立地と歴史～Location and History – ページ 74 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

77.Takamatsu Castle Part1

One of the three greatest sea castles in Japan

Location and History

Chikamasa Ikoma built Castle based on experience

Takamatsu Castle, one of the greatest sea castles in Japan, was located in Sanuki Province which is now Kagawa Prefecture. The name of the prefectural capital, Takamatsu City, actually originates from this castle. Chikamasa Ikoma, who was a warrior in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, first built the castle. Chikamasa took part in many battles such as those at Nagashino Castle, Ishiyama Honganji Temple (former Osaka Castle), and Bicchu-Takamatsu Castle under the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Chikamasa contributed to the unification of the country by Hideyoshi who gave Chikamasa Sanuki Province in 1587.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Chikamasa Ikoma, owned by Kokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The present Osaka Castle, which was once Ishiyama Honganji Temple

Chikamasa at first used the existing Hiketa Castle, but he decided to build a new castle as his home base. From his experiences, his concerns about the castle were:
・whether it would be able to get naval support during battles.
・whether it would be able to withstand gun attacks.
・whether it would be able to survive a long siege.
In the end, he devised Takamatsu Castle, which was completed in 1590.

Castle surrounded by Sea and Triples Moats

Takamatsu Castle was built facing the Seto Inland Sea to the north, making it possible to ship directly to the sea. The castle was also surrounded by water moats tripled in the other directions, to which the sea supplied water. The main enclosure which had the three-layer main tower was isolated in the inner moat, connecting to the second enclosure with only a wooden bridge called saya-bashi. The third enclosure was next to the second enclosure, which had the gate opening to the sea. The enclosure also had the main hall for the lord of the castle. Such a castle was classified not only as a plain castle, but also a sea castle. It would be impossible for enemies to completely besiege this castle with technology at that time.

The folding screen of Takamatsu Castle and the castle town, owned by Kagawa Prefectural Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Matsudaira Clan followed and developed Castle

The Ikoma Clan was allowed to maintain their territory of Sanuki Province for a while by supporting the Tokugawa Shogunate in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. However, the clan was forcibly moved by the shogunate in 1640 due to their internal strife. After that, the Shogun’s relative, Yorishige Matsudaira was sent to Takamatsu Castle as a replacement for the Ikoma Clan. Though lords were basically not allowed to renovate their castles at that time, he developed and improved Takamatsu Castle by rebuilding the main tower and adding the northern and eastern enclosures. This was because he was also responsible for monitoring non-hereditary feudal lords in Shikoku Island, who might have been against the shogunate.

The old photo of the Main Tower Yorishige rebuilt

Part of the whole illustration of Old Takamatsu Castle, the illustration drawn after Yorishige developed the castle, from the signboard at the site

The Matsudaira Clan governed the castle and the area around as the Takamatsu Domain until the end of the Edo Period. In the peaceful time of the Edo Period, the beautiful view of the castle became a famous attraction for people. A guide book at the time says that the castle looks as if it is a floating castle on the waves from the Seto Inland Sea. The castle has also been said to be one of the three greatest sea castles in Japan.

The miniature model of Takamatsu Castle and the castle town, exhibited by Tamamo Park Museum

To be continued in “Takamatsu Castle Part2”

77.高松城　その１

日本三大海城の一つ

立地と歴史

生駒親正が自らの経験をもとに築城

高松城は、日本有数の海城で、現在の香川県である讃岐国にありました。現在の県都である高松市の名前は、実際この城に由来しているのです。戦国時代の１６世紀の武将であった生駒親正が最初にこの城を築きました。親正は、天下人となった豊臣秀吉のもと、長篠城、石山本願寺（大坂城の前身）、備中高松城などで起こった多くの戦いに参加しました。親正は、秀吉の天下統一に貢献し、1587年に讃岐国を与えられました。

城の位置

生駒親正肖像画、弘憲寺蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

親正は最初、既にあった引田城を使いましたが、本拠地として新しい城を築くことにしました。過去の経験から、親正が考えたその城の要件は以下のようなものでした。
・戦いの間、水軍の支援を受けられること
・鉄砲のよる攻撃に耐えられること
・長い籠城戦を乗り切れること
思案の結果、親正は高松城を作り上げ、城は1590年に完成したのです。

海と三重の堀に囲まれた城

高松城は、北側を瀬戸内海に接するように築かれ、城から直接海に船で乗り出せるようになっていました。また、それ以外の方角は三重の水堀で囲まれており、堀の水は海から供給されました。本丸は、内堀の中に独立して設けられ、三層の天守がありました。そして、二の丸とは鞘橋と呼ばれる木橋のみでつながっていました。三の丸は、二の丸のとなりにあり、海に出るための門がありました。また、三の丸には城主のための御殿もありました。このような城は、平城と言われるだけでなく、海城としても分類されています。その当時の技術水準では、敵がこの城を完全に包囲することは不可能でした。

高松城下図屏風、香川県立ミュージアム蔵 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

松平氏が引き継ぎ城を拡張

生駒氏は、1600年の関ヶ原の戦いで徳川幕府に味方したことで、讃岐国の領土を維持していました。ところがお家騒動が起こったことで、1640年に幕府により転封させられてしまいます。その後、将軍家の親族である松平頼重が、生駒氏と交代する形で高松城に送られてきました。その当時、一般的には城主が城を大幅に改修することは認められていませんでした。しかし頼重は、天守を再築したり、北の丸や東の丸を加えることで、高松城を拡張、改良しました。その理由の一つは、頼重が、幕府に反抗するかもしれない四国の外様大名を監視する任務を負っていたことでした。

頼重が再築した天守の古写真 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

松平氏は、高松城とその周辺の地域を高松藩として、江戸時代の終わりまで統治しました。江戸時代の天下泰平のときには、高松城の美しい姿は人々の間で名所となりました。当時の案内書には、瀬戸内海の波間に浮かんでいる城のように記載されています。高松城は、日本の三大海城の一つと言われています。

高松城と城下町の模型、玉藻公園陳列館にて展示 (licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)

「高松城その２」に続きます。

177.Hiketa Castle Part1

The forgotten castle in the eastern part of Sanuki Province

Location and History

Castle on Mountain supporting Port

Hiketa Castle was located on an 82m high mountain called Shiro-yama in the eastern part of Sanuki Province which is the modern day Kagawa Prefecture. The Hiketa Port, facing the Harima Sea, beside the mountain which could prevent strong wind from blowing into the port. The port became popular amongst ships waiting for favorable wind from the Ancient Times. It was said that the mountain was also used as a fire beacon platform at that time. In the Middle Ages, several lords used the mountain as Hiketa Castle. For example, in 1583, Hisahide Sengoku under the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi fought with Motochika Chosogabe using Hiketa Castle. Overall, the castle was used whenever it was needed. It was built with natural terrain.

The location of the castle

The aerial photo around the castle

The portrait of Hisahide Sengoku, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

One of Important Branch Castles in Sanuki Province

During the unification of Japan, Hideyoshi gave Sanuki Province to his retainer, Chikamasa Ikoma in 1587. Initially, Chikamasa lived in Hiketa Castle, but soon after that, he moved to another one, and finally built Takamatsu Castle as his new home base. However, Hiketa Castle was maintained as one of the branch castles of Takamatsu Castle. The stone walls were built surrounding the enclosures on the top of the mountain. Part of them still remain on the mountain. They were specifically built in places where visitors often came and local people could look up from the foot of the mountain. That was the way for Hideyoshi and his retainers to show their authority to the people in their new territories. It was said that the way originated from the castles like Nobunaga Oda’s Azuchi Castle and Nagayosi Miyoshi’s Imori Castle.

The remaining stone walls of Hiketa Castle

Some castle buildings were also built on the enclosures, but the details are uncertain because none of them remained. However, it was thought that the buildings looked like those of Takamatsu Castle. That’s because the roof tiles, which were made from the same model, were excavated from both sites. That meant there might have been the three castles which had very similar appearance in Sanuki Province which the Ikoma Clan owned. They were Takamatsu Castle in the center which was their home base, Hiketa Castle in the east, and Marugame Castle, which was the other branch castle in the west. Hiketa Castle was at its peak at the beginning of the 17th Century. The castle town was also built beside Hiketa Port.

Abandoned by Law of One Castle per Province

However, Hiketa Castle was abandoned in 1615 due to the Law of One Castle per Province which was created by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Only Takamatsu Castle was allowed to be used from then on. Marugame Castle was once abandoned at the same time as Hiketa Castle. However, Marugame Castle was rebuilt when Sanuki Province was divided by other lords later on. As a result, Hiketa Castle was the only castle that had peace and quiet and stayed idle eventually becoming forgotten for a long time.

To be continued in “Hiketa Castle Part2”