立地と歴史～Location and History – ページ 84 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

32.Kasugayama Castle Part1

The castle of Kenshin Uesugi, the strongest warlord

Location and History

Kenshin Uesugi, Warlord who respected Justice

Kasugayama Caste was located in Echigo Province (what is now Nigata Prefecture), facing the Japan Sea. The castle is well known for one of its lords, Kenshin Uesugi. Kenshin is said to be the strongest warlord in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. While he fought over 70 battles during his 49-year life, he suffered no obvious defeat.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Kenshin Uesugi, owned by the Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Kenshin also had very unique perspectives which other warlords never had. He never fought to invade other provinces by himself. He only fought with the help of others who were defeated by another warlord. As a result, he fought with a great warlord, Shingen Takeda 5 times on the south of his province. He also went over the mountains to the Kanto Region facing the Pacific Ocean to fight with the Hojo Clan as many as 17 times. Kenshin was a devout Buddhist, remained single all his life, and prayed for victory at the Bishamon-do Hall several days before his battles. He once escaped from the castle and tried to become a Buddhist priest, but his retainers urged him to go back to the castle until he gave up trying to become a priest.

*The statues of Shingen Takeda (on the left) and Kenshin Uesugi (on the right) at the Kawanakajima Battlefield (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Despite Kenshin’s strength, he was not able to become a ruler. Every time he withdrew from a province after his win, his enemies got their territories back. He is sometimes criticized by historians. However, many history fans still love him as a warlord who respected justice.

The flag of Kenshin Uesugi (taken by 松波庄九郎 from photoAC)

Castle covered with Enclosures and Buildings.

Kasugayama Castle was built using earthworks on an 189m high mountain beside the Kubiki Plain, the western part of Nigata Pref. It is uncertain when the castle was first built, but Tamekage Nagao, Kenshin’s father, improved the castle. The scale of the castle became larger in Kenshin’s period, and the mountain was covered with uncountable enclosures and buildings.

The old drawing of Kasugayama Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The castle consisted of three parts at that time. The main portion of the castle was on the top of the mountain with the front facing the plain on the east. It included the Main Enclosure, the Bisyamon-do Hall, a senior vassal Naoe’s Hall, and Halls for Kenshin’s two adopted sons, Kagekatsu and Kagetora. Next, the Main Route went up from the southeast foot of the mountain to the top. It was a long detour around the mountain, passing the guard house and other senior vassals’ halls such as Kakizaki. Lastly, the Back Route also went up from the northeast foot to Naoe’s Hall. It passed through the Kurogane-mon Gate, the Hall for the Lord, the Sengan-mon Gate and the alternate entrance called Koguchi.

The georama of Kasugayama Castle at Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center

The castle might not have had complex defense systems, but it had the network of the branch castles, such as Samegao Castle, to work together when a battle happened.

The network of the branch castles around Kasugayama Castle (Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center)

Abandoned at Peaceful Time

After Kenshin died in 1578, an internal battle unfortunately happened in the castle between Kagekatsu and Kagetora. Kagekatsu finally won, but he was transferred to Wakamatsu Castle by the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1598. After that, the Hori Clan governed the castle, building the outer earthen walls called So-gamae to make the castle the largest. However, the clan moved to Fukushima Castle on the plain for convenience of governance in 1607. Kasugayama Castle was abandoned at the same time.

The portrait of Kagekatsu Uesugi, owned by Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Kasugayama Castle Part2”

32.春日山城　その１

最強の戦国大名、上杉謙信の城

立地と歴史

義の武将、上杉謙信

春日山城は、日本海に面した越後国（現在の新潟県）にありました。この城は、城主の一人であった上杉謙信によりよく知られています。謙信は、戦国時代の１６世紀において最強の戦国大名であったと言われています。彼はその４９年の生涯で７０回以上戦いましたが、明らかな敗戦はありませんでした。

城の位置

*上杉謙信肖像画、上杉神社蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

また、謙信には他の戦国大名が決して持ち合わせていなかった特異な面がありました。彼は決して自分から他国を侵略するために戦うことはありませんでした。他の戦国大名に敗北した人たちを助けるためにのみ戦ったのです。結果的に、謙信は越後国の南で有力な戦国大名、武田信玄と５度に渡って戦いました。彼はまた山を越え、太平洋に面した関東地方に１７回も侵攻し、北条氏と戦いました。謙信は敬虔な仏教徒であり、生涯独身を通しました。戦いの前には数日間毘沙門堂に籠り、勝利の祈願を行っていたのです。彼は一時城を抜け出して仏教僧になろうとしたのですが、家臣達が城に戻ることを懇願し、ついには諦めたということもありました。

*川中島古戦場にある武田信玄（左）と上杉謙信（右）の銅像 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

このような強さにも関わらず、謙信は天下人にはなれませんでした。毎回出先の国での勝利の後、彼が引き上げると、敵方はまた領地を取り返してしまうのです。歴史家の中はこのような有様を批判する人もいますが、多くの歴史ファンは、謙信を義の武将としていまだに敬愛しています。

曲輪と屋敷に覆われた城

春日山城は、新潟県の西部、頚城平野の傍らの標高189ｍの山の上にあり、土造りの城でした。この城が最初にいつ築かれたのかは不明ですが、謙信の父親である長尾為景がこの城を拡張しました。謙信の時代には城の規模は更に大きくなり、城の山は数えきれない程の曲輪や建物に覆われていました。

春日山城の古絵図 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

この城は当時３つの部分から構成されていました。城の主要部は、東側の平野に面して山の頂上にありました。そこには本丸、毘沙門堂、重臣の直江屋敷、そして謙信の養子であった景勝と景虎の屋敷がありました。次に、大手道が山麓の南東部分から頂上に向かって伸びていました。この道は山の周辺を長く迂回しており、番所や、柿崎などの他の重臣の屋敷を通っていました。最後に、搦手道がまた山麓の北東部分から伸びていました。この道は黒金門、御屋敷、千貫門、そして虎口と呼ばれる食い違いの入口を通っていました。

この城自体は、複雑な防御システムは持っていなかったかもしれませんが、鮫ヶ尾城などの支城ネットワークを持ち、戦が起こったときには連携して機能するようになっていました。

平和な時代となり廃城

1578年に謙信が亡くなった後、この城では不幸にも景勝と景虎との間で内紛が起こりました。最終的には景勝が勝利しましたが、1598年には天下人の豊臣秀吉によって若松城に転封となってしまいます。その後、堀氏が春日山城を支配し、総構えと呼ばれる外郭土塁を築き、城の規模は最大となりました。ところが、堀氏は1607年に統治に便利な平地の上の福島城に移っていきました。春日山城は、それと同時に廃城となりました。

*上杉景勝肖像画、上杉神社蔵、江戸時代* (*licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons*)

「春日山城その２」に続きます。

22.Hachioji Castle Part1

A completed version of a mountain castle in Japan

Location and History

One of main Branch Castles of Hojo Clan

Hachioji Castle was a large mountain castle located in what is now Hachioji City, the western part of Tokyo Metropolitan, the Kanto Region. In the late 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, the Hojo Clan owned most of the region. The clan was based in Odawara Castle located at the southwest corner of the region, while they built the network of branch castles in the region to maintain their territory. Hachioji Castle was one of the main branch castles for the clan.

The location of the castle

The castle was first built by Ujiteru Hojo at latest in 1584, replacing Takiyama Castle located about 10km northeast of Hachioji Castle. There were several reasons for the replacement, one of which was that the Hojo Clan wanted to have a much stronger castle. The tension between Hojo and the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi was increasing at that time, so Hojo hurried to improve the castle. They put as much of their power and technology as they could into this castle.

Three Parts

Hachioji Castle consisted of three parts. The first one is called the Nekoya Area which was used for residences of retainers and craftsmen around the entrance of the castle. This area is alongside the Shiroyama River in a valley terrain.

The second part is called the Residence on the Foot Area where the Main Hall for the lord of the castle was built. This area is also alongside the river and the back of the Nekoya Area but was strictly protected. Visitors had to go across the river to enter the Main Gate, go the Main Route, and go across the river again over the Movable Bridge in front of the Main Hall. The bridge would be removed when a battle happened. The entrance of the hall was zigzagged, and its foundation was covered with terraced stone walls. The hall was made up of several buildings including the formal ones called “Shuden” or the Palace, and “Kaisho” or the Club. It also had a pond garden to host visitors. A lot of items such as utensils, weapons, and imported porcelains were found by the excavation.

The restored or developed Residence on the Foot Area

The last part is the Fortress on the Mountain Area which would be used when a battle happened. The Main Enclosure is on the 445m high top of the mountain (about 200m higher than the foot, which itself is a 200m above ground). Many other enclosures were built around the Main Enclosure and the ridges are used for the trails between the top and the foot of the mountain. In particular, lots of stone walls covered these enclosures and trails. In addition, not only the front of the Main Enclosure, but also the back of it was also protected strictly by small forts and ridges covered with stone walls. Such structures for a mountain castle were very rare, so the castle can be seen a completed version of mountain castles in Japan.

The ruins of the Fortress on the Mountain Area

Captured by Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s troop in One day

However, the castle was taken over by Hideyoshi’s troops in one day. On June 23, 1590, at least 35,000 soldiers attacked the castle, while the number of the defenders was only 3,000 including farmers and women. The lord, Ujiteru wasn’t there because he was at Odawara Castle. In addition, Hideyoshi ordered his troops to charge and capture the castle. The castle was too large for the 3,000 people to prevent from the bare-knuckled attack. There has been a sad story that many women threw themselves into the waterfall basin of the river before the castle fell.

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, ownd by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The waterfall of Go-Shuden *(licensed by じゃんもどき via Wikimedia Commons)*

To be continued in “Hachioji Castle Part2”