There is only the rest station and the signboard on the main enclosure of Arikoyama Castle. However, the view from the top, about 300m above from the foot, is really breath taking view! The stone walls of the enclosure are what you saw from the foot.
Features
Going to Arikoyama Castle Ruins through Shrine Approach
There are two castle ruins in the Izushi area as mentioned in the previous section, which are Izushi and Arikoyama Castles. The latter is older than the former, so I will first describe how to visit Arikoyama Castle Ruins in this article. The entrance to the ruins is now also that to Arikoyama Inari Shrine which is located at the highest of Izushi Castle Ruins. Therefore, you will climb the stone steps of the approach from the foot of the mountain to the shrine though many of its red shrine gates.
The approach to Arikoyama Inari Shrine
The map around the castle
You will also see several tiered enclosures of Izushi Castle with great stone walls and some restored buildings. The trail to the top starts from the point above the shrine building, so you need to prepare for hiking and something to keep you safe from wild animals (a bear bell or radio).
You can cee the Main Enclosure in the back and the Second Enclosure of Izushi Castle on the rightArikoyama Inari ShrineThe starting poing ot the trailPlease beware of wild animals
Steep Slopes as Natural Hazzard
The trail is very steep and goes straight on a ridge of the mountain, which was a natural hazard of the castle. It gets a little flatter on the way, but zigzags and then becomes narrow over an earthen ditch instead. They are perhaps ruins of an artificial defensive gateway.
The steep slopes on the ridgeThe spot where the trail is zigzaggingThe narrow earthen bridge crossing the ditchThe ditch seen from above
After that, you will go on the steep trail again, which may be too tough for some castle visitors. However, you will eventually reach around the top area and the route turns right to go around. The castle ruins are made of soil so far, but you will see some remaining stone walls around. This is probably because there is the Well Enclosure below the trail, so the walls were built to protect the well from collapsing or being buried.
The trail becomes very steep againThe trail turns right and becomes flatThere is the Well Enclosure below the trailThe remaining stone walls above the well
Six tiered Enclosures on Top
The trail turns left and go up again to the main portion of the castle on the top. The portion has six tiered enclosures which are all surrounded by stone walls using natural or roughly processed stones. That means, these stone walls are an early example of those for castles, which were probably built by Takatora Todo.
The map of the main portion
Climbing to the main portion of the castleYou can see the stone walls of the main portion
In addition, if you go straight on the branched trail, you will get to the quarry for the stones.
You can get to the quarry of you go straight at division pointThe ruins of the quarry
The enclosures are in line from the sixth enclosure on the bottom to the main enclosure on the top. Many of their stone walls were covered by wire nets to avoid from collapsing.
The stone walls of the sixth enclosureThe fifth enclosure on the left and the sixth enclosure on the right
There is only the rest station and the signboard on the main enclosure. However, the view of the Izushi area from the top, about 300m above from the foot, is really breath-taking view! The stone walls of the enclosure are what you saw from the foot.
Going from the second enclosure to the main enclosureThe top of the enclosureA view from the enclosureThe stone walls of the enclosure
Very spacious Senjousiki Enclosure for top area
The Senjoshiki Enclosure is next to the main portion, which is separated by a huge artificial ditch. You can go there by passing the top of the forth enclosure. The enclosure is mostly made of soil, but very spacious for the top area of the mountain which was used as the lord’s residence or a station for large troops.
The path to the Senjoshiki Enclosure goes from the top of the fourth enclosure, the stone walls beide the path are the third enclosure’sThe huge ditch dividing the main and the Senjoshiki EnclosuresThe top of the Senjoshiki EnclosureThe main enclosure seen from the Senjoshiki Enclosure
The Izushi area is known as its old castle town where many people visit to enjoy walking, eating and shopping around the area including the Izushi Castle Ruins at the foot of the mountain. If you look up at the mountain on a fine day, you will find stone walls on the top, which are other castle ruins in this area, called Arikoyama Castle which had been built before Izushi Castle.
Location and History
Two Castle Ruins in Izushi Area
Izushi Castle is located in modern day in the Izushi area of Toyooka City in the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture. The area is known as the old castle town where many people visit to enjoy walking, eating and shopping around the area including the Izushi Castle Ruins at the foot of the mountain. If you look up at the mountain on a fine day, you will find stone walls on the top, which are other castle ruins in this area, called Arikoyama Castle which had been built before Izushi Castle. These things make you understand the area has a very long history and rich culture.
The range of Toyooka City and the location of the castles
A street of the old Izushi castle townIzushi Castle Ruins in the front and Arikoyama Castle Ruins in the backThe zooemed stone walls on the mountain
Yamana Clan, One of Greatest Lords during Middle Ages
Arikoyama Castle was first built by the Yamana Clan which is known as one of the greatest lords during the Middle Ages. The clan was a branch family of the Nitta Clan, which came from the Kanto Region in eastern Japan. When the Ashikaga Shogunate was established, Tokiuji Yamana, who was the lord of the clan at that time, greatly supported Takauji Ashikaga, the founder of the shogunate. That’s why Takauji sent Tokiuji to the Sanin area, the northern part of the Chugoku Region to govern, where their enemies were still active. Tokiuji and his descendants conquered their territories by force and finally became the governors of 11 out of 66 provinces in Japan, called Rokubun-no-ichi-dono (meaning the Lord of One Sixth of Japan).
The family crest of the Yamana Clan (licensed by Houunji 1642 via Wikimedia Commons)The 11 provinces the Yamana Clan became governors (the colored ones) (licensed by ja:User:味っ子 via Wikimedia Commons)
However, Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the third Shogun, was afraid of the overwhelming power of the Yamana Clan and defeated it in 1391, known as the Meitoku Rebellion. The clan’s power once declined but Sozen Yamana came out in the 15th Century and revived it as they had been. He is known as the commander in chief of the Western Alliance against the Eastern Alliance led by Katsumoto Hosokawa during the Onin War between 1467 and 1477 which would start the Sengoku Period. The clan eventually had many provinces again and its home was in the current Izushi area of Tajima Province which is now known as northern Hyogo Prefecture. The lords of the clan were first based in Konosumi-yama Castle on a mountain, about 5km north of the later Arikoyama Castle. Sozen actually made a sally with about 26 thousand warriors from this castle to fight with the Eastern Alliance in Kyoto.
The portrait of Sozen Yamana, from “Honcho-Hyakushoden” (licensed by Musuketeer.3 via Wikimedia Commons)The portrait of Katsumoto Hosokawa, owned by Ryoanji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Unlike the Hosokawa Clan which had a certain position in the central government, the Yamana Clan had to maintain its provinces by force. It got difficult for the clan to do it during the Sengoku Period when overthrowing their lords were often seen as overthrowing the whole country. The clan eventually lost its provinces one by one, being defeated in many battles against other warlords like the Akamatsu and Amago Clans. As a result, the Yamana’s authority decreased and some of its senior vassals tried to become independent. Suketoyo Yamana, the lord of the clan tried to somehow manage to maintain his last Tajima Province by building Takeda Castle near the border to other provinces, and asking greater warlords like the Oda and Mori Clans for help.
The range of Tajima Province and the location of the castles
The ruins of Takeda Castle
Suketoyo Yamana moves his home to Arikoyama Castle
However, when the Oda Clan attacked the Tajima Province in 1569, Suketomo’s home Konosumi-yama Castle was captured and he had to escape from the place. This might have been caused by the secret agreement between the Oda and Mori Clans that the Tajima Province would belong to the Oda. Suketoyo somehow returned to his territory in 1570 after he had met with Nobunaga Oda (the lord of the clan) while paying lots of money from mining in the province. Then, he moved to his home to Arikoyama Castle, located on a much higher and steeper mountain than Konosumi-yama Castle, and improved it so that the fall of his castle would never happen again. Suketomo usually lived in the residence at the foot of the mountain, which would be the origin of Izushi Castle and its castle town.
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)
The relief map around the castles
In the 1570’s, the Oda and Mori Clans began to oppose each other. Suketomo was debating on the face on which side he would support. The Oda Clan attacked the Tajima Province again in 1580 by sending Hidenaga Hashiba who was the little brother of Hideyoshi, the later ruler of Japan. It is said that one of the reasons for the invasion was that they wanted to own the mines in the province, such as the Ikuno Silver Mine. Hidenaga’s troops surrounded Arikoyama Castle and Suketomo finally had to surrender perhaps because they had no hope for reinforcements.
The portrait of Hidenaga Hashiba, owned by Shungakuin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Hidenaga Hashiba improves Castle
After that, Hidenaga lived in and improved the castle as the home base of the Tajima Province. The castle had been made of soil so far but its main portion on the top was fortified by building stone walls. It is said that Takatora Todo, who was a senior vassal of Hidenaga and would later become a master of castle constructions, built them. Senjoshiki (meaning the 1,000 mat enclosure), next to the main portion, was developed to accommodate many soldiers and supplies even when other lords in the province gathered for help.
The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The imaginary drawing of Arikoyama Castle, exhibited by Karo Yashiki Residence
Yoshihide Koide builds Izushi Castle
The castle was followed by the Koide Clan, a relative of Hideyoshi Toyotomi after he became the ruler of Japan. The clan somehow survived when the ruler was changed from the Toyotomi Clan to the Tokugawa Shogunate. In 1604, Yoshihide Koide renovated the foot residence and renamed it Izushi Castle perhaps due to the convenience for the government. He also abandoned Arikoyama Castle on the mountain instead. The new castle and its castle town prospered during the Edo Period as the Izushi Domain, which was finally followed by the Sengoku Clan until the end of the period.
The imaginary drawing of Izushi Castle, exhibited by Karo Yashiki Residence
Due to the damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake back in 2011, it is prohibited to enter the top of the ruins as of November 2023. The city is considering how to repair it to open it to the public again.
Features
Main and Main Tower Enclosures as Center of Castle
The Main Enclosure is an empty space now, where the Main Hall was built in the past. Instead, long and high earthen walls at the southwestern side stands out, which are called Hachiman-dai(base). There was Hachiman-dai Turret on it as a lookout tower or a warehouse. The turret was moved to Shinjoji Temple at the foot after the castle was abandoned, which is consider the only remaining building of the castle. The view from the base or the enclosure is not so good because of the trees surrounding, but you can see the mountains or hills around.
The map of the main portion of the castle
The inside of the Main EnclosureThe Hachiman-dai BaseThe top of the baseThe ruins of the Hachiman-dai TurretThe turret was moved from the original position to the temple
The final place of the castle is the Main Tower Enclosure on the top over the edge of the earthen wall base to the northeast. You can go on the narrow earthen bridge over the ditch in front of the enclosure and reach the foot of the three-tier stone walls of it. The original Main Tower, which had been built on it, was replaced with the Sashino Shrine building during the Meiji Era. It was said that the waste materials of the tower were used for the construction of the shrine. The stone walls seem to partially use large natural rocks, which look rough and wild. However, visitors are unfortunately not allowed to climb the walls to see the top because the walls might collapse as of November 2023. You can only see a glimpse of the shrine building on the stone walls from the foot.
The earthen bridge in front of the Main Tower EnclosureGoing to the enclosureThe stone walls of the enclosure partially collapsedYou can not enter from hereThe glimpse of the shrine building
Returning to Foot by taking another route
You can return to the parking lot at the foot of the mountain going the same way as you took, but there is another route you can try as well but it’s challenging. You can take a trail on the ridge over the earthen wall base opposite the Main Tower Enclosure. The ridge was a defensive point of the castle, where another turret, called Anagasaki Yagura, was built. If you climb down on the trail for a while, the return route goes the bottom of a deep dry moat. This is part of the outer dry moat surrounding the whole castle area, which Satonari Gamo built. You can feel how large it was by walking through it.
The map around the castle
The Hachiman-dai BaseThe ruins of the Anagasaki TurretClimbing down other entrance ruinsLooking back at the ruinsHere comes the outer dry moatsThe trail meets the dry moatsThe inside of the dry moats
You will finally arrive at the ruins of the suburban residences at the foot, which Naganao Asano built. They have become the Sashiro Sanroku(foot of the mountain) Park which has the Bell Tower including an old bell made at the end of the Edo Period. The parking lot as is your starting point just below the park.
The ruins of the suburban residences (Sashiro Sanroku Park)The Bell TowerYou can see the parking lot at the foot below
Later History
After the Meiji Restoration, Kasama Castle was abandoned and all the castle buildings were demolished or moved like the Hachiman-dai Turret. The mountain area became part of Kasama Prefectural Natural Park and the foot area became the Sashiro Sanroku Park. Kasama City has been researching the castle ruins since 2013 to preserve and to be designated as a national or other historical site in the near future. However, due to the damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake back in 2011, it is prohibited to enter the top of the ruins. The city is also considering how to repair it to open it to the public again.
The current Hachiman-dai TurretIt looks like just being placed on the newer base
My Impression
There are many attractions of Kasama Castle and the city. In my cases, once I visited and learned about the castle, I wanted to go there again to try seeing what I had missed or other ways to visit. When I first visited the ruins, I got to the great stone walls on top but they partially collapsed. In my recent visit, they were finally covered with sheets and kept out for visitors. I was very sorry about it and hope it will be repaired to open to the public soon.
The Main Tower Enclosure as of 2019The Sashino Shrine building on the enclosure as of 2019
How to get There
If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 20-minute drive away from Tomobe IC on the Kitakanto Expressway. There are parking lots at foot and the mid slope of the mountain as mentioned above. By public transportation, you can take the sightseeing tour bus from JR Tomobe Station and get off at the Nichido-bijutsukan bus stop near the park. From Tokyo to Tomobe Station: take the Tokiwa limited express from Tokyo or Ueno Stations.
