特徴～Features – ページ 144 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

160.Imori Castle Part2

This castle was covered with stone walls.

Features

Trail from Shijonawate Shrine

Now, the trails at the ruins of Imori Castle have become very popular for hiking. There are several trails to choose from when you visit the ruins. I will describe one of the trails from JR Shijonawate Station via Shijonawate Shrine. The shrine is dedicated to Masatsura Kusunoki, a warrior in the 14th Century during Northern and Southern dynasties. He was the son of Masasige Kusunoki. He supported the Southern dynasty and was beaten in the battle of Shijonawate in 1348 by the troop of the Ashikaga Shogunate. Ashikaga Shogunate supported the Northern dynasty which used their position at Imori-yama Mountain to defeat Masatsura.

The aerial photo around the castle

Northern Enclosures and Great Wide View

The trail behind the shrine is very long and steep. You need to climb nearly 300m up the mountain. All the trails are on the western side of the mountain, so you won’t see any of the stone walls until you get to the top of the mountain. At the top of the slope, you will reach the northern part of the castle. This part is narrow, and there are several small enclosures. You will suddenly see a great city-wide view of Kyoto and Osaka. You can also see some of the remaining stone walls on the eastern side of the mountain. However, you can’t go below the stone walls because the trails on that side are abandoned and dangerous. There is also the burial mound for Nagayoshi Miyoshi called Gotaizuka around there.

The remaining stone walls of the northern enclosures

Southern Enclosures – Main and Senjojiki Enclosures

As you go on the trail to the south, it is divided into two branches at the entrance of the southern part. The one on the right is for the Main Enclosure on the top of the mountain. There are several attractions for hikers on the top such as the observation platform, the statue of Masatsura, the ruins of the stand for hoisting the national flag before World War II, and the signpost of the castle. You can also see a great view again of Osaka Plain on the west. If you go on the other branch on the left, you can see a lot of stone walls on the eastern side of the Main Enclosure. New discoveries about the stone walls were recently found one after another.

The statue of Masatsura Kusunoki *(licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)*

The ruins of the stand for hoisting the national flag

A view of Osaka Plain from the Main Enclosure

The remaining stone walls at the eastern side of the Main Enclosure *(quoted from the Daito City Website)*

On the south of the Main Enclosure, there is the largest enclosure in the castle, called Senjojiki, which means a hall of 1,000 mats. It is thought that it had the Main Hall for Nagayoshi, and now has a transmitting tower. The enclosure was guarded by the narrow earthen bridge on the north and the entrance with stone walls on the south. You can see both of these ruins onsite.

The Senjojiki Enclosure with the transmitting tower

The earthen bridge in the north of the enclosure

The ruins of the entrance in the south of the enclosure

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

160.飯盛城　その２

過去には石垣によって覆われていました。

特徴

四条畷神社からの山道

現在、飯盛城跡を通る山道はとても人気のあるハイキングコースとなっています。城跡を訪れる場合、いくつかあるコースから選ぶことができます。今回はＪＲ四条畷駅から四条畷神社を経由するコースをご紹介します。四条畷神社は、１４世紀の南北朝時代の武将、楠木正行を祀っています。彼は楠木正成の息子で、南朝方に属していましたが、1348年の四条畷の戦いで足利幕府軍に倒されてしまいました。足利幕府は北朝方で、飯盛山に陣地を構え、正行を破ったのです。

城周辺の航空写真

北部の曲輪群と広大な景色

神社の裏手から伸びる山道は長くて急です。山を３００ｍ近く登っていく必要があります。山道は全て山の西側にあるため、頂上に着くまでは石垣を見ることはできません。坂を登り切ると、城の北側部分に到着します。この部分は狭く、小さな曲輪がいくつか見られます。突然、京都から大坂まで含む広大な街の景色が目に飛び込んできます。山の東側では現存している石垣も見ることができます。しかし、石垣より下の方に行くことはできません。山の東側の道は放棄されているままで危険だからです。この周辺には御体塚と呼ばれる三好長慶の墳墓もあります。

南部の曲輪群～本丸と千畳敷

山道を南の方に進むと、城の南側部分の入口で道は二つに分かれます。右側に行くと山の頂上にある本丸に着きます。いくつか登山客のための見所があります。展望台、正行の銅像、第二次世界大戦以前に使われた国旗掲揚台跡、城の標柱などです。ここでも西方に大阪平野の素晴らしい景色を楽しめます。先ほどの分かれ道を左の方に行った場合には、本丸の東側にある多くの石垣を見ることができます。最近、石垣に関する新しい発見が次から次へと報告されています。

楠木正行の銅像 *(licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)*

本丸の南側には、城で一番大きな曲輪があり、千畳敷と呼ばれています。ここには長慶の御殿があったと考えられていて、現在は放送塔の設備があります。この曲輪の北側は細い土橋により、南側は石垣を伴った虎口により守られていました。両方の遺跡を現場で見ることができます。

「飯盛城その３」に続きます。
「飯盛城その１」に戻ります。

159.Akutagawa-san Castle Part2

You can enjoy both of the ruins and a great view.

Features

Walking from Bus Stop

Now the ruins of Akutagawa-san Castle are private owned and not developed as a public park. Visitors usually have to walk from the nearest bus stop. You may be unsure which mountain you should climb and how you go to the ruins. It is a good idea to bring the route map called “Access to the Summit of Mt. Miyoshi” which you can download from the website of Takatsuki City. After about a 15-minute walk from the bus stop, the route is divided in to two branches. You can choose either of the two routes.

The map around the castle

Access to the Summit of Mt. Miyoshi (exhibited by Takatsuki City Website)

Tsukawaki Route

One of them is called Tsukawaki Route which goes around on the eastern side of the mountain and has a gentle slope. You can see a lot of the ruins of enclosures, but cannot enter them, because the route is surrounded by fences, so accessible areas are limited. You can also see the earthen walls crossing the route at a 90-degree angle. They are called Tate-Dorui or the Vertical Earthen Walls which prevented enemies from attacking the castle from other positions. You will also see the narrow earthen bridge with both sides having dry moats. The purpose of the system is the same as the Vertical Earthen Walls. You can even see something like the ruins of the alternate entrance.

The Vertical Earthen Walls *(licensed by ブレイズマン via via Wikimedia Commons)*

The ruins which might have been the alternate entrance

Main Route

The other branch route is called Otesuji Route or the Main Route which goes straight up to the mountain. It is steep and rocky. You can see some old stone walls around the entrance of the mountain, but they seem to be not original for the castle. The route is also surrounded by fences and you even have to pass through a door for preventing wild boars from entering the area. Take care to close it after entering or leaving. After about a 15-minute climb, you will see the stone walls of the Main Gate. The center part of them collapsed, however they are original to the castle.

The stone walls around the entrance of the route

The remaining stone walls of the Main Gate

Great view from Main Enclosure

The two branch routes meet above the stone walls, as you approach the Main Enclosure on the top. The outside field will suddenly become visible; it provides a great view of the Osaka Plain. You will finally reach the Main Enclosure after another few minutes of climbing. The enclosure has been cleared to create an open space. The excavations found that the traces of the buildings which might have been used as turrets at the front, and the stone foundations of the building which could have been used as Nagayoshi Miyoshi’s Main Hall. You can enjoy the whole view of the plain including the tall buildings in Osaka City and the Ikoma Mountains where Imori Castle became Nagayoshi’s new home base after Akutagawa-san Castle.

The tall buildings in Osaka City can be seen

To be continued in “Akkutagawa-san Castle Part3”
Back to “Akutagawa-san Castle Part1”