立地と歴史～Location and History – ページ 90 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

44.Nagoya Castle Part2

The castle makes Nagoya what it is.

Location and History

Nagoya Castle revived

There was another Nagoya Castle which had the same name and was built at the same place as the present Nagoya Castle in the middle 16th century during the Sengoku Period. It is said that the famous warlord Nobunaga Oda was born at the old Nagoya Castle. Nobunaga eventually moved his home base to Kiyosu Castle before the old Nagoya Castle was abandoned. Since then, Kiyosu Castle (about 10km away from Nagoya Castle on the northeast) had been the center of Owari Province (what is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture). In 1609, the Tokugawa Shogunate decided to build a new castle in place of Kiyosu Castle which often suffered from floods. They needed a stronger castle for their relatives to prepare for a battle with the Toyotomi Clan at Osaka Castle. The castle was named Nagoya Castle once again.

The location of Nagoya Castle and Kiyosu Castle

A view of Nagoya Castle from the ruins of Kiyosu Castle *(licensed by 名古屋太郎 via Wikimedia Commons)*

Simple but Strong Castle with one of Largest Main Tower

The area of the castle was very large but built simply and strongly. The center of the castle, the Main Enclosure, was protected on all directions by other enclosures such as the West Enclosure. The Second Enclosure was added on the southeast of the Main Enclosure, which had the Ninomaru Main Hall for the lord of the castle. The largest Third Enclosure was on the south of all other enclosures, which was used as the senior vassals’ houses.

The drawing of Nagoya Castle in Owari Province (exhibited by the National Diet Library)

The aerial photo around the castle

The Main Enclosure had the five-layer Main Tower, one of the largest main towers on record. The two golden grampuses on the top were particularly popular among people. It is said the first generator of them used 215 kilograms of gold. The enclosure also had the Honmaru Main Hall, but it was only for the Shogun’s stay. Actually, just three Shoguns used it. People have been saying that “The castle makes Nagoya what it is.”.

An old picture of the original Main Tower and the Honmaru Main Hall at the Main Enclosure *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Destruction and Revival

After the Meiji Restoration, the large enclosures such as the Second and Third Enclosures were turned into a Japanese Army base. However, the government decided to maintain around the Main Enclosure as a castle. Many traditional buildings including the Main Tower and the Honmaru Main Hall remained as they were. They were designated as the first National Treasure for a castle in 1930. It is regrettable to say this, but almost all of them were burned down in 1945. Only three turrets and three gates remain now.

The remaining Southwest Corner Turret at the Main Enclosure

The remaining Second Front Gate at the Main Enclosure

After 14 years from the tragedy, people in Nagoya rebuilt the Main Tower which we now see. One third of the fund for rebuilding it came from the citizens’ donation. The appearance of the tower is almost the same as the original one, but it is a modern concrete building on a huge caisson inside the original stone wall base. The original golden grampuses, which were also burned in 1945, were restored at the same time. The present ones include 88 kilograms of gold. In 2018, the Honmaru Main Hall in the Main Enclosure was restored using the original methods. The enclosure is returning to its former appearance.

The restored Hommaru Main Hall at the Main Enclosure

To be continued in “Nagoya Castle Part3”
Back to “Nagoya Castle Part1”

44.名古屋城　その２

尾張名古屋は城でもつ

立地と歴史

復活した名古屋城

戦国時代の１６世紀中頃、現在の名古屋城と同じ場所に、同じ名前を持つもう一つの那古野（なごや）城がありました。この古い方の那古野城で有名な戦国大名、織田信長が生まれたと言われています。信長は、そのうちに本拠地を清州城に移し、那古野城は廃城となりました。それ以来、清州城（名古屋城の北西約１０ｋｍのところ）は尾張国（現在の愛知県西部）の中心地であり続けました。1609年、徳川幕府は度々洪水の被害にあっていた清州城の代わりに、新しい城を築くことを決めました。大坂城にいた豊臣氏との戦いに備え、徳川の親族が入るためのより強力な城が必要とされたのです。その城は、再び名古屋（なごや）城と命名されました。

名古屋城と清州城の位置

清州城跡から見た名古屋城 *(licensed by 名古屋太郎 via Wikimedia Commons)*

シンプルだが強力な城、最大級の天守

城の範囲は広大で、シンプルであっても強力に作られました。城の中心である本丸は、西の丸などの曲輪群によって全ての方角に対し防御されていました。二の丸は、本丸の南東に付け加えられていて、城主のための御殿が建てられていました。最も大きな三の丸は、他の全ての曲輪の南方にあり、重臣たちの屋敷地となっていました。

城周辺の航空写真

本丸には５層の天守があり、史上最も大きな天守の一つでした。頂にあった２つの金鯱は人々の間で特に人気がありました。初代の金鯱には215kgもの金が使われていたと言われています。また、本丸御殿もありましたが、これは将軍が滞在するためだけに存在しました。実際には3人の将軍しか使用していません。人々は「尾張名古屋は城でもつ」と言い慣わしてきました。

元あった天守と本丸御殿の写真 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

焼亡と復興

明治維新後、二の丸、三の丸といった大きな曲輪は日本陸軍の駐屯地となりました。しかし、政府は本丸周辺は城として維持していくことを決断しました。天守や本丸御殿を含む伝統的建物群がそのまま残されたのです。1930年には、城として初となる国宝にも指定されています。ところが、誠に残念なことに1945年にほとんどの建物が焼け落ちてしまったのです。現在は３つの櫓と３つの門が残るのみです。

空襲で燃え上がる天守 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

その悲劇から１４年後、名古屋の人々は現在見る天守を再建しました。再建のための予算の３分の１は市民からの寄付によりました。天守の外観はほとんど元通りでしたが、実は元の石垣の内側にあるケーソンの上に建てられた、コンクリート製の近代的ビルだったのです。元あった金鯱は1945年に一緒に燃えてしまいましたが、同時に復元されました。現在のものは88㎏の金を含んでいるそうです。2018年、本丸に、従来工法により本丸御殿が復元されました。本丸はかつての姿を取り戻しつつあります。

「名古屋城その３」に続きます。
「名古屋城その１」に戻ります。

149.Komakiyama Castle Part1

The castle had a very short life but rich history.

Location and History

Nobunaga’s Foothold

Komakiyama Castle was located on an 86m high mountain called Komakiyama, on Nobi Plain in Owari Province, what is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture. The mountain had no castle until Nobunaga Oda built a castle on it in 1563. The reason for it was that he wanted to move his home base from Kiyosu Castle in now Nagoya City to this castle. He aimed to capture Inabayama Castle, what is now Gifu City, which the Saito Clan owned at that time. Komakiyama was much closer to Inabayama than Kiyosu. However, it was very rare for warlords and their retainers to move their home to another. They always continued to live in places where their ancestors had been.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Three Distinct Features

Komakiyama Castle by Nobunaga had three distinct features. First, the Main Enclosure or Honmaru on the top was surrounded by stone walls made using huge stones. Some of the stones were carried from another mountain. At that time, building stone walls for castles was rare, and there was likely no other case like Komakiyama. It was one of the earliest examples of using stone walls as a show of authority.

The remaining stone walls on the mountain

Secondly, the castle had two residences for the lord, one was on the mountain, the other was at the foot. Other warlords who had a mountain castle also often had two residences. They usually lived in the one on the foot and used the one on the mountain when a battle happened. However, in the case of Nobunaga, he seemed to live in his residence on the mountain. He might have considered the mountain as a special place. Another similar example can be seen in Gifu Castle, his next home base.

Lastly, the Main Route went straight from the foot to the mid-slope of the mountain like Azuchi Castle, his last home base. It was abnormal for other warlords to have such a route on the mountain, because it was not defensive. The reason is still unsure, but it must have depended on Nobunaga’s idea. In addition, its castle town was built in an advanced way in an area where nothing existed prior. The town was divided orderly to accommodate warriors, merchants, and craftsmen separately. Such a way to develop castle town is commonly seen in those in the next century.

The miniature model of the castle town distribution at the site

Ieyasu’s Stronghold

The life of the castle by Nobunaga was just four years, as he was successful in capturing Inabayama Castle in 1567. He moved his home base again to Inabayama castle and renamed it Gifu Castle. Komakiyama Castle was abandoned right away. In 1584, the castle was reused by Ieyasu Tokugawa when he fought with the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute. Ieyasu reinforced earthen walls and dry moats surrounding the castle to establish a stronghold there against Hideyoshi at Inuyama Castle. This battle resulted in a dead heat and Ieyasu showed his great presence towards the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate later.

*The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

To be continued in “Komakiyama Castle Part2”