立地と歴史～Location and History – ページ 76 – 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”

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”

177.引田城　その１

讃岐国東部の「忘れられた城」

立地と歴史

港を守る山にあった城

引田城は、現在の香川県に当たる讃岐国の東部分にあった、標高８２ｍの城山に築かれた城です。播磨灘に面する引田港が傍らにあり、この山が強風が港に吹き込むのを防いでいました。この港は古代より風待ちの船により賑わいました。また、山の方も当時からのろし台として使われてきたと言われています。中世になって、何人かの大名がこの山を引田城として使いました。例えば、1583年には天下人の豊臣秀吉配下の仙石久秀が引田城を活用して長宗我部元親と戦いました。つまるところ、この城は必要の都度、使われてきたのです。その時点では自然の地形を利用した城でした。

城の位置

城周辺の航空写真

仙石久秀肖像画、個人蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

讃岐国の重要な支城の一つ

天下統一が進む中、1587年に秀吉は家臣の生駒親正に讃岐国を与えました。当初、親正は引田城に住んでいましたが、すぐに別の城に移り、最終的には新しい本拠地として高松城を築きます。しかしながら、引田城は高松城の支城の一つとして維持されました。山の上にあった曲輪を取り囲む形で石垣が築かれました。その一部は今でも山に残っています。これらの石垣は特に、訪問者が来る場所や、山麓から地元民が見上げるような場所に築かれたのです。このやり方は、秀吉やその部下たちが新しい領地において人々に権威を見せるためのものでした。これはもともと、織田信長の安土城や、三好長慶の飯盛城で始まったやり方だと言われています。

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

曲輪の上には、城の建物も築かれましたが、どの建物も残らなかったため詳細は不明です。しかし、その建物は高松城のようではなかったかと言われています。両方の城から、同じ鋳型から作られた屋根瓦が発掘されたからです。生駒氏が所有していた讃岐国にあった３つの城は似通っていたのかもしれないのです。国の中央には高松城、東側には引田城、西側にはもう一つの支城である丸亀城がありました。引田城は１７世紀の初めに繁栄を極めました。引田港のとなりには城下町も設けられました。

一国一城令により廃城

ところが、引田城は1615年に徳川幕府から発せられた一国一城令により、廃城となってしまいます。それ以降は高松城のみが存続を許されました。丸亀城も、引田城と同じ時に一時廃城となりました。しかし、丸亀城はその後他の大名たちにより讃岐国が分割されたときに再建されました。結局引田城のみが、天下泰平のもと、使われないままとなり、長い間忘れられることになったのです。

「引田城その２」に続きます。