立地と歴史～Location and History – ページ 46 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

2.Goryokaku Part1

A European style fort which was the final place of the Battle of Hakodate

Location and History

European style fort, located in Hakodate

Goryokaku was one of the earliest European style forts in Japan and the site of a major event during the Meiji Restoration. It is also one of the most famous symbols of Hakodate City in Hokkaido. In 1854, Japan opened the country to several Western Countries such as the US through the Shimoda and Hakodate Ports. The Tokugawa Shogunate, which was the Japanese Government at that time, decided to take direct control of Hakodate port and built the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office to control the relationship with the aforementioned countries. The office was first located near the port at the foot of Hakodate Mountain. However, some argued that its location was not good for security because the office might be attacked from both the sea and mountain sides. Because of that, the shogunate built the Benten Cape Battery beside the port and moved the office to an inland area, about 3km away from the port, where it was thought it would provide protection from shots from canons of the Western ships.

The location of the castle

The person in charge of both constructions was Ayasaburo Takeda, a scholar of Western science. He learned a lot from military books and designed the office to be a European style fort, with five bastions like a star. He also planned to add five ravelins between the bastions, but only one was built in the front, probably because of a lack of budget. The new fort was completed in 1864 and called Goryokaku, which means the Pentagonal Style Fort. Its style came from Europe while the techniques used in the construction were traditionally Japanese. The basic five pointed star shape was made of soil, partly using stone walls. Some of the stone walls had a feature called “Hanedashi” in which all the stones in the second row from the top are so layered to prevent enemies from invading. Water moats were dug outside the structures. The office buildings were built inside in the Japanese style.

Ayasaburo Takeda (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The drawing of Goryokaku, one of its final design plans, owned by Hakodate City Museum *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The old photo of the Hakodate Magistrate’s Office building, in the winter of 1868 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Escaping force occupies Goryokaku

In 1868 when the Meiji Restoration occurred, Goryokaku, including the magistrate’s office, was first handed over to the new government peacefully. However, the former Shogunate fleet, led by the deputy Admiral, Takeaki Enomoto, escaped from Edo Bay to Hokkaido looking to found their own government. They brought nearly 4,000 soldiers, excellent commanders like Toshizo Hijikata, and the strongest battleship, the Kaiyo. The new government officers left Goryokaku and withdrew to the mainland of Japan, so the escaping force occupied Goryokaku easily and set it as their home base. They also captured other castles in southern Hokkaido, such as Matsumae Castle. They finally declared independence from the new government, which was never accepted. A bad sign for the escaping force was that the Kaiyo had become stranded on a reef at Esashi and sank in the previous battle.

The photo of Takeaki Enomoto, in 1868 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The photo of Toshizo Hijikata, taken by Kenzo Tamoto, in 1868 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The photo of the Kaiyo, in August of 1866 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The restored Kaiyo beside Esashi Port as a museum

Goryokaku is open by Attack of New Government Army

The new government prepared over 10,000 soldiers and its own fleet, including the Kotetsu, thought to be the strongest after the Kaiyo, led by Kiyotaka Kuroda. The escaping force fortified Goryokaku and built another European style fort called Shiryokaku or the Square Style Fort. The new government forces invaded southern Hokkaido in 1869. They had more soldiers and were more equipped than the escaping force, which resulted in Matsumae Castle and Shiryokaku being captured immediately. The Benten Cape Battery and the remaining escape force fleet fought hard against the new government fleet in Hakodate Port. They even got one of the new government ships, the Choyo sunk. However, they had to surrender because their supplies ran out. Hijikata was also killed by a shot when he was trying to help them. Goryokaku was isolated.

The photo of Kiyotaka Kuroda (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The illustration of the Kotetsu, published in 1933 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The photo of the Benten Cape Battery *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The cannon shots from Goryokaku didn’t reach the fleet. On the other hand, the shots from the Kotetsu easily hit Goryokaku because the quality of cannons had rapidly improved. It is said that the copper roof tiles on the drum tower of the magistrate’s office were targeted. Enomoto finally accepted the suggestion of surrender from Kuroda. These battles are called the Battle of Hakodate and considered to be the event that the completed the establishment of the new government.

To be continued in “Goryokaku Part2”

2.五稜郭　その１

函館戦争の舞台となった西洋式城郭

立地と歴史

函館に築かれた西洋式城郭

五稜郭は、日本で作られた最も初期の西洋式城郭の一つで、明治維新における重要な歴史の舞台となりました。また、北海道函館市の最も有名なシンボルの一つとなっています。1854年に日本は米国などいくつかの西洋諸国に対して開国し、下田港と函館港を開港場としました。その当時日本を統治していた徳川幕府は、函館港を直轄地とすることにし、函館奉行所を設置して前述した国々との関係をコントロールしようとしました。奉行所は最初は港近くの函館山の麓にありました。しかし、その立地では海側と山側両方から攻撃される可能性があるとの指摘がされました。そのため、幕府は港の傍に弁天岬台場を築き、奉行所を港から３ｋｍ離れた内陸の方に移しました。そこは、西洋の軍艦から砲撃を受けても、安全であるとされる場所だったのです。

城の位置

これら２つの建設工事の責任者は、洋学者の武田斐三郎（たけだあやさぶろう）でした。彼は西洋の軍学書から多くの知識を習得しており、奉行所を５つの稜堡（りょうほ）を持った星形の西洋式城郭として設計しました。また、稜堡の間に５つの半月堡（はんげつほ）を加えることも考えていましたが、恐らくは予算不足のために正面の一つだけが築かれました。この新城郭は1864年に完成し、五角形の城郭を意味する、五稜郭と名付けられました。この城のスタイルは西洋式でしたが、建設工事に使われた技術は日本の伝統的工法によるものでした。５つの突起を伴う星形の基礎部分は土造りで、部分的に石垣が使われました。石垣の一部は、「跳ね出し」と呼ばれる技法が使われ、上から二番目の列の全ての石が突き出していて、よじ登ってくる敵を防げるようになっていました。星形の構造の外側には水堀が掘られました。奉行所の建物は内側に日本式建築として作られました。

武田斐三郎 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

五稜郭之図、最終設計図の一つとされている、市立函館博物館蔵 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

函館奉行所の写真、1868年冬 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

旧幕府脱走軍が占拠

1868年に明治維新が起こったとき、函館奉行所を含む五稜郭は最初は平穏に新政府側に引き渡されました。ところが、幕府海軍副総裁の榎本武揚は、旧幕府艦隊を率いて江戸湾を脱出し、彼ら自身の政府を設立するために北海道に向かいました。この艦隊は、土方歳三など優秀な指揮官を含む４千名近い兵士を乗せていて、また当時最強の軍艦であった開陽丸を含んでいました。これを聞いた新政府の役人は五稜郭を離れ、本州の方に退避しました。そのため、旧幕府脱走軍は労することなく五稜郭を占拠し、ここを彼らの本拠地としました。また、南北海道にある松前城などの他の城も占領しました。そしてついには新政府からの独立を宣言したのです。これは新政府にとっては到底受け入れられないことでした。更に逃亡軍にとって痛手だったのは、最強の開陽丸が先ほどの戦いの最中に江差沖で座礁し、沈没してしまったことです。

榎本武揚写真、1868年 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

土方歳三写真、田本研造撮影、1868年 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

開陽丸の写真、1866年8月 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

新政府軍の攻撃により開城

新政府は、北海道攻略に１万名以上の兵力と、開陽丸の後に最強と目されていた甲鉄艦を含む艦隊を準備し、黒田清隆に率いさせました。旧幕府脱走軍は五稜郭の防御を強化し、四稜郭と呼ばれたもう一つの西洋式城郭を築きました。新政府軍は1869年に南北海道に侵攻しましたが、兵力においても装備においても旧幕府脱走軍より勝っていました。そして、松前城や四稜郭は見る間に新政府軍の手に落ちました。弁天岬台場や残存していた逃亡軍側の艦隊は、函館港において新政府軍側の艦隊相手に奮戦しました。新政府側の朝陽丸が撃沈されてしまった程です。しかし、兵糧や弾薬が尽きたことでついには降伏せざるを得ませんでした。土方も、函館港の見方を支援しようとして駆けつける途中に狙撃され命を落としました。五稜郭は孤立してしまいました。

黒田清隆写真 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

甲鉄艦の絵、1933年出版 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

弁天台場の写真 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

五稜郭からの砲撃は新政府軍の艦隊には届きませんでした。一方、甲鉄艦からの砲撃は易々と五稜郭に命中しました。大砲の性能が短い間に飛躍的に進化を遂げたからです。五稜郭内にある函館奉行所の建物にあった太鼓櫓の銅板の屋根が目標物にされたと言われています。榎本はついに、黒田からの降伏勧告を受け入れました。函館戦争と言われたこれら一連の戦いは、新政府の支配が完全に確立した歴史事件とされています。

「五稜郭その２」に続きます。

102.Kaminokuni-Katsuyama Date Part1

The Mountain Castle & The Ainu People

Location and History

Japanese people get active in Hokkaido where Ainu people live

Kaminokuni-Katsuyama Date was a hall which was built in the Middle Ages in the western part of Oshima Peninsula of Hokkaido. At that time, the island was called Ezo, where the Ainu people lived. They spoke a different language and had a different way of life from the Japanese people that lived on the mainland. They earned a living by hunting, fishing and trading, unlike the mainland Japanese people, who farmed.

The location of the castle

The painting of Ainu men, attributed to Isabella Lucy Bird, in the 19th Century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

In the late 14th Century, some Japanese people were active in the Oshima Peninsula, in particular the southern edge of Hokkaido. The leaders started to build several halls for living and trading alongside this peninsula. The halls were called the Dounan (southern region) 12 Halls, such as Shinori Tate in the eastern part of the peninsula which was called “Shimonokuni” or the lower province. While the western part was referred to as “Kaminokuni” or the upper province.

Nobuhiro Takeda repels Ainu Rebellion

The Ando Clan, which led the Japanese people in Ezo, also tried to rule the island aggressively. Because of this, it caused an uprising of the Ainu people, who was led by their leader Koshamain in 1456. The angry Ainu people managed to capture 10 of the 12 Dounan Halls, including Shinori Tate. One of the two surviving halls was Hanazawa Tate located in the upper province, which was owned and controlled by The Kakizaki Clan, who was affiliated with the Ando Clan. They were obviously at a disadvantage however, because the rebellion was ultimately crushed when Koshamain was shot with an arrow by Nobuhiro Takeda, a guest commander of The Kakizaki Clan.

The portrait of Nobuhiro Takeda (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Nobhuhiro is originally from Wakasa province, which at that time was located in the central region of the mainland of Japan, which did a lot of trading with Ezo, via the Sea of Japan. For example, potteries like Echizen ware that were made in the surrounding areas were often used in Ezo. The province sold kelp, processed from Ezo. Nobuhiro might have been a vagrant on this well-known route. Therefore, he managed to only become the adopted son of The Kakizaki Clan, but also the chosen leader of the Japanese people in Ezo Island.

A jar of Echizen ware in the Middle Ages, owned by Hakone Museum of Art (licensed by Daderot via Wikimedia Commons)

Nobuhiro builts Kaminokuni-Katsuyama-Date

Nobuhiro would eventually build a new hall near Hanazawa Tate, on a hill located below Iouzan Mountain, which is now known as Kaminoyama-Katsuyama Date, in 1470. The word “Date” means “hall”, however because of its size, it looked more like a mountain castle or a sort of medieval city on the mountain. Nobuhiro probably built his stronger hall based on his experience because most of his previous halls ended up being captured. The hill of the hall had deep valleys on both sides, and dry moats in both the front and the back. There were lots of houses on the hill as well, which were surrounded by fences. A famous region was the Oma Port, located below the hill, so the lord of the hall managed to control the trading that happened at the coast of this region.

The miniature model of Kaminokuni-Katsuyama-Date, exhibited by the Katsuyama Castle Guidance Facility

Even after the completion of the new hall, some Ainu people would sometimes rebel and attack the hall. The Kakizaki Clan under the command of Nobuhiro, managed to repel the Ainu attacks, mainly because of the robust construction of the hall, and by the use of traps. The Kakizaki Clan were very cunning, as they managed to convince the Ainu people to join them in a peace treaty. After filling up on liquor, the Ainu people were too intoxicated to fight back, and were ultimately murdered during the party. Ainu people never doubted the Kakizaki’s intentions. On the other hand, both Japanese and Ainu people somehow managed to live in harmony together, in the medieval city. You can even find burial sites where both Japanese people and Ainu people were buried in. This led to a long and complex relationship between the Japanese people and the Ainu people.

The defense system of the front of Kaminokuni-Katsuyama-Date, from the miniature model above

burial mounds of Ainu people around the hall

The Kakizaki Clan eventually moved their home base to Matsumae, the southern edge of the peninsula because it was more convenient location for trading. That lead to the launch of both the Matsumae Domain, as well as Matsumae Castle during the Edo Period. Soon after that, the clan renamed themselves The Matsumae Clan. Eventually, Kaminokuni-Katsuyama Date would be abandoned during early stages of the Edo Period.

To be continued in “Kaminokuni-Katsuyama-Date Part2”