私の感想～My Impression – ページ 20 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

161.Kishiwada Castle Part3

The only thing I would ask the city to improve on the castle would be to open the views from the Main and Second Enclosures.

Features

Outside of Main Enclosure

The Main Enclosure is only connected to the Second Enclosure by the earthen bridge which is the same as the past. It looks like a castle island floating on the moat which must have had a defensive design.

The aerial photo around the castle

The earthen bridge to the Main Enclosure

However, if you go around the back side, you will find its back entrance ruins with stone steps, where a bridge to the outside was built. The bridge can not be seen in the drawing of the castle submitted to the shogunate. The reason for it could be that it was built after the drawing had been submitted or it was removed from the drawing intentionally.

The back entrance ruins of the Main Enclosure

The bridge in the back was not seen in the drawing (the upper right part)

The high stone walls surrounding it also look technical as they are curved elaborately to counterattack the enemies’ sides. They also use the lips as their base which is a rare case in Japanese castles. Some historians think that the reason may be to support the sandstones used for the walls which are weaker than the other types of stones. That’s why the stone walls were partially repaired in the present time, using granite to make them durable.

These stone walls were built on the lips

The white stones seem to have been used for the repair

Inside of Main Enclosure

The inside of the Main Enclosure has the reconstructed Main Tower, a gate, a corner turret and white walls. They have different designs from the original ones compared with those in the drawing. For example, the current Main Tower has three levels with many decorations while the original one had five levels with a simple roofing. In case like the current Main Tower of Kishiwada Castle, which was rebuilt but has a different design, should be called “reconstructed”. The enclosure also has a modern Japanese dry garden, called Hachijin-no-Niwa or the Garden of Eight Battle Formation, which was built in the same period as the current Main Tower and was designated as a National Scenic Beauty in 2014. The builders might also have created the Main Tower freely without its original design as a modern building.

The reconstructed buildings in the Main Enclosure

The tower is used as a historical museum inside and an observation platform on the top floor. The floor has a good viewing spot where you can enjoy the scenery of the area around including Osaka Bay. However, you can’t see anything on the outside from the enclosure except for the platform due to the high white walls on the top of the stone walls.

A view of the city area towards Osaka Bay from the platform

*This is also not a good view point because of the walls*

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Kishiwada Castle was abandoned and all the castle buildings were demolished. The castle land excluding the Main and Second Enclosures was turned into the city area. There was probably no other way to use it, other than modernizing the city of Kishiwada. After a long time, people in Kishiwada wanted to rebuild the Main Tower of the castle though they needed donations for it. As a result, it was finally completed in 1954 as the three-level Main Tower, but actually a modern concrete building has become a symbol of the city. Some people had argued that it should have been a five-level wooden one which was the same as the original tower, but there was a budget problem and the former lord, the Okabe Clan supported the original reconstruction plan. Kishiwada City is currently struggling to consider the earthquake-resistance measures of the reconstructed Main Tower due to its old age and the stricter regulations than before. It is also continuing to repair the remaining stone walls by replacing collapsed sandstones with new granite stones.

My Impression

I think the more you visit the current Kishiwada Castle, the more you will be interested in its history. The castle started out as a small one facing the sea, and it developed into the only one in Izumi Province, and finally became the symbol of the city. However, the only thing I would ask the city to improve on the castle would be to open the views from the Main and Second Enclosures. Currently, visitors can’t see the views below from them because of the walls or hedges probably for the safety reasons. I think the city will be able to replace them with other fences which can provide the views so that visitors can fully understand how the castle was developed more.

How about using this fence, partially used in the Second Enclosure, more?

*This is a good view point because of the fence*

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Kishiwada Castle Part1”
Back to “Kishiwada Castle Part2”

161.岸和田城　その３

一点だけお願いしたいことがあります。それは、本丸と二の丸からの眺望を改善してほしいのです。

特徴、見どころ

本丸の外側

本丸と二の丸は過去と同じように、一本の土橋のみでつながっています。本丸は堀の上に浮かぶ城の島のように見え、防御力を重視した設計となっています。

本丸周辺の航空写真

しかし、背面の方に回ってみると、石段がある裏門跡があるのがわかります。ここには外部に通じる橋がかかっていました。幕府に提出された絵図面にはこの橋は描かれていませんでした。その理由として考えられるのは、その絵図面が提出されてから橋がかけられたか、もしくは意図的に描かなかったかどちらかでしょう。

本丸を囲む石垣は、敵の側面に反撃を加えられるよう巧みに曲げられ、技巧を尽くして築かれているように見えます。また、石垣の基礎として犬走りがありますが、他の城ではあまり見ることができないものです。歴史家は犬走りが作られた理由として、石垣に使われている砂岩が他の種類の石よりもろいため、それを支える意味があったのではないかと考えています。そのせいか、現代になって石垣の一部分は花崗岩の石を使って置き替えられ、耐久性を補っています。

本丸の内部

本丸の内部には、復興された天守、門、隅櫓と白壁が建てられています。これらの建物は、城の絵図面にあるものと比べるとオリジナルとは違うデザインになっています。例えば、現在の天守は三層建てで様々な装飾がなされていますが、オリジナルの方は五層建てですが、シンプルな屋根の形をしています。現在の岸和田城の事例のように、元とは違う設計で再建された建物は便宜上「復興～」という風に呼ばれています。また、本丸には「八陣の庭」という名の現代的な石庭があり、現在の天守と同じ時期に作られ、2014年には国の名勝に指定されています。現在の天守の設計者は、元の設計にとらわれず、現代の建物として自由にこの天守を創造したのかもしれません。

天守の中は歴史博物館となっていて、最上階は展望台にもなっています。展望台からの見晴らしはよく、大阪湾を含む周辺地域を見渡すことができます。しかし、この展望台以外からの本丸からの眺望はよくなく、石垣の上の高い白壁のために周りは何も見えません。

その後

明治維新後、岸和田城は廃城となり、城の全ての建物は撤去されました。本丸と二の丸を除く城の敷地は市街地へと変わっていきました。恐らく岸和田の街を近代化するためには、そうするしかなかったのでしょう。長い時が過ぎ、岸和田の人たちは城の天守を再建したいと思うようになりました。そのためには市民の寄付も必要でしたが、その結果、３層建ての天守として1954年に完成しました。実際にはコンクリート造りの現代建築なのですが、今や市のシンボルとなっています。建築の際には、オリジナルの天守と同じく５層しかも木製とするべきだという議論がありましたが、予算の制約があったことと、元藩主の岡部家の支持があったことで原案（３層）に落ち着いたそうです。岸和田市は現在、復興天守の耐震対策をどうするか頭を悩ませています。経年劣化と以前より厳しくなった耐震基準のためです。また、石垣の修繕もずっと続けていて、崩れた砂岩の部分を新しい花崗岩で置き替えています。

私の感想

思うに現在の岸和田城に行けば行くほど、その歴史に興味が沸いてくるような気がします。この城は海に面した小さな城としてスタートしましたが、和泉国では唯一の城として発展し、そして今では市のシンボルとなっています。しかし、一点だけお願いしたいことがあります。それは、本丸と二の丸からの眺望を改善してほしいのです。現在ビジターは、恐らくは安全を配慮したために設置された壁やフェンスによって、そこからの景色をよく眺めることができません。やろうと思えば、外が見えるようなフェンスなどに交換できるはずです。そうすれば、ビジターがこの城がどのように発展してきたのかより理解を深められるのではないでしょうか。

リンク、参考情報

・岸和田城、岸和田市公式ウェブサイト
・「岸和田城と岡部家　岸和田城常設展示図録」岸和田市教育委員会
・「よみがえる日本の城１」学研
・「日本の城改訂版第８９号」デアゴスティーニジャパン
・「大阪府中世城館事典」戒光祥出版

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

194.Saiki Castle Part3

People can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area.

Features

Northen Enclosure and Two Reservoirs

Let us visit the Northern Enclosure on the northern ridge of the mountain, which spreads from the Main Enclosure as well. Its top area is also surrounded by low stone walls being lined up neatly. It is separated from the Main Enclosure by an altered gate with stone walls and has the exit to the Back Route (also called Wakamiya Route) nearby.

The mountain part of the castle

The long Northen Enclosure on the northern ridge

The stone walls surrounding the top of the Northern Enclosure

If you get out of the exit and climb down the trail on the route, you will eventually reach the two major reservoirs on the back valley, the upper Male Pond and the lower Female Pond. They are also surrounded by stone walls, which were probably considered the lifeline of the castle.

If you go up the trail a little, you can walk around the mid slope of the northern ridge where you can see some base stone walls beside the trail. The Northern Enclosure is supported by both of the stone walls around the top and the base. As you walk around, you will also see the great four-tiered stone walls supporting the Main Enclosure, which were recently discovered in 2009.

The path around the mid slope of the northern ridge

The stone walls supporting the base of the northern ridge

Defensive spot of Castle

There is also the Western Enclosure on the western ridge, which is next to the Second Enclosure, opposite the Main Enclosure. It is separated from the Second Enclosure by a narrow gate with stone walls and has the end point of the Suimei Route from the foot of the mountain. This was the defensive spot of the castle’s western side which is another viewing spot of the city area. You can also see round-shaped stone foundations there, which do not belong to the castle, but are the ruins of an anti-aircraft gun position during WWII.

The gate between the Second and Western Enclosures

The turret ruins at the Western Enclosure

The ruins of the anti-aircraft gun position

Remaining Main Hall Gate

The bottom part has the Third Enclosure Turret Gate, the only remaining building of the castle. This gate was the one for the Main Hall for the lord in the enclosure. The inside of it behind the gate is an empty space now. Saiki City Historical Museum is another attraction of the castle where you can learn about the history of the castle and city, including Takamasa Mori, the founder of the castle. You can also enjoy a view of the mountain with great stone walls on the top, from the front of the museum.

The map around the castle

The remaining Third Enclosure Turret Gate

The inside of the Third Enclosure is empty

The entrance of Saiki City Historical Museum

A view of the castle ruins from the front of the museum

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Saiki Castle was abandoned and all the buildings on the mountain were demolished. The mountain part was eventually used as a park and Mori Shrine. Saiki City started to excavate the mountain in 2009. The excavation team found that the castle was a newly built mountain castle in the Edo Period which was very rare in Japan. As a result, the castle ruins on the mountain were just designated as a National Historic Site in 2022. The bottom part had part of the Main Hall with its gate as an official building or a school for a long time, however the final remaining entrance of the hall was move to another place in 1969 for the construction of the Saiki Cultural Hall. The only remaining gate has been designated as a tangible cultural property of the city.

The photo of the entrance of the hall before being moved, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

My Impression

I think people in Saiki City are proud of their home town and its history. For example, in their daily life, if they have time and the weather is not bad, they can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area. As a result, they can enjoy beautiful scenery, get good health, and learn their local history. I wish I could live in an area like Saiki City.

A full view of the castle ruins (the mountain and foot)

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 15 minute drive away from Saiki IC on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the castle ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Oita bus from JR Saiki Station and get off at the Ote-mae bus stop. It takes a few minutes on foot to get there.
For visitors from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the express bus to Oita Station from Oita Airport after using a plane, and get the train on the Nippo Line from the station.

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Saiki Castle Part1”
Back to “Saiki Castle Part2”