The enclosures on the upper tiers were used as another pivot point as well as a place for living. The team found traces of kitchen stoves and a well, which were restored with a hut on the Southern Upper Tier Enclosure at the same time as the stone walls. The Southern Enclosure on the top of the tiers is used as the rest house, which is another viewing spot.
The map of the main portion of the castle
The restored hut on the Southern Upper Tier EnclosureThe restored kitchen stoves in the hutThe Southern Enclosure and the rest house on itA view from the Southern Enclosure
To reach the Main Enclosure on the top of the mountain, you will pass and see a larger pond being covered with stone mounds as well, called Hi-no-ike or the Sun Pond. This is actually not a reservoir but a well, which had been famous as a holy place since the Ancient Times before the castle was built. That’s why people in the castle used it for religious services.
The Sun PondThe Sun Pond viewed from above
Main Enclosure is used as Shrine
Around the top of the mountain is the Main, Second, Third Enclosures, but you can not access the two of the latter because they are privately owned. You will eventually go to the Main Enclosure on the top, which is now used as Nitta Shrine. As for the castle ruins, you can walk around the enclosure, called Musha-bashiri or the Defense Passage, and see the partially remaining original stone walls which are also uncertain as to who first built them.
The Second Enclosure is not allowed to enterNitta Shrine in the Main EnclosureA view from the Main EnclosureThe remaining stone walls behind the Main EnclosureThe Defense Passage around the Main Enclosure
Later History
After Kanayama Castle was abandoned, the Tokugawa Shogunate banned people from entering its mountain area to provide Matsutake mushroom to the shoguns during the Edo period. In fact, the Matsutake produced at the mountain was served to the Imperial Families until 1964.
A view of the Eastern hiking course, there are still Japanese red pines that could provide Matsutake mushroom, but they can’t produce it now because of aging
The shogunate also conserved the former area of the Nitta Manor by building religious facilities such as Serada Toshogu Shrine, Kinryuji and Daikoin Temples as they had declared the shoguns were a branch of the Nita Clan, which meant they were descendants of the Minamoto Clan. Even the shogunate needed the authority to govern the whole country. As for castle ruins, Kanayama Castle ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1934. Ota City has been excavating and developing them as a historical site since 1995.
When the Yura Clan was banished from Kanayama Castle, only the lord’s mother, Myoinni was against the idea of Hojo Clan keeping the castle. Even after she gave it up, she joined Maeda’s troops to attack the Hojo Clan in 1590 when she was already 77 years old. That caused the Yura Clan to survive while the Hojo Clan to decline in the end. I guess if she and the Yura Clan could still stay in the strong Kanayama Castle even with only a few defenders, there might have been a dramatic event at the castle when Hideyoshi invaded the Kanto Region like Nagachika Narita fought with Mitsunari Ishida at Oshi Castle.
The ruins of Ushiku Castle (licensed by Monado via Wikimedia Commons)The ruins of Oshi Castle
How to get There
I recommend using a car when you visit the castle ruins because there are no buses that go directly to the ruins available. It is about a 10-minute drive away from Ota-Kiryu IC on the Kita-Kanto Expressway. There are several parking lots at the foot, halfway up, and at the top of the mountain. If you want to use public transportation, it takes around 1 hour from Ota Station. It would be better to take a taxi from the station. From Tokyo to Ota Station: Take the JR Ueno-Tokyo Line from Tokyo Station and transfer to the Ryomo limited express on the Tobu Isesaki Line at Kitasenju Station.
The group of the Main and Kuranjo Enclosures on the right are even more defensive. If you want to go there, you will find the group has two tiers. You will need to pass the first Masugata entrance and reach the first tier before going to the two tops of these enclosures. Each enclosure also has the same defense system as the Imanjo Enclosure mentioned above, which meant enemies had to break the double Masugata entrances.
The layout drawing of Chiran Castle, quoted by Minami-Kyushu City, the route to the Main and Imanjo Enclosures (the red arrows)
The inside of the Main Enclosure is also empty where only the stone monument of the castle stands. The Kuranjo Enclosure is the place where the excavation for the castle was mainly done recently. The excavation team found earthen foundations of some buildings and lots of relics such as pottery and porcelain imported from China and Thailand, and used when the castle was active. That’s why partially restored columns of the buildings are exhibited on the ground there. Unfortunately, views from the enclosures are not good because of the trees and bushes around. It may be difficult for the officials to develop them as a view spot due to the fragile natural terrain.
The inside of the Main Enclosure (licensed by Mizushimasea via Wikimedia Commons)The inside of Kuranjo Enclosure, quoted from the website of Minami-Kyushu CitySome of the excavated relics of Chinese ceramic-ware, from the signboard at the site
Later History
During World War II, Chiran Castle Ruins were used for air-raid shelters by digging into their cliffs. As for the castle ruins, the excavation started in 1992, which found the original moats, the Masugata entrances, some building foundations, and lots of relics. As a result, the ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1993. In addition, the excavation re-started again in 1998 before the Kuranjo Enclosure was developed for preservation and exhibition in 2005.
The signboard at the entrance of the castle ruins
My Impression
I didn’t know about Chiran Castle at all before my visit to the ruins. I was really surprised to see that the castle had been built using the special conditions the area had. I think this is one of ancestors’ wisdom we should respect. This is also one of the reasons that I love visiting castles and ruins. In addition, I have actually deleted all my photos of the ruins in my camera accidentally except for few ones in my smartphone. I usually write my castle-visiting articles based on my photos. However, this time, I managed to write my article of Chiran Castle using my strong impressions from some books, leaflets and other website articles.
The ruins of Chiran CastleThe ruins of Sadowara Castle, another example of castles which were built on the Shirasu Plateau
How to get There
If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 20 minute drive away from Chiran IC on the Ibusuki Sky Line. There is a parking lot around the ruins’ entrance. If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Kagoshima Kotsu Bus bound for Chiran at the East No.16 platform in front of Kagoshima-chuo Station and get off at the Nakagori bus stop (for those who visit the ruins from the Chiran Samurai Residences side) or the Tokko-Kannnon-Iriguchi bus stop (for visiting them from the former Chiran Airport side). It takes about 20 minutes on foot to get there either form these bus stops. From Fukuoka to Kagoshima-chuo Station: Take the Kyushu Shinkansen super express. From Tokyo to Kagoshima-chuo Station: Take the express bus from Kagoshima Airport after using a plane.
The parking lot at the castle ruinsThe Nakagori bus stop
