154.Tamaru Castle Part3

Tamaru Castle shows Nobukatsu’s early way of life

Features

Going to Second Enclosure

The Second Enclosure, the south of the Main Enclosure, also has both stone walls and earthen walls. The earthen walls have the alternating entrance which is very old and thought to be used as the back gate

The map around the castle

The exit of the Main Enclosure to the Second Enclosure
Going to the Second Enclosure
The Main Enclosure on the right, the Second Enclosure on the left, which is partially made of soil.
The inside of the Second Enclosure
The stone walls surrounding the Second Enclosure
The Back Gate Rins at the Second Enclosure, which are surrounded by earthen walls

In addition, you can see the private rooms for the lord, called Okushoin, which had been located in the Third Enclosure, and restored near the town hall.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Tamaru Caste was abandoned and all the buildings of the castle were sold or demolished. The ruins have been public owned since 1928 and designated as a Prefectural Historic Site of Mie since 1953. Tamaki Town is researching the ruins to be designated as a National Historic Site in the future.

Shiroyama-Inari Shrine in the Northern Enclosure

My Impression

Before Nobukatsu was fired by Hideyoshi, he owned Owari Province which was originally the Oda Clan’s home base as the lord of the clan. Historians say his rejection to leave the province was the cause for his loss. However, I speculate Hideyoshi would have taken the province away from Nobukatsu no matter what he said like Hideyoshi had done against the Hojo Clan in Odawara Castle. Hideyoshi wanted to provide more territories to his relatives.

The present Odawara Castle

After that, Nobukatsu became a monk, changing his way of life. I think he probably stopped being a warrior. In his last territory, Obata, he was not allowed to build a castle for the small territory, contrasted by the large Rakusanen Garden. Tamaru Castle and the garden shows the transition of Nobukatsu’s way of life symbolically.

The Rakusanen Garden
The stone walls of Main Enclosure seen from the Second Enclosure in Tamaru Castle
The grave of Nobukatsu Oda in Kanra Town, Gunma Prefecture

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about 10 minutes away from Tamaki IC on the Ise Expressway. You can use the parking lot of Tamaki Town Hall.
By public transportation, it takes about 10 minutes on foot from JR Tamaru Station.
To get to Tamaru Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the Kansai Line at Nagoya Station and transfer to the Kisei Line at Kameyama Station.

Tamaki Town Hall

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

154.田丸城 その3

田丸城は信雄の前半生を象徴

特徴、見どころ

二の丸に向かう

二の丸は、本丸の南側にあり、ここも石垣と土塁両方に囲まれています。土塁の部分に食い違いの入口があり、古い時代から搦手門として使われていたようです。

城周辺の地図

本丸の二ノ丸への出口
二の丸に向かいます
右側が本丸、左側が二の丸、二の丸は一部土塁でできています
二の丸の内部
二の丸を囲む石垣
二の丸にある搦手門、こちらは土塁に囲まれています

他にも、奥書院と呼ばれる城主(久野氏)の居所となった御殿が、もとは三の丸にあったのですが、現在になって町役場の近くに復元されています。

その後

明治維新後、田丸城は廃城となり、城の全ての建物は売却されるか撤去されました。城跡は1928年から公有化され、1953年からは三重県の史跡に指定されています。玉城町は、将来国の史跡に指定されるよう、城跡の調査を行っているところです。

北の丸内にある城山稲荷神社

私の感想

信雄が秀吉に改易される前、彼は織田氏の当主として、織田氏がもともと本拠としていた尾張国を領有していました。歴史家は、彼が尾張国から転封となることを断ったがために全てを失ったのだと言っています。しかし私は、秀吉は信雄が何と言おうがその領地を取り上げるつもりであっただろうと推察します。秀吉が、小田原城の北条氏に対して行ったことと同じということです。秀吉は、彼の親族・部下たちにもっと多くの領地を与えたかったのです。

現在の小田原城

その後信雄は生き方を変え、僧となりました。恐らく彼の中では武士であることを止めたのではないでしょうか。彼の最後の領地である小幡では、領地の大きさの関係から城を築くことは許されませんでした(よって彼の居館は陣屋と呼ばれました)。彼が築いた広大な庭園、楽山園とは対照的です。田丸城と楽山園は、信雄の生き方の変遷をとてもよく表していると思います。

楽山園
田丸城跡の二の丸から見た本丸の石垣
群馬県甘楽町にある織田信雄の墓所

ここに行くには

車で行く場合:伊勢自動車道の玉城ICから約10分のところにあります。玉城町役場の駐車場を使うことができます。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、JR田丸駅から歩いて約10分かかります。
東京から田丸駅まで:東海道新幹線に乗って、名古屋駅で関西本線に乗り換え、亀山駅で紀勢本線に乗り換えてください。

玉城町役場

リンク、参考情報

田丸城跡 見どころ、玉城町
・「英傑の日本史 激闘織田軍団編 織田信雄/井沢元彦著」角川学芸出版
・「織田信雄 狂気の父を敬え/鈴木輝一郎著」人物文庫
・「よみがえる日本の城16」学研
・「日本の城改訂版第26、30号」デアゴスティーニジャパン

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

48.Matsusaka Castle Part3

The Main Tower Base even uses a stone sarcophagus.

Features

Main Enclosure, Center of Castle

The lower tier had many turrets as the pivot for defense. Though there are no buildings now, you can look down on the routes below the stone walls of the tier clearly.

The map around the castle

The ruins of Kane-no-yagura Turret at the lower tier of the Main Enclosure
A view of Matsusaka City Museum of History and Folklore from the ruins of Kane-no-maru Turret
The ruins of Tsukimi Turret at the lower tier of the Main Enclosure
A view of the Second Enclosure from the ruins of Tsukimi Turret

The upper tier had turrets, residences, and the Main Tower. The stone wall base for the tower remains in its original condition from when Ujisato Gamo first built the castle. It looks very old and you can see part of it is made using a stone sarcophagus. This shows the stones for the castle construction were collected rapidly. You can also see a nice city view with mountains behind, as this is the highest point of the castle.

The entrance of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure
The inside of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure
The stone wall base for the Main Tower
The stone sarcophagus used for the stone walls (in the front)
A view from the upper tier of the Main Enclosure

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Matsusaka Castle was abandoned and the castle buildings were demolished or burned. The main portion of the castle was turned into Matsusaka Park in 1881, while the other has become a city area. Matsusaka City, the former castle town, renovated the stone walls of the castle for as long as 16 years between 1988 and 2003. The city has also been researching the ruins as well. They were finally designated as a National Historic Site in 2011.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower

My Impression

Before my visit to Matsusaka Castle Ruins, I didn’t know much about Ujisato Gamo and the castle. In fact, I was still wondering why the local city has castle ruins with such great stone walls while visiting. However, after learning about who he was and the history of the castle, I understood the reason. I hope that Matsusaka City will maintain the castle ruins and the memory of Ujisato forever because the city would not be there without hin.

The stone walls of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure

How to get There

If you want to visit the ruins by car, it is about a 15-minute drive away from Matsusaka IC on the Ise Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors beside the park.
If you want to use public transportation, It takes about 15 minutes on foot from Matsusaka Station to get there.
To get to Matsusaka Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the JR Mie rapid train or the Kintetsu-Nagoya Line on Kintetsu Railway at Nagoya Station.

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