180.Okoh Castle Part2

A historical park with a laid-back atmosphere

Features

well developed historical park

The location map at the site, with additional English names

MarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarker
Final Tier
Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors
The map around the castle

Today, the ruins of Okoh Castle is well developed as a historical park. If you drive to the park, you can easily park your car at the mid slope of the mountain near the entrance of the ruins. If you walk up on the slope from the entrance, you will first arrive at the front of the high earthen walls of the the castle.

The entrance of the castle ruins
The remaining earthen walls at the ruins

From Forth Tier to Third Tier

Then, if you walk around to the right direction, you can enter the Forth Tier through the entrance of the enclosure called Koguchi. The entrance is made narrow and curved by the earthen walls for defense.

The entrance of the Forth Tier
The inside of the Forth Tier

The Third Tier is higher than the Forth Tier, surrounding the Final Tier like belt. The strong stone foundations surrounded by stone-piled earthen walls remain inside the enclosure. The building on the foundations would have been an important structure for the castle.

The inside of the Third Tier
The Third Tier surrounds the Final Tier like belt

Final Tier, Center of Castle

The Final Tier is the highest enclosure of the castle, so it was thought that it had the turret like a main tower. There are no building remaining on the ruins, but you can see a very good view of the Kacho Plain with lots of rice fields instead. You can easily imagine the area around the castle has been warm and rich.

Climbing up to the Final Tier
The inside of the Final Tier
A view from the Final Tier

Second Tier to protect Final Tier

The Second Tier is opposite to the Forth Tier. The enclosure was separated by a ditch from the Final Tier to protect it. There is also a small enclosure named the Lower Final Tier between the Second Tier and the Final Tier, where another turret was probably built.

The Second Tier
The ditch between the Second Tier and the Final Tier
The Lower Final Tier

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

180.岡豊城 その2

のどかな雰囲気の歴史公園

特徴、見どころ

よく整備された歴史公園

現地の案内図

MarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarker
Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors
城周辺の地図

今日、岡豊城跡は歴史公園としてよく整備されています。もし車で訪れるのでしたら、城跡の入口近くの山の中腹にある駐車場まで容易に行って駐車することができます。その入口から坂道を登っていくと、城の高く積み上げられた土塁が目の前に見えてきます。

城跡の入口
城跡に残る土塁

四ノ段から三ノ段へ

そこから右側の方向に歩いて行くと、虎口と呼ばれる入口から四ノ段に入っていきます。この入口は防御のために、土塁によって狭く、且つ曲げて作られています。

四ノ段虎口
四ノ段内部

三ノ段は四ノ段よりも高い位置にあり、最上段の「詰(つめ)」をベルトのように囲んでいます。この曲輪の内側には、石積みされた土塁に囲まれて、強固な礎石が残っています。この礎石の上にあった建物は、城にとって重要な建物であったのでしょう。

三ノ段内部
詰をベルト状に囲んでいます

城の中心部「詰」

「詰」は、城では最も高い位置にある曲輪で、天守のような櫓があったと考えられています。城跡には建物は残っていませんが、その代わりに、多くの水田が映える香長平野の素晴らしい眺めが楽しめます。この城の周辺地域は、昔から温暖で豊かだったのだろうと容易に想像がつきます。

詰に登っていきます
詰の内部
詰から見える景色

詰を守る二ノ段

二ノ段は、四ノ段の反対側にあります。この曲輪は堀切により「詰」と隔てられており、「詰」を守る形になっていました。ここにはもう一つ詰下段(つめかだん)という曲輪が二ノ段と「詰」の間にあり、恐らくここにも櫓が建てられていました。

二ノ段
堀切
詰下段

「岡豊城その3」に続きます。
「岡豊城その1」に戻ります。

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

MarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarker
Trail Entrance
Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors
The map around the castle

The entrance of the trail
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 Vertical Moat
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.

The artificial steep cliff
The fountain under the cliff
Climbing on the cliff

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
The entrance of Saizo-maru Enclosure
The inside of Saizo-maru Enclosure

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

The ruins of the gate for the main portion
The Belt Enclosure

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.

The entrance of Myojin-maru Enclosure
The inside of Myojin-maru Enclosure
A view from Myojin-maru Enclosure

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.

The stone walls of the Main Enclosure
They were built using chlorite-schist
The stone walls of Tokushima 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.

The inside of the Main Enclosure
The small building of Wakamiya Shrine
A view from the Main Enclosure

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

error: Content is protected !!