特徴～Features – ページ 142 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

32.Kasugayama Castle Part2

The castle ruins are worth to walk around.

Features

Now, you can visit the ruins of Kasugayama Castle easily by car. You can also park at the Kasugayama Shrine located on the mid slope of the mountain and go to the top. However, if you have time, how about walking on the original routes from the foot of the mountain?

The whole view of the ruins of Kasugayama Castle

Around Main Route

For example, you can park at the starting point of the Main Route on the way to the shrine. The route was recently developed for visitors, and is about 3.5km to the top, but gently sloped with a laid-back atmosphere. After a while, you will pass beside the ruins of the guard house on a mound. The route gets a little steep and rough and goes through woods and valleys. You will eventually reach a large enclosure called Kakizaki’s Hall. You are near the main portion, so you will arrive at the top after passing Kagekatsu’s Hall and the Well Enclosure.

Around the Main Route

The Main Route with a laid-back atmosphere

Around Back Route

The alternative is to walk on the Back Route which starts from the Lotus Pond in the Atagoyama Park at the northeast foot of the mountain. You will first enter the ruins of the Kurogane-mon Gate and the Hall for the Lord, which are now surrounded by woods. The route becomes winding and steep before reaching the ruins of the Sengan-mon Gate. The gate was very large and defensive with a deep dry moat inside. You will approach the main portion by climbing the zigzagged route on the Belt Enclosure and the Koguchi Entrance. The entrance is said to once be the front of the castle when it was smaller. The inside of the entrance is Naoe’s Hall on the ridge which is the opposite of Kagekatsu’s Hall in the main portion. This route looks like a mountain castle more than the Main Route.

Around the Back Route

The deep dry moat inside *the Sengan-mon Gate*

Around Main Enclosure

The Main Enclosure is on the top of the mountain where you can see a good view of the Kubiki Plain and the Japan Sea. The ruins of the Main Tower is next to the Main Enclosure, where it is said a kind of turret actually stood. Some religious facilities also stood around, and only the Bisyamon-do Hall was restored in recent times. Under the Main Enclosure, a lot of enclosures are on the eastern slope of the mountain, such as the Second Enclosure and Kagetora’s Hall. If you look up the top of the mountain from the mid slope, you can see these enclosures still covering the mountain. The Kasugayama Shrine is nearby, and you will see the statue of Kenshin Uesugi.

Around the Main Enclosure

Other Attractions

You can also visit the Kasugayama Castle Historic Site Square where part of the So-gamae outer earthen walls was restored, Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center where you can learn more about the castle and Kenshin, and the Rinsen-ji Temple where Kenshin studied in his childhood near the ruins.

Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center

*The Somon Gate of the Rinsen-ji Temple (licensed by ELK via Wikimedia Commons)*

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

32.春日山城　その２

歩き甲斐のある城跡

特徴

現在、車があれば簡単に春日山城跡に行くことができます。山の中腹にある春日山神社に車を停めて、頂上に向かうことができます。しかし、もし時間があれば、山麓から元からあった道を歩いてみてはいかがでしょうか。

大手道周辺

例えば、神社に行く途中にある大手道の出発点に車を停めることができます。この道は最近観光客のために整備されました。頂上までは約３．５ｋｍありますが、坂は緩やかでのんびりした雰囲気です。しばらくすると、塚状の番所跡を通り過ぎます。大手道は森と谷を通り、少し急でごつごつしてきます。やがて、柿崎屋敷と呼ばれる大きな曲輪に着きます。もうここは城の主要部の近くであり、景勝屋敷と井戸曲輪を過ぎればすぐに頂上です。

大手道周辺

搦手道周辺

もう一つは、北東の山麓にある愛宕山公園の蓮池から搦手道を歩いて行く方法です。最初に、現在は森林に囲まれている黒金門跡と御屋敷跡に入っていきます。道は急になり、曲がりくねっていき、千貫門跡に着きます。この門はとても大きく、内側に深い空堀があり強い防御力を備えていました。そして腰曲輪と虎口に沿ったジグザグの通路を登って、城の主要部に近づいていきます。この虎口は、かつて城が小さかった頃には、ここが城の正面口だったと言われています。虎口の内側には、峰上に直江屋敷があって、城の中心から見て景勝屋敷の反対側に当たります。この道筋は大手道よりは山城らしく見えます。

搦手道周辺

本丸周辺

本丸は山の頂上にあって、そこからは頚城平野と日本海の景色が楽しめます。天守閣跡が本丸のとなりにありますが、実際には櫓の類が立っていたと言われています。いくつか宗教的な建物も周りにありましたが、近代になって毘沙門堂のみが復元されています。二の丸や景虎屋敷など多くの曲輪が山の東側の坂に集まっています。山の中腹から頂上の方を見上げると、今も曲輪群が山を覆っているのがわかります。春日山神社がすぐ近くにあり、上杉謙信の銅像も目にすることができます。

本丸周辺

その他の見所

春日山城史跡広場では、総構えの一部が復元されています。上越市埋蔵文化財センターでは、春日山城や上杉謙信のことをより学ぶことができます。林泉寺は城跡の近くにあり、謙信が子どものときに学問をしたところです。

林泉寺惣門 *(licensed by ELK via Wikimedia Commons)*

「春日山城その３」に続きます。
「春日山城その１」に戻ります。

22.Hachioji Castle Part2

It may take a whole day to see.

Features

Now, part of Hachioji Castle ruins is designated as a National Historic Site. That part of the ruins is 1.54 million square meters big! It may take a whole day to see enough of the ruins. The entrance of the ruins is the Nekoya Area which has become a modern residential district. You can walk on the road along the Shiroyama River. Then, you will reach the guidance facility which is the starting point for the two other parts.

The map around the castle

The Residence on the Foot Area

The Residence on the Foot Area was recently investigated and developed as a historical park. You can walk on the restored Main Route, and it is easy to access the ruins of the Main Hall. The original route was guarded by several gates such as the Main Gate in the past. You will eventually reach the restored Movable Bridge. This bridge is used by tourists. It looks very nice and is permanent. The original one seemed simpler and movable. The stone walls around the Main Hall were also restored and look great. In fact, part of them is still original.

The original part out of the stone walls above (from the signboard at the site)

The inside of the hall ruins looks spacious and empty, but a lot of achievement from the excavation is shown. For example, the stone foundation of the Palace remains on the ground. Some of the stones for the garden were reproduced, and the floor part of the Club was rebuilt. The signboards also say what kinds of items, about 70,000, were found during the excavation.

The signboard which shows the excavated items

The Fortress on the Mountain Area

If you have time, you should visit the Fortress on the Mountain Area which was really a mountain castle. The front trail to the top of the mountain was also developed, but your visit will involve hiking or climbing, so make sure that you wear athletic shoes and watch your steps. The trail is along the ridge of the mountain passing several enclosures such as the Kaneko Enclosure, which were the need for defense. You can see part of the remaining stone walls at many places.

The remaining stone walls beside the trail

After climbing a steep slope, you will reach a high point called the Takamaru Enclosure near the top. On the way to the top from there, you will see a very nice view of the sides of the mountain. Soon, you will reach the top area, which include the Hachioji Shrine, the Main Enclosure, the Komiya Enclosure, and the Matsuki Enclosure. I recommend enjoying a view of Tokyo city from the Matsuki Enclosure. You can even see the skyscrapers of Shinjuku.

The city view with the sides of the mountain

Outer Citadel

If you have more time, how about visiting the back area of the top where the ruins of the small forts remain? You can visit there by going through the trail on the ridge of the back. Please take care, as the trail gets rough. You will first see the large deep dry moat between the top and the back areas, which was also for defense. After that, you can go further on the trail where you will see many scattered stones. That is a curious sight because of these covered the ridge in the past. You will eventually reach the main fort called Daitenshu where uncountable stones are also scattered. This was the pivot of the defense for the back of the castle.

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