched by Akui-gawa River and mountains. You can see that it is a good location for defending the castle. The entrance of the trail to the ruins is opposite of the Ichinomiya Shrine. You will need to climb to the top of the 144m high mountain, but the trail is well developed with stone steps.

The location map at the site, adding English names

The map around the castle

The well-developed trail with stone steps

After climbing for a while, you will see a Vertical Moat or Tate-bori on the slope along the trail to prevent enemies from attacking. If you go to the branch nearby, you can see the ruins of the Warehouses.

The ruins of the Warehouses (licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)

Defense System using Natural Terrain

Going back to the main trail, you will reach an artificial steep cliff called Kiri-gishi under several enclosures. You can also see a fountain at the foot of the cliff. You will need to climb a zigzagged trail on the cliff to go further.

Even after climbing, you will still be under the bottom of an artificial valley called Hori-kiri. Enemies could have been counterattacked from the enclosures above. The valley divides the main portion of the castle and the Saizo-maru Enclosure. If you turn left at the valley, you will reach the Saizo-maru Enclosure. This enclosure is also called the Third Enclosure. “Saizo” originates from the name of the retainer who was responsible for the enclosure.

*Being under the bottom of the valley* even after climbing

Going to Center of Castle

If you turn right at the valley, you will reach the ruins of the gate for the main portion which have two main enclosures – the Myojin-maru Enclosure and the Main Enclosure. These enclosures are connected by a long and narrow enclosure called the Belt Enclosure or Koshi-guruwa

If you turn right again at the gate ruins, you will be in the Myojin-maru Enclosure. This enclosure is also called the Second Enclosure and the spot where the ruins of the building with veranda, maybe for sightseeing, was found. You can even now see a good view of the center of Tokushima Prefecture to the east.

Great Stone Walls of Main Enclosure

If you go back to the gate ruins and go left from the front of it, you will finally reach the Main Enclosure on the top of the mountain. You may be surprised to suddenly see the great stone walls which were built by the Hachisuka Clan. The stone walls of this castle are very rare and beautiful because they were piled up using stones with a dark-green striped pattern called chlorite-schist. These stones are also known as Green Stones of Awa. The same pattern of stone walls can also be seen at Tokushima Castle that the Hachisuka Clan built after they used Ichinomiya Castle.

There is only the small building of Wakamiya Shrine. The stone foundations of the Main Hall for the lord were found recently, which were also built by the Hachisuka Clan. You can also see a good view of the area around, including Akui-gawa River.

To be continued in “Ichinomiya Castle Part3”
Back to “Ichinomiya Castle Part1”

176.一宮城　その２

山上に突然現れる石垣

特徴、見どころ

よく整備された登山道

もし一宮城跡に車で行かれるのでしたら、鮎喰川と山地に挟まれた狭い地域を通る道路を行くことになります。城を守るためにはよい立地であることがわかると思います。城跡への登山道入口は、一宮神社の反対側にあります。ここから標高１４４ｍの山頂まで登っていく必要があります。しかし、登山道には石段があり、よく整備されています。

城周辺の地図

しばらく登っていくと、登山道に沿った坂に竪堀を見ることができます。これは、敵の攻撃を防ぐための仕掛けです。近くにある分かれ道に入っていくと、倉庫跡があります。

倉庫跡 (licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)

自然の地形を生かした防御システム

登山道の本道の方に戻って進んでいくと、いくつかの曲輪の下にある、切岸と呼ばれる人工的に作られた急崖に至ります。この崖下には、湧水も見られます。ここから更に曲がりくねった登山道が崖を伝って登っていきます。

崖を登った後でも、堀切と呼ばれる人工的に作られた谷の底にたどり着くのみです。敵の軍勢は、上方の曲輪から反撃を受けることになったでしょう。この谷によって、城の中心部と、才蔵丸という曲輪が分けられています。ここから左の方に行けば、才蔵丸に着きます。この曲輪は、三の丸とも呼ばれています。「才蔵」とは、かつてこの曲輪を任せられていた部将の名前に由来しています。

城の中心部へ

谷から右の方に行ってみると、二つの主要な曲輪（明神丸と本丸）がある城の中心部への門跡に至ります。この二つの曲輪は、腰曲輪と呼ばれる細長い曲輪によってつながっています。

その門跡から再び右の方に曲がっていくと、明神丸です。この曲輪はまた二の丸とも呼ばれていて、眺望を楽しむためと思われる縁側付きの建物跡が見つかった所です。今でもここからは、東の方角に徳島県中心部の景色がよく見えます。

本丸のすばらしい石垣

先ほどの門跡に戻り、その前から見て左の方にいくと、ついに山の頂上にある本丸に到着します。蜂須賀氏が築いたすばらしい石垣が突然現れるので驚かれるかもしれません。この城の石垣はとても珍しく、美しいものです。深緑色の縞模様がある緑泥片岩を使って積み上げられているからです。これらの石は阿波の青石としても知られています。同じ石垣の作り方は、蜂須賀氏が一宮城の後で築いた徳島城でも見ることができます。

本丸の中には、若宮神社の小さな祠があるだけです。城主のための御殿の礎石が見つかったのは最近のことで、これも蜂須賀氏によって築かれました。ここからは、鮎喰川を含む周辺地域の景色もよく見渡すことができます。

「一宮城その３」に続きます。
「一宮城その１」に戻ります。

76.Tokushima Castle Part2

The contrasting red and green stone walls with the quiet background of the mountain

Features

Rare and Beautiful Stone Walls

Now, the ruins of Tokushima Castle is open to the public as Tokushima Central Park which includes both the mountain and plain parts. Visitors typically go to the plain area first which is still surrounded by the stone walls and the Inner Moat. The stone walls of this castle are very rare and beautiful because they were piled up using stones with a dark-green striped pattern called chlorite‐schist. These stones are also known as Green stones of Awa. Moreover, some parts of stone walls included stones called piedmontite schist also known as Red Stones. The contrast of green and red in the stone walls looks more beautiful.

The aerial photo around the castle

The monument of the ruins of Tokushima Castle

The stone walls built using chlorite‐schist

The contrast of green and red in the stone walls

August Entrance of Castle

There are no original buildings of the castle, but only the front gate called Washi-no-mon which was restored in 1989. You can enter the center of the park behind the gate by crossing the Gejo Bridge and passing the ruins of Kuro-mon Gate. The remaining stone walls of the gate and the neighboring Taiko-yagura Turret looks great as they were recognized as the main gate. Inside the stone walls, there are several attractions worth seeing, such as the flower square, Tokushima Castle Museum, and the remaining Japanese Garden of the Main Hall which was designated as a National Scenic Beauty. You can also enjoy walking on the inside route which is surrounded by the stone walls.

You can enter the ruins of Koro-mon Gate after crossing the Gejo Bridge

Looking down the Gejo Bridge from the stone walls of Koro-mon Gate

Mountain with Silent atmosphere

You can visit the mountain part as well. The mountain is now called Shiro-yama or The Castle Mountain. The route to the top of the mountain has been developed with the modern stone stairways so that visitors can climb easily. The enclosures on the mountain became empty where the signposts show the names of the enclosures and what buildings there were such as the Main Tower on the Eastern Second Enclosure. From the Main Enclosure on the top, you will see a view of Tokushima City. The ruins of Yumi-yagura Turret in the enclosure was where the first Main Tower was built. The stone walls on the mountain look much older than on the plain area. This is probably because the mountain part was built earlier than the plain part. It seems that fewer people visit the mountain now, but you can still enjoy a quiet atmosphere there.

The stone walls at the entrance of the Western Second Enclosure

To be continued in “Tokushima Castle Part3”
Back to “Tokushima Castle Part1”