私の感想～My Impression – ページ 32 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

74.Iwakuni Castle Part3

The attractions of the Northern Enclosure few people visit

Features

Northern Enclosure remains destroyed

The real highlight of the original Iwakuni Castle is, in fact, the Northern Enclosure which few people visit. You can exit the Main Enclosure through the path beside the stone wall base. Then, you can pass the route across the large dry moat between the Main and Northern Enclosures. This was built by the founder, Hiroie Kikkawa to protect the Main Enclosure from sudden attacks of enemies.

The map around the mountain part

The dry moat between the Main and Northern Enclosures

The inside of the Northern Enclosure is a square now, but if you climb down from it and walk around outside of it carefully, you may be surprised to see what you find. Lots of large stones collapsed and lie around the western side. On the other hand, its stone walls are still intact around the eastern side. This is because of how the Kikkawa Clan destroyed the mountain part of the castle. The clan at first destroy only the buildings of it, however, after the Shimabara Rebellion in 1638, the shogunate ordered the lords in western Japan to destroy unused castles completely. The clan had to do it by destroying part of the stone walls, but left the rest of them probably to protect the people living in that area.

Around the western side of the Northern Enclosure

Around the eastern side of the Northern Enclosure

Foot Area

The former residence at the foot is still surrounded by the Inner Moat, which is now the Kikko Park. Kikko Shine was moved into the park. The main buildings of the shrine are an Important Cultural Property. A Ema-do building (where votive picture tablets are hung) called Kinunkaku stands like a turret at a corner, which was built when the park was established.

The map around the foot area

Some original warriors’ houses remain around the area where you can enjoy walking, seeing, and relaxing.

The remaining Mekata Clan’s residence as an Important Cultural Property

My Impression

I think that Hiroie Kikkawa was a TrulyValiant who could make a decision of not fighting. Many of the Mori Clan at that time and some history fans today have complained that the clan could be a ruler if Hiroie fought in the Sekigahara Battle like I used to imagine. However, it must have been a gamble. The Mori Clan actually survives until today thanks to Hiroie’s decision. He was a far-sighted excellent leader. Iwakuni Castle also survives by practically responding to demands of society like Hiroie’s way of life. That’s why the castle site still prospers with Kintaikyo Bridge.

It may be better to use the wide path in the western part of the castle when you return

The stone walls in the western part seemed to be all demolished

The eastern part still has great stone walls like ones below the Main Enclosure in the photo above

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about 20 minutes from Iwakuni IC on the Sanyo Expressway. There are several parking lots around.
By public transportation, you can take a bus bound for Kintaikyo from Iwakuni Station or Shin-Iwakuni Station and get off at the Kintaikyo bus center.
From Tokyo or Osaka to Iwakuni Station: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Sanyo Line at Hiroshima Station.
From Tokyo or Osaka to Shin-Iwakuni Station: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express.

Links and References

・Kintaikyo-Bridge, Iwakuni City Homepage

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

74.岩国城　その３

あまり人が行かない北の丸が見どころ

特徴、見どころ

破却の跡が残る北の丸

オリジナルの岩国城の中で、真の見どころは、実は本丸ではなく、ほとんど人が行かない北の丸だと思います。旧天守台石垣の脇の通路から本丸を出て、本丸と北の丸の間にある大きな空堀を渡るルートを進みます。城の創始者、吉川広家が敵が突然攻めてきても本丸を守れるよう、この空堀を設けました。

山城部分周辺の地図

北の丸の内部は広場になっています。しかし、そこから曲輪の外側へ注意深く下っていくと、そこで見るものにびっくりするかもしれません。曲輪の西側周辺に、たくさんの大きな石が崩れ、横たわっているのです。一方、曲輪の東側周辺では石垣がまだ健在です。これは、吉川氏が山城部分をどのように破却したかを示しています。破却の最初の段階では建物のみを撤去したのですが、1638年の島原の乱が起こった後に、幕府が西日本の大名に、使っていない城の破却を徹底するよう命じたのです。吉川氏は、それにより石垣の一部（西側）を破壊したのですが、残りの分は恐らく居住に使っている方角（東側）に被害が発生しないよう残したのだと思われます（東側は城の正面にあたるので威厳を守るため残したとの意見もあります）。

山麓部分

山麓の以前居館だったところは、現在でも内堀に囲まれていて、吉香公園となっています。吉香神社がこの中に移設されています。神社の本殿は重要文化財です。錦雲閣（きんうんかく）という絵馬堂が区画の隅に立っていて、まるで櫓のように見えます。公園ができたときに建てられました。

山麓部分周辺の地図

その周辺にはいくつか武家屋敷がそのまま残っていて、散策をしながら見学できます。

私の感想

吉川広家は、戦わないという決断を下すことができる真の勇者だと思います。その当時の毛利氏の多くの関係者や、今日の歴史ファンの一部も、もし広家が関ヶ原の戦いに参戦していれば毛利氏が天下を握れたのではないかと文句を言っていますし、私もかつてはそうでした。しかし、それは正にギャンブルそのものです。広家の決断のおかげで実際に毛利家も今日まで続いているわけです。広家は、先を見通すことができる優れたリーダーだったのです。岩国城も同じく、広家の生き方のように、そのときの社会の要請に応えながら生き残っています。そのおかげで城のある地は錦帯橋とともに栄えているのでしょう。

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：山陽自動車道の岩国ICから約２０分かかります。周辺に駐車場がいくつかあります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、岩国駅か新岩国駅から錦帯橋行きのバスに乗り、錦帯橋バスセンターで降りて下さい。
東京か大阪から岩国駅まで：山陽新幹線に乗って、広島駅で山陽本線に乗り換えてください。
東京か大阪から新岩国駅まで：山陽新幹線に乗ってください。

リンク、参考情報

・岩国城、岩国の観光.com
・「よみがえる日本の城７」学研
・「うつけの采配（上下合本）／中路啓太著」中公文庫

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

170.Hamada Castle Part3

Castles look very different depending on people’s perspectives.

Features for History Fans

From Approach Entrance to Nakanomon Gate Ruins

For serious history fans, consider getting back to the starting point of the shrine approach. Let us seek together the original route to the Nakanomon Gate Ruins which we talked about above. The foot had the Main Hall and warriors’ houses and turned into residential areas, so you will need to follow narrow paths among the modern houses. Then the large stone walls of the gate will suddenly appear. These walls are original and they look so great, but are partially covered with wiring nets to prevent them from collapsing.

The map around the casltle, the red broken line is the estimated original route

The shrine approach on the left and the residential area on the right

The narrow path among the residential area

the stone walls of the gate suddenly appears

The stone walls are partially covered with wiring nets

After passing the gate ruins, you will go on a promenade along the valley probably similar to the original route while seeing old stone walls around. You will eventually reach the mid slope beside the shrine.

The promenade which is nearly on the original route

You can see some old stone walls beside the promenade

Going through Third and Second Enclosures

Let us pass the gate building and turn left again, but make sure not to go straight, instead, turn right this time. You can begin now to enter the two tiers of enclosures, surrounded by stone walls, which are original. However, these walls were piled up again during the Showa Era. It was said that the stones for the walls had collapsed before the repair. The lower tier is the Third Enclosure, and the upper is the Second Enclosure. The Second Gate was built between them. A square defensive space called Masugata which was also behind the gate where you can still see the same shape. You will finally reach the Main Enclosure as well from the Second Enclosure passing by the First Gate Ruins.

The restored image by CG of the Second Gate, from the signboard at the site

The square defensive space behind the gate

The ruins of the First Gate to the Main Enclosure

My Impression

After visiting the ruins of Hamada Castle, I realized that people would have different impressions from the same place depending on their purposes such as relaxing or learning about history. I think this idea was similar to the people in the past. Records show that after the warriors in Hamada Castle had gone, children played in the remaining Main Tower until it finally collapsed during the earthquake. There were also very different impressions about the castle between the warriors (the high class) and local people (the low class).

The area around the Main Tower base ruins

The restored image by CG of the Main Enclosure, from the signboard at the site

How to get There

If you want to visit Hamada Castle Ruins by car, it is about a 15-minute drive away from Hamada IC on the Chugoku Expressway. There are parking lots in the western and southern sides of the ruins.
By public transportation, it takes about 20 minutes on foot from JR Hamada Station to get there.
If you go there from Tokyo or Osaka, I recommend traveling by plane, using an express bus or combining them with trains.

The parking lot in the western side of the ruins

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