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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)*

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

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”

90.平戸城　その１

山鹿流軍学によって築かれた城

立地と歴史

松浦氏が前身の日の岳城を築城

平戸城は、九州地方の北西部に位置する平戸島にあります。この島の周辺地域は、日本と朝鮮との間にある玄界灘に面しています。このことから、この地域は古代から海外貿易を含む海上交通によって栄えていました。中世には、松浦党（まつらとう）として知られる武士団が、水軍やときには海賊まで動員して大いに活躍しました。１６世紀、松浦党の一領主、松浦隆信（まつらたかのぶ）が勢力を伸ばし有力な戦国大名の一人となりました。彼はまた、天下人の豊臣秀吉を支持することで、平戸島周辺の彼の領地を維持することができたのです。

城の位置

松浦隆信肖像画、松浦史料博物館蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

隆信の息子、鎮信（しげのぶ）は徳川幕府を支持することで1600年に平戸藩の創始者となりました。彼はまた1599年に平戸島の端にあった亀岡の上に、新しい城の建設を始めました。平戸城の前身にあたる日の岳（ひのだけ）城です。日の岳城の詳細の多くは不明ですが、唯一オランダの宣教師が描いた絵図が残っています。この絵図によると、この城には壮大な高層の天守が立っていました。ところが、恐らくはその完成直後の1613年に、この城は焼け落ちてしまいます。この火災の原因もはっきりしませんが、一説には鎮信自身が幕府の彼への疑惑を払拭するために火をつけたとも言われています。その疑惑とは、鎮信がいまだに幕府に反抗している豊臣氏を支持しているのではないかというものでした。

松浦鎮信肖像画、松浦史料博物館蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

日の岳城天守図、１７世紀 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

国際貿易港としての平戸の盛衰

一方、平戸藩の地域は、1550年のポルトガル船の来航以来、国際貿易港として繁栄していました。藩が設立されたときには、平戸港の傍にはオランダとイギリス両方の商館がありました。特にオランダ商人は、台湾から絹製品を持ち込み、日本産の銀と交換し、莫大な利益を得ていました。そして、平戸藩もまた城の存在がなくても、貿易によりその力を維持していました。ところが、徳川幕府は1641年に外国商人に対し、平戸の商館を廃止し、長崎に移るよう命じました。これは恐らく幕府が外国との貿易の独占を狙ったからだと思われます。また幕府は、1637年に日本のキリスト教信者によって起こされた島原の乱の後、キリスト教の拡大を恐れたとも考えられます。いずれにせよ、平戸藩の力はこの幕府の決定により衰えました。

復元された平戸オランダ商館 *(licensed b*y *Hkusano via Wikimedia Commons)*

５代目藩主、松浦棟が平戸城を再建

５代目の平戸藩主の松浦棟（たかし）は、日本の政界で影響力を持ちたいと思っていました。しかし、松浦氏は外様大名の一つであり、基本的に中央政界で重要な役割は与えられていませんでした。棟は、1691年に外様大名としては初めての寺社奉行となりました。これは、５代将軍の徳川綱吉と彼との強いつながりによるものでした。そして、彼が次に掲げた目標は松浦氏独自の城を再建することでした。基本的に新たな城の建設は、幕府に反抗することに結びつくため認められていませんでした。しかし、松浦氏の城の再建も恐らくは将軍との良好な関係により承認されました。

松浦棟肖像画、長寿寺蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

徳川綱吉肖像画、土佐光起筆、徳川美術館蔵 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

棟は、1703年から1707年の期間に日の岳城と同じところに平戸城を再建しました。この城は、山鹿流として知られた最新の軍学を駆使して築かれました。この方式による城の特徴の一つは、複雑に形作られた外郭でした。この城には丘の頂上から麓部分にかけて３つの曲輪がありました。本丸、二の丸、三の丸です。それぞれの曲輪は、巧みに曲げられた石垣によって囲まれていました。こういった作りをした理由は、敵の攻撃を受けたときに守備兵から見て死角がないようにするためと考えられています。城があった場所は、北と東西の三方向が海に面していて自然の障壁となっていました。大手門は南側に向かっていて、その前にはこの方向からの攻撃に備えて深い空堀がありました。
再建された城には天守はありませんでしたが、その代わりに三階建ての乾（いぬい）櫓が城のシンボルとして二の丸にありました。松浦氏は、江戸時代末までこの城と平戸藩を統治しました。

肥前国平戸城図、1703年、松浦史料博物館蔵、城の再建の前に幕府に提出された絵図の写し、平戸城内の展示より

「平戸城その２」に続きます。

87.Hizen-Nagoya Castle Part3

Was only Hideyoshi to the blame for the war?

Features

Let’s walk around “Back side of Castle”

You can also look down and admire the Yugeki-maru Enclosure and the Second Enclosure to the west from the Main Enclosure. The former one was used as the accommodation for the envoys from the Ming Dynasty. Its name “Yugeki” comes from the position of one of the envoys. The latter has the ruins of many stone steps called Aisaka, which were used by the soldiers to quickly climb up or down the stone walls.

The map around the Second Enclosure

Tthe Yugeki-maru Enclosure seen from the Main Enclosure

Tthe Secpmd Enclosure seen from the Main Enclosure

the ruins of many stone steps called Aisaka in the Second Enclosure

If you want to go there from the Main Enclosure, you need to go out from the Back Gate ruins and walk around passing through the Mizute Route and the Funate Route.

The route from the Main Enclosure to the Second Enclosure written on the picture of the miniature model of Hizen-Nagoya Castle exhibited by the Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum

the Back Gate ruins of the Main Enclosure

Below the Mizute Enclosure around the Mizete Route

The entrance of the Second Enclosure, around the Funate Route

If you look up the stone walls of the Main Enclosure from these enclosures, you can see the stone walls were destroyed like a V letter very well. This is because the officials restored them just after they were destroyed intentionally.

Looking up the Main Tower base of the Main Enclosure from the Yugeki-maru Enclosure

The stone walls are preserved as just after being destroyed

Later History

After Hizen-Nagoya Castle was abandoned, all the buildings were demolished. It is said that part of them was used for the construction of Karatsu Castle. Many parts of the stone walls were destroyed intentionally as mentioned above. Historians speculate the destruction occurred for the following reasons:
It may have been due to the Law of One Castle per Province by the Tokugawa Shogunate; the Shogunate might have broken the stone walls so they could not to be used by rebels against the Shogunate (like Shimabara Rebellion); or it might have been done to show a good partnership to the Korean envoys.
The ruins have been designated as a National Special Historic Site since 1955.

The destroyed stone walls of the Yugeki-maru Enclosure

My Impression

Many Japanese people now tend to avoid thinking of the invasion of Korea by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. They also think the war was caused by Hideyoshi’s own crazy idea, considering the current relationship with Korea. However, I think many Japanese people wanted to get more territory at that time. Even Hideyoshi was not able to build such a huge-scale castle without the people’s cooperation. I also think we cannot build a real friendship with foreign countries without sharing real history.
If you have time, I recommend visiting some of the ruins of other lords’ military positions around the castle. I regret I was only able to go to one of them after visiting Hizen-Natgoya Castle.

The ruins of the military position of Hideyori Mori

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit the ruins.
It is about 30 minutes away from Karatsu IC on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway.
You can park at the parking lot of Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum.

The Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum

Links and References

・Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Hizen-Nagoya Castle Part1”
Back to “Hizen-Nagoya Castle Part2”