カテゴリー: 私の感想～My Impression

152.Tsu Castle Part3

You can see part of the castle ruins even in the city area.

Features

Northern side

This side is the most likely to show what the castle looked like because the high stone walls and the Inner Moat remain well. However, the original moat was over twice as wide as the current one.

The aerial photo around the castle

The stone walls of the northern side
The Inner Moat also remains well
This road seemed to be part of the Inner Moat

Two three-story turrets were built on both edges of the walls in the past, in addition, Tamon-yagura Turret, like a long row house, was also built between them. These structures must have looked great and been a threat to enemies.

The old photo of the two turrets on the stone walls in the past, from the signboard at the site
The stone walls which had the long row house on them in the past
The stone wall base for the Northeast Turret, one of the two turrets
The stone wall base for the Northwest Turret, the other of the two turrets

You can also go and walk on the top of the walls from the inside of the Main Enclosure. There is enough space to walk and rest as it was the ground for those buildings. You can look down the walls and moat and see how tall and large they are.

The top of the northern stone walls
The Inner Moat seen from the Northwest Turret Ruins
Overlooking the stone walls and the Inner Moat

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Tsu Castle was abandoned. The moats were eventually filled and the castle buildings were demolished accordingly. Tsu City became the capital of Mie Prefecture in the first Meiji Era, so the former castle plain land was a likely place to meet the demand of office buildings. The city finally bought some castle ruins area and opened it as a park in 1958. The city is now checking the condition of the remaining stone walls to prevent them from collapsing as they are aging and being damaged by tree roots. They will consider how to preserve and develop them as a historic site.

The statue of Takatora Todo in the park

My Impression

We usually can not see any trace of the castle in the current city area of Tsu. However, when an excavation was done in the former castle area, some castle items were found. Examples of them can be seen in the spot beside a bank head quarters building, over 100m away from the park entrance. There is an exhibition for stone walls at the edge of the Inner Moat, which were excavated nearby. You can really understand the moat was 80 to 100m wide in the past, seeing it. I think this is another way to enjoy visiting castles.

The excavated stone walls of the Inner Moat which are exhibited beside the bank

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 10 minutes away from Tsu IC on the Ise Expressway. There is a parking lot in front of the main entrance of the park.
By public transportation, it takes about 10 minutes on foot from Tsu-Shinmachi Station.
To get to Tsu-Shinmachi Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to a limited express on the Kintetsu-Nagoya Line at Nagoya Station and transfer to a local train at Tsu Station.

The parking lot in front of the main entrance of the park

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Tsu Castle Part1”
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152.津城　その３

市街地でも城跡の一部を見ることができます。

特徴、見どころ

公園の北側

こちら側が、城がどのような姿をしていたのか最もよくわかる場所です。高石垣と内堀がよく残っているからです。しかし、内堀はもとは現状の倍以上の幅がありました。

城周辺の航空写真

公園の北側の石垣
内堀もよく残っています
この道路もかつては内堀の一部だったようです

過去には２基の三階櫓（丑寅（うしとら）櫓と戌亥（いぬい）櫓）が石垣の両端に建てられていました。加えて、長屋のような多聞櫓が両櫓をつないでいました。これら石垣の上に櫓が備わった姿は、敵にとっては脅威に映ったことでしょう。

丑寅櫓（手前）と戌亥櫓（奥）の古写真、現地説明板より
かつて多聞櫓があった石垣
丑寅櫓の櫓台石垣
戌亥櫓の櫓台石垣

本丸の内側からは、石垣の上まで登って行くこともできます。もともと櫓が建てられていた場所なので、歩いたり休んだりするのに十分なスペースがあります。石垣や堀を見下ろしてみると、その規模の大きさを実感できます。

東側石垣の上
戌亥櫓跡から見た内堀
石垣と内堀を見下ろしています

その後

明治維新後、津城は廃城となりました。堀は次第に埋められていき、それに従って城の建物も撤去されていきました。津市は、明治の初期に三重県の県庁所在地になったために、以前城だった平地はオフィスビルの需要を満たすための絶好の立地となりました。最終的には津市が一部の城跡を買い上げ、1958年に公園として整備しました。市は現在、現存している石垣の状態をチェックしているところです。経年劣化と木の根による浸食が進んでいることで、石垣が崩壊する可能性があり、それを防ぐためです。史跡としてどのように保護し整備していくのかこれから検討していくとのことです。

公園内にある藤堂高虎の銅像

私の感想

現在の津市の市街地では、通常城の痕跡を見ることはできません。しかし、以前城だった場所を発掘調査したときには、城に関係するものが発見されています。公園入口から100ｍ以上離れた場所にある銀行の本社ビルの傍らでその一部を見ることができます。それは、内堀の端の部分にあった石垣で、その近くでの発掘で見つかったものが展示されているのです。これを見ることで、かつては内堀の幅が80ｍから100ｍもあったのだということが実感できます。こういうことも、城巡りを楽しむ一つのやり方だと思います。

銀行本社前に展示してある発掘された内堀の石垣

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：伊勢自動車道の津ICから約１０分かかります。公園の正面入口の手前に駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、津新町駅から歩いて約１０分かかります。
東京から津新町駅まで：東海道新幹線に乗って、名古屋駅で近鉄名古屋線の特急に乗り換え、津駅で各駅停車に乗り換えてください。

公園入口前の駐車場

リンク、参考情報

・県指定史跡　津城跡、津市
・「よみがえる日本の城１６」学研
・「築城の名手　藤堂高虎／福井健二著」戒光祥出版
・「日本の城改訂版第５、１１７号」デアゴスティーニジャパン
・「週刊名城をゆく４３／伊賀上野城・津城」小学館
・「三重県指定史跡津城跡保存管理計画」津市教育委員会
・「三重県指定史跡津城跡　石垣測量・変位調査報告概要版」

これで終わります。ありがとうございました。
「津城その１」に戻ります。
「津城その２」に戻ります。

62.Wakayama Castle Part3

Why did the Main Tower was restored again?

Features

Western and Southern sides of Castle

There are also many other attractions at the western and southern parts of the park. The Sand Enclosure is a large one which was built later than other enclosures, on the natural sand dune at the western side. It has high stone walls which overlook the city roads. The inside of the enclosure was empty from the beginning, maybe because of that, it is now used as a ground and tennis courts.

The map around the castle

The Sand Enclosure
The stone walls of the Sand Enclosure
A view from the top of the stone walls

The Oimawashi-mon Gate is another remaining building of the castle, which is painted red. The reason for the color is said to be for the amulet against the unlucky southwest direction called Ura-kimon.

The Oimawashi-mon Gate

The Akazu-no-mon Gate Ruins are another entrance of the park, which is in front of the Southern Enclosure. Its turret stone wall base is the highest one in the castle, which is about 23m high.

The Akazu-no-mon Gate Ruins
The turret stone wall base

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Wakayama Castle was abandoned. The main portion of it was owned by the Japanese Army, followed by Wakayama City, and turned into a park. The park had not only the remaining castle properties but also official facilities like a museum, a library, a school, a fire station, and the City Hall. However, the city has recently been developing it as a historical park by removing the facilities. It aims to restore the scenery of the castle at the end of the Edo Period. In addition, the site has been designated as a National Historic Site since 1931.

The restored Main Gate seen from the Second Enclosure
The long, old stone walls surrounding the central hill

My Impression

I didn’t think Wakayama Castle has so many attractions before my visit. I also noticed the importance of the Main Tower as the center point and symbol of the castle. If the tower was not there, such a large castle could be distracting. That could be the reason why people in Wakayama restored the Main Tower.

The Main Tower seen from the Second Enclosure
The Main Tower seen from the Sand Enclosure
The miniature model of the Main Tower, exhibited by Wakayama castle Museum of History

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 15 minutes away from Wakayama IC on the Hanwa Expressway. There are several parking lots in or around the park.
By public transportation, It takes about 10 minutes on foot from Wakayamashi Station on the Nankai Railway. Or you can take the Wakayama Bus Route 0 or 25 from JR Wakayama Station and get off at the Wakayamajo-mae bus stop to get there.
To get to Wakayama Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Kuroshio limited express at Shin-Osaka Station.
Or it may be a good idea to fly to the Kansai Airport and take the JR train to Wakayama Station or the Nankai Railway to Wakayamashi Station.

The parking lot inside the Akazu-no-mon Gate Ruins
Wakayamashi Station

Links and References

・Wakayama Castle, Official Website

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Wakayama Castle Part1”
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