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.

The ruins of Takiyama 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 three parts (The diorama of the castle at the site, adding the comments)

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”

121.Motosakura Castle Part3

How to get there from Osakura Station

Later History

After Motosakura Castle was abandoned, the political center of this area was moved to Sakura Castle, about 5km west of Motosakura Castle. The ruins of Motosakura Castle have been focused on recently. They were designated as a National Historic Site in 1998. Shisui Town which partly owns the ruins has been studying them since 2005 to develop them as a historical park.

The entrance of the Settei-yama Enclosure
Overlooking the other dry moat around the Settei-yama Enclosure
The bottom of the other dry moat around the Settei-yama Enclosure

My Impression

I didn’t notice there were the castle ruins along the Keisei Line until I visited them even though I sometimes went Narita Airport using the line. My visit to the ruins was like a small adventure. I guess that Japan has many of these kinds of castle ruins. I will enjoy them more, while making safety a priority.

The starting point for the Higashi-yama Enclosure
The top of the Higashi-yama Enclosure
A view when you overlook from the Higashi-yama Enclosure

How to get There

It takes about 15 minutes from Osakura Station on the Keisei line.
To reach the ruins, go straight on the road along the southern side of the train line. The road goes into a small settlement and divides into two branches; then turn left. Next, turn right at the next intersection in accordance with the guide sign. After that, turn left at the other guide sign. You will eventually reach the northern side of the ruins.

Osakura Station
Go straight on the road along the southern side of the train line
Turn left
Go through a settlement
Go on the road along the train line again
Turn right at the next intersection
Turn left at the other guide sign
You will eventually reach the ruins

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 10 minutes away from Shisui IC on Higashi-Kanto Expressway.
The ruins offer a parking lot.

Links and References

The brochure of Motosakura Castle (Shiaui Town Website)

That’s all.
Back to “Motosakura Castle Part1”
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121.Motosakura Castle Part2

The castle ruins that look like a hill

Features

Now, the ruins of Motosakura Castle look like just a hilly area, but certainly exist with earthen foundation. For instance, if you go to Narita Airport on the Keisei line, you will see the castle ruins on the right about 10km short of the airport. If you visit the ruins by train, you have to get off the train at Osakura Station.

The aerial photo around the castle

Entering Main Enclosure through Higashi-yama

The castle ruins have some tiers. The front low tier is the Tokoji-byo Enclosure which faced the lakeside. That means the spacious rice field in front of it was a lake or waterlogged area in the past. Going to the east, you can enter the Inner Compounds of the castle through the Higashi-yama Entrance. The entrance is narrowly sandwiched by the Higashi-yama Enclosure and another one. The Higashi-yama Enclosure still stands like a wall, and you can walk up to the top easily and see a good view of a rice field on the north. The behind of the enclosure is a flat area which was used as a riding ground and is now used as a parking lot.

The Tokoji-byo Enclosure
The rice field was a lake in the past
The entrance sandwiched by the Higashi-yama Enclosure
The Higashi-yama Enclosure
A view from the Higashi-yama Enclosure
The parking lot behind the Higashi-yama Enclosure

Main Enclosure with Best Location

You can also walk up on the trail from there to the Main Enclosure, seeing the many imitation shields. The trail goes between the Main Enclosure and the Okuno-yama Enclosure, where a bridge was built above. Then the trail is divided into two branches for both enclosures. The branch to the Main Enclosure is windy and steep, which was for defense. The inside of the enclosure is empty, but it was found by the excavation that many buildings including the Main Hall and a turret were built in the past. You can overlook the plain area below and the Higashi-yama Enclosure on the opposite side from the enclosure. This means the lord of the castle could see visitors or enemies coming to the castle easily.

The imitation shields
The point where the wooden bridge was built above
The two branches (to the Main Enclosure on the left, to the Okuno-yama Enclosure on the right)
The trail to the Main Enclosure
The Main Enclosure (the point where the Shuden building was built)
A view from the Main Enclosure

Going to Dry Moat of Settei-yama Enclosure

You can also look around the Okuno-yama and Kura-ato Enclosures. After that, I recommend seeing the dry moat around the Settei-yama Enclosure. If you go out to the south of the Inner Compounds, go to the west for a while, you will find the edge of the dry moat. The moat is at maximum 16m deep, now covered with a bamboo forest. You will finally go back to the first position at the northern part of the castle, so the mort may have been used as a road. You can also enter the Settai-yama Enclosure and see the other dry moat of the opposite side from there.

The Okuno-yama Enclosure
The Kura-ato Enclosure
The southern side of the Inner Compounds
The dry moat around the Settei-yama Enclosure
Going back to the first position
the inside of the Settei-yama Enclosure

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