立地と歴史～Location and History – ページ 61 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

188.Hara Castle Part1

The battlefield of the Shimabara Rebellion

Location and History

Arima Clan builds Castle in Shimabara Peninsula

Hara Castle is known as the place where the Shimabara Rebellion was stopped in 1638. The castle was built near the edge of Shimabara Peninsula, in the western part of the Kyushu Region. The Arima Clan, one of the warlords in the region, first built the castle at the end of 15th Century. Harunobu Arima, the lord of the clan in the late 16th Century, was known as a Christian feudal lord. The Shimabara Peninsula possessed an international trade port called Kuchinotsu Port where Portuguese missionaries started to work in 1563. Christianity spread around the peninsula greatly and the area also prospered from trading. Harunobu originally lived in Hinoe Castle which the clan built many years ago. He renovated Hara Castle at the beginning of the 17th Century, probably as his new home base. However, he was punished by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1612 before he moved to the castle. His son was also transferred to another place in 1614.

The location of the castle

The replica of the statue of Harunobu Arima, exhibited by Arima Christian Heritage Museum, the original statue is owned by Daiunji Temple

The statue of Father Valignano who came to Kuchinotsu to spread Christianity

Castle uses Natural Terrain and has Great Stone Walls

Hara Castle was built on several hills alongside Ariake Sea. The Main, Second and Third Enclosures were on different hills. These hills were by the sea with natural steep cliffs. They were divided by large and deep dry moats using the natural terrain as well. The side of the castle facing the land had a swamp. Overall, the castle could be very defensive. In particular, the Main Enclosure was all surrounded by stone walls. Its entrance, called Koguchi, was very large and had a zigzagging route using huge ornate stones. There was the Main Tower or a large turret inside the enclosure. These structures were thought to show the castle’s lord’s authority. The Second and Third Enclosures were made of soil and were probably used as warriors’ houses. The Matsukura Clan following the Arima Clan didn’t use Hara Castle and built a new castle, called Shimabara Castle, as their home base. Hara Castle was once abandoned in 1615, but at least its foundation, including the stone walls, remained.

A bird’s-eye view of the castle ruins, from the signboard at the site

The relief map around the castle

The remaining stone walls at the Main Enclosure

Shimabara Rebellion happens due to Matsukura Clan’s oppression

The Matsukura Clan oppressed the farmers and Christians in their territory. Being Christian had not been allowed by the Tokugawa Shogunate since 1612. 1n 1637, the people in Shimabara Peninsula, together with the people in Amakusa Islands over Ariake Sea who were in the same situation, rebelled against the Matsukura Clan and the shogunate. They were officially led by a charismatic Christian boy, Shiro Amakusa, but actually guided by the masterless warriors, called Ronin, who were former retainers of the Arima Clan and other Clans.
They first attacked Matsukura’s home base, Shimabara Castle, but failed. Then, they decided to be besieged in Hara Castle by themselves after they repaired it. Historians believe that they were waiting for reinforcements from Christians from other areas of Japan and Catholic countries like Portugal.

The imaginary portrait of Shiro Amakusa, owned by Shimabara Castle Christian Museum, from the exhibition of Arima Christian Heritage Museum

The flag from Shiro Amakusa’s encampment, owned by Amakusa Christian Museum, from the exhibition of Arima Christian Heritage Museum

Annihilation of rebellion after 3-month siege

The siege started with about 37,000 defenders including women and children in December 1637. The troops from the shogunate first assaulted the castle but failed. Even the commander of the shogunate, Shigemasa Itakura was killed by a shot from the castle, as the counterattacks were professionally instructed and the castle was strong. The shogunate changed its tactics to encircle the castle with over 120,000 soldiers. The siege lasted for nearly 3 months, however, the reinforcements for the uprising army didn’t come. At the end of February 1638, the shogunate attacked the castle in full force when the defenders ran out of food. The castle fell and the rebellion was annihilated.

The portrait of Shigemasa Itakura, owned by Itakura Studying the Past Association *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

One of the georamas of Shimabara Rebellion, exhibited by Arima Christian Heritage Museum

The survivors of the uprising army’s fate was extremely severe. Almost all of them, except for some runaways, were killed. It is said that many of the Christians hoped to be killed as martyrs. Hara Castle was completely destroyed and buried by the shogunate. The corpses of the executed people were also buried with the castle. The lord of the area, Katsuie Matsukura was executed due to his misgovernment. Shimabara Rebellion was one of the greatest tragedies and had a big impact on Japanese history. This incident accelerated the policy of the national isolation of Japan by the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Part of the folding screens of Shimabara Rebellion, owned by Asakura City Akizuki Museum, from the exhibition of Arima Christian Heritage Museum

To be continued in “Hara Castle Part2”

188.原城　その１

島原の乱決戦の地

立地と歴史

有馬氏が島原半島に築城

原城は、1638年の島原の乱終焉の地として知られています。この城は、九州地方の西部、島原半島の突端近くに築かれました。この地方の戦国大名の一つ、有馬氏が１５世紀の終り頃に最初にこの城を築きました。１６世紀後半の有馬氏の当主であった有馬晴信は、キリシタン大名として知られていました。島原半島には、1563年にポルトガルの宣教師が来航し布教を始めた口之津港がありました。キリスト教はこの半島周辺に急速に広まり、この地域は貿易によっても繁栄しました。晴信は、有馬氏が以前に築いた日野江城を居城としていました。彼は、１７世紀初めに原城の大改修を行いました。恐らくは新しい本拠地とするためだっと思われます。ところが、彼は原城に移ろうとする前の1612年に、徳川幕府により罰せられてしまいます（岡本大八事件）。彼の息子も1614年に他の地に移されました。

城の位置

自然の地形を生かし、本丸には豪華な石垣

原城は、有明海に沿ったいくつもの丘陵の上に築かれました。本丸、二の丸、三の丸がそれぞれ独立した丘陵に築かれたのです。これらの丘陵の海際は急な崖になっていました。また、自然の地形を生かした広大で深い空堀によって隔てられていました。そして、陸地側は沼沢地となっていました。すなわち、この城の防御力は非常に高かったのです。特に、本丸は周りを全て石垣によって囲まれていました。虎口と呼ばれる入口は大規模で、食い違いの巨石を使って、ジグザグに進むルートが設定されていました。本丸の中には、天守か大きな櫓がありました。これらの構造物は、城主の権威を表していたと考えられます。二の丸と三の丸は土造りで、恐らくは武家屋敷地として使われていました。有馬氏を引き継いだ松倉氏は、原城を使わず、本拠地として新しく島原城を築きました。原城は1615年に一時廃城となりましたが、少なくとも石垣を含む基礎部分はそのまま残っていました。

城周辺の起伏地図

松倉氏の圧政により島原の乱が発生

松倉氏は、領内の農民やキリスト教徒に圧政を加えました。1612年以降、徳川幕府はキリスト教信者になることを禁じていました。1637年、島原半島の人々は、同じような状況に陥っていた有明海を隔てた天草の人々と一緒に、松倉氏と幕府に対して反乱を起こしました。彼らは公には、カリスマ的なクリスチャンの少年、天草四郎の下に統率されていましたが、実際には有馬氏や他の大名に以前仕えていた浪人衆によって指導されていたのです。反乱軍は最初、松倉氏の本拠地である島原城を攻撃するも失敗しました。そして、自ら原城を修理し、そこに立てこもることにしたのです。その理由としては、彼らは日本の他の地域のキリスト教徒や、ポルトガルのようなカトリック国からの援軍を待っていたのだと言われています。

３ヶ月の籠城の後に壊滅

1637年の12月に、婦女子を含む３万７千人が籠城を始めました。幕府からの追討軍は、最初は城を強攻しましたが失敗します。幕府軍の指揮官である板倉重昌（しげまさ）までが、銃撃により命を落としました。城が強力であったことと、その反撃の方法が玄人レベルにあったためです。幕府軍は戦術を変え、１２万人の兵力で城を包囲することにしました。この籠城戦は３ヶ月近く続きます。しかしその間、反乱軍に対する援軍はついに現れませんでした。1638年2月の終わりに、守備側の兵糧が尽きたことを見計らい、幕府軍は城に総攻撃をかけました。原城は落城し、反乱軍は壊滅しました。

板倉重昌肖像画、板倉温故会蔵 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

反乱軍の生き残った人々に対する処置は過酷でした。いくらかの逃亡者以外のほとんど全ての人たちは殺されました。多くのクリスチャンたちは、殉教者として自ら処刑されることを望んだといいます。原城は、幕府により完全に破壊され、そして埋められました。処刑された人々の遺体も、城とともに埋められたのです。この地域の領主、松倉勝家は、失政のかどで処刑されました（名誉ある切腹ではなく斬首されました）。島原の乱は、日本の歴史の中の最も大きな悲劇の一つでした。この事件はまた、徳川幕府による鎖国政策の導入を加速することにもなったのです。

「原城その２」に続きます。

90.Hirado Castle Part1

The castle built with the Yamaga style military ingenuity

Location and History

Matsura Clan builds Former Castle

Hirado Castle is located in Hirado Island in the northwestern part of the Kyushu Region. The area around the island faces the Genkai-nada Sea between Japan and Korea. Because of this reason, the area prospered with sea transportation including overseas trade from the Ancient Times. A warriors’ group, known as the Matsuura Group, was very active using naval forces and sometimes pirates in the Middle Ages. In the 16th Century, one lord of the group, Takanobu Matsura, attained power and became a great warlord. He also supported the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and succeeded in maintaining his territory around the island.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Takanobu Matsura, owned by Matsura Historical Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Takanobu’s son, Shigenobu became the founder of the Hirado Domain in 1600 by supporting the Tokugawa Shogunate. He also began construction of a new castle in 1599, known as Hinodake Castle, the former Hirado Castle, on Kameoka Hill at the edge of Hirado Island. Many of the details of Hinodake Castle are not known, but only an illustration of the castle, drawn by a Dutch missionary, is known to exist. According to the illustration, the castle had a spectacular tall Main Tower. However, the castle was burned down in 1613, probably just after its completion. The cause of the fire is unclear. One theory indicates Shigenobu himself burned the castle to avoid the shogunate’s doubt to Shigenobu that he might still have supported the Toyotomi Clan against the shogunate

The portrait of Shigenobu Matsura, owned by Matsura Historical Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The illustration of Hinodake Castle, in the 17th Century *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Rise and Fall of Hirado International Port

On the other hand, the area of Hirado Domain had been prospering as an international trading port since the arrival of Portuguese ships in 1550. When the domain was established, there were both the Dutch and English trading houses beside Hirado Port. In particular, the Dutch merchants brought silk products from Taiwan in exchange for silver in Japan. They made huge profits with this trade, and the Hirado Domain could also maintain their power without the need of the castle to support it. However, the Tokugawa Shogunate ordered the merchants to destroy the trading house and move to Nagasaki in 1641. This was probably because the shogunate aimed to monopolize the trade with foreign countries. It is also thought that the shogunate feared the spreading of Christianity after the Shimabara Rebellion being started by some Christians in Japan in 1637. Anyway, the power of the Hirado Domain declined due to the shogunate’s decision.

The restored Dutch trading house in Hirado *(licensed by Hkusano via Wikimedia Commons)*

5th Lord, Takashi Matsura rebuilds Hirado Castle

Takashi Matsura, the 5th lord of the Hirado Domain, wanted to be an influencer in the Japanese political world. The Matsura Clan was one of the non-hereditary feudal lord families who were basically not able to have important roles in the central government. However, Takashi became the first commissioner of temples and shrines from the non-hereditary feudal lords in 1691. This was due to a harmonious relationship between the 5th Shogun, Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, and him. Then, his next objective was to rebuild his clan’s own castle again. Constructions of castles were basically not allowed by the shogunate to be against it. Nevertheless, the re-building of the castle was approved probably because of the good relationship with the shogun as well.

The portrait of Takashi Matsura, owned by Chojuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, attributed to Mitsuoki Tosa, owned by Tokugawa Art Museum *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Takashi rebuilt the castle named Hirado Castle at the same place as Hinodake Castle between 1703 and 1707. It was built using an advanced military ingenuity known as Yamaga style. One of the features of the castle from this style was the use of complex formed perimeters. The castle had three enclosures from the top of the structure to the foot of the hill; the Main, Second and Third Enclosures. Each enclosure was surrounded by stone walls which bended elaborately. The reason for it is thought to eliminate blind spots for the defenders in the event of an attack. The sea facing the north, east and west sides of the castle presented a natural hazard. The Main Gate was open to the south, where there was a deep dry moat in front of the gate to prevent attacks from this direction. The rebuilt castle had no Main Tower, but instead there was the three-story turret called Inui-Yagura as the symbol of the castle in the Second Enclosure. The Matsura Clan governed the castle and the Hirado Domain until the end of the Edo Period.

The illustration of Hirado Castle in Hizen Province, in 1703, owned by Matsura Historical Museum, The copy of the one submitted to the Tokugawa Shogunate, exhibited by Hirado Castle

The zoomed part of the Main Enclosure on the illustration above

To be continued in “Hirado Castle Part2”