English – ページ 46 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

170.Hamada Castle Part2

Introductions for both casual visitors and serious history fans

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Hamada Castle Ruins had a little complicated history. The Japanese Army at first owned the ruins but they remained idle, while the remaining Main Tower collapsed due to the Hamada Earthquake in 1872. No buildings survived. After the ruins were sold to the former lord, Matsudaira Clan in 1890, Shimane Prefecture turned them into the Hamada Park in 1903. The route to the Main Enclosure on the top was developed, on the other hand, some stone walls were destroyed for the construction. In 1938, Hamada-Gokoku Shrine was established at the mid slope of the hill. Its approach from the foot was developed.

After World War II, Hamada City, which bought the ruins, planned to improve the park as well as a working area for people. Another route from the foot was developed and some stone walls were repaired by the work. The stone walls had been left after the fire at the end of the Edo Period. However, it was pointed out that their original condition was not considered in the repair. As a result, the ruins were designated as a Prefectural Historic Site of Shimane Prefecture in 1962.

The route to the ruins, which was developed after World War II

Features for General Visitors

Going to Castle Ruins through Hamada-Gokoku Shrine

Today, there are two routes to the ruins of Hamada Castle, houever they are not the original. If you choose the approach to Hamada-Gokoku Shrine as the route, it goes straight to the shrine at the mid slope with stone steps. You can look down Nakanomon Gate Ruins to the right of the way. In fact, the gate was on the original route.

The map around the casltle

The entrance of the approach to Hamada-Gokoku Shrine

The ruins of Nakanomon Gate seen from the approach

Gate moved from Tsuwano Castle

In the back of the shrine, you will see an old building which looks like a castle gate. However, it is also not original to this castle. When this city was part of the Hamada Prefectural Capital (Hamada Prefecture was later unified with Shimane Prefecture), they moved one of the gates of Tsuwano Castle for its office. The gate was finally moved to the current position in 1967 made as a park attraction.

The photo of the gate when it was used for the office

Going to Main Enclosure through Route developed in Meiji Era

You will enter the center of the ruins from the gate, the route becomes likely the original one surrounded by stone walls, but once you turn left, you will see another straight route to the Main Enclosure on the top. Such a layout was hard to believe for a castle because it would have been easier for enemies to attack it. In fact, this route was also developed for the park during the Meiji Era by breaking the stone walls of the Barbican Enclosure beside the Main Enclosure. That’s why visitors have easy access at the top.

The image of the original stone walls of the Barbican Enclosure, from the signboard at the site

Part of “the illustration of Hamada Castle Stone Walls”, from the signboard at the site, adding the red arrow as the current route and the red circles as the broken stone walls

Main Enclosure becomes Park Square

The inside of the Main Enclosure is a square now where you can see views such as the Hamada city area and Tonoura Cove. You can also see some remaining stone walls around and the rest seemed to have collapsed due to the earthquake back in 1872.

The Hamada city area seen from the Main Enclosure

Tonoura Cove seen from the Main Enclosure

The partially remaining stone walls of the Main Enclosure

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

170.Hamada Castle Part1

The castle which was destined to fight the Choshu Domain

Location and History

Castle is built to monitor Choshu Domain

Hamada Castle was located in Iwami Province which is modern day the western part of Shimane Prefecture. You may think the prefecture has a comparatively quiet image, but the province was very important during the Sengoku and Edo Periods. This was because it had Iwami Silver Mine, which has become a World Heritage Site. The mine was owned by several great warlords as the Ouchi, Amago, and Mori Clans, then finally followed by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The shogunate wanted to secure the mine, but there was still the Mori Clan in the Choshu Domain, next to Iwami Province in the west. They handed it over the shogunate after the losing the Battle of Sekigawara in 1600, however, the shogunate feared they would retaliate again. That was probably why the shogunate created new domains as Tsuwano in 1600 and Hamada in 1619, located between the mine and Choshu. The shogunate expected the two domains to monitor the Choshu Domain regularly.

The location of the castle

Shigeharu Furuta, who had been the lord of Matsusaka Castle in Ise Province, was ordered to move to Iwami Provence as the founder of the Hamada Domain in 1619. He was looking for a suitable site for the new castle and eventually found a 67m high hill beside Hamada Port which would be the best location. In fact, building a new castle was prohibited by the Tokugawa Shogunate at that time, but it was allowed for the new domain as an exception. The castle construction started in 1620, its foundation was made in the same year, and its completion was in 1623. Although general techniques for castle construction had been advanced back then, those for Hamada Castle were relatively low. For example, the stone walls of the castle were piled together using roughly processed stones while others often used precisely cut stones. The Main Tower for the castle was a Lookout Tower, but it was considered an older one. The reason for it is uncertain, but it may be because the construction was needed to be finished quickly, or that the craftsmen for the construction were locals.

Part of “The illustration of Hamada in Iwami Province”, between 1759 and 1769, from the signboard at the site

The remaining stone walls of the Nakanomon Gate of Hamada Castle

The restored image by CG of the Main Tower of Hamada Castle, from the signboard at the site

Castle is handed over from Furuta Clan to Matsudaira Clans

The Furuta Clan was unfortunately fired by the shogunate due to its internal conflict as well as having no successor in 1648. After that, the Matsui-Matsudaira Clan (which had been the Matsui Clan under the Imagawa Clan, and was allowed to use the Matsudaira family name by Ieyasu Tokugawa due to their contributions to him) governed the domain and castle for a long time. However, the clan was moved to another in 1836 as a punishment for the smuggling of Joseon dynasty of Korea. Instead, the Ochi-Matsudaira Clan (which originated from the 6th Shogun, Ienobu Tokugawa’s little brother) came to govern them. At the end of the Edo Period, Takeakira Matsudaira was adopted as the last lord, who was also a little brother of Yoshinobu Tokugawa who would be the last shogun.

The portrait of Takeakira Matsudaira (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The photo of Yoshinobu Tokugawa, by 1867 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Hamada warriors burn Castle by themselves when attacked by Choshu

The biggest event for the castle occurred in 1866 when the shogunate ordered lords in Japan to join in the Second conquest of Choshu. The shogunate tried to defeat the Choshu Domain which was its enemy. The Hamada Domain was ordered to attack the Choshu Domain through the Iwami Route which connected both domains. However, the Tsuwano Domain, which should have supported the shogunate, took a neutral position because the power of the shogunate began to decrease. On the other hand, the Hamada Domain had to join it because its lord was a relative of the shogun. Contrary to their expectations, the Hamada troops with some other domains’ were unfortunately beaten by the Choshu’s well-trained drafted soldiers. The Choshu troops counterattacked and got close to Hamada Castle and town, and forced them to surrender.

The portrait of Masujiro Omura who led the Choshu troops (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The lord, Takeakira once made up his mind to stay in the castle to be killed in a battle. However, he was eventually persuaded to escape from the castle towards his outland territory in Mimasaka Province (now part of Okayama Pref.). The Choshu troops managed to capture Hamada Castle as well as Iwami Silver Mine which the shogunate and Hamada Domain must have secured. There was an interesting episode where the warriors of the domain withdrew from the castle. They burned the castle by themselves during the escape. This was because handing it over to their enemies intact was rather shameful than being used as a base by the enemy. The reason for it is as followed. The Main Tower on the top managed to survive the fire and remained for a while. However, some people in Hamada still won’t admit to the fact and say the tower must have been burned by the Hamada Domain itself. That means the castle was the entity which must never be separated from its masters at that time. That was the warrior’s all or nothing mentality.

The restored image by CG of Hamada Castle, from the signboard at the site

To be continued in “Hamada Castle Part2”

75.Hagi Castle Part3

The destination of the Mori Clan’s castle construction

Features

From Third Enclosure to former Castle Town

Going back to the parking lot, walking around the Third Enclosure is also good. This area is designated as Horiuchi Preservation District for Groups of Historical Buildings. The blocks of the senior vassals’ houses remain as they were. Though the insides of them are used as public facilities, Hagi ware shops, summer orange fields, and so on, there are several remaining stone walls, mud walls, and house gates surrounding the blocks. This is where you can feel as if you were on the real castle area.

The map around the castle

The Third Enclosure (Horiuchi Preservation District for Groups of Historical Buildings)

The front gate of the Mori Clan’s villa, it was built in the Meiji Era in another place and moved the current position in the Third Enclosure, it is used for the Hagi Seminar House

The remaining mud walls at the Toida Masuda Clan’s residence

Stone walls along the street with the background of Shizukiyama Mountain

There are summer orange fields inside the stone walls

Over the Outer Moat, you can also enjoy the castle town attractions such as Kikuya family residence and Kido’s old residence.

Kido’s old residence (licensed by そらみみ via Wikimedia Commons)

Shizuki Mountain as Final Castle

Finally, if you have more time, you should consider climbing Shizuki Mountain as the final castle ruins. It will be an about 20 minute little hard climb, but it worth the trouble. The top has the gate ruins surrounded by stone walls, like ones at the foot.

The entrance of the route to the mountain

This gate also has a defensive square space

The two-tier enclosures on the top are also surrounded by stone walls. Six turrets were on them in the past. You can see nice views of Hagi City and the Japan Sea there.

A view of the Japan Sea from the enclosure

Here comes the upper tier as the Main Enclosure

A view of the Hagi City area from the enclosure

You can also see the reservoir inside for preparing for besieged. There are also many notched huge rocks which look outstanding. These notches are usually understood as a process of making stone walls. However, some people speculate these rocks could have been used by the defenders to counterattack their enemies by cutting and throwing the stones at them.

Later History

After Hagi Castle was abandoned, all the buildings of its center were demolished. People are still wondering why the Choshu Domain, which was one of the winners of the Meiji Restoration, had to do it. Many speculate that they gave an example to a new era by doing so. However, the fact seemed that local people in Hagi had no money to maintain these buildings as the local government had moved to Yamaguchi. As a result, the castle ruins have been a park since 1877 as we see now. They were designated as a National Historic Site in 1951.

The Main Tower was scraped in 1874, the same year as the castle was abandoned

My Impression

I think that Hagi Castle was the destination of the Mori Clan’s castle construction. It was a plain castle, a mountain castle, and also a sea castle. The clan built the castle using all their experiences they got before to make it the strongest. That’s why I also think they didn’t reluctantly choose its location, but actively decide it. I hope Hagi City would repair the restored mud walls on the top of the mountain as there are some writings on the wall.

Shizuki Mountain was integrated with the castle

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 50 minutes away from Mine IC on the Chugoku Expressway. There is a parking lot in front of the Second Enclosure.
By public transportation, It takes about 30 minutes on foot from Hagi Bus Center or Higashi-Hagi Station. Or it may be a good idea to use a rental bicycle from either place as many other historical attractions, such as Shoin Shrine and Ito’s old residence, are disseminated around the city.
To get to Hagi Bus Center or Higashi-Hagi Station from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Highway bus “Super Hagi-go” at Shin-Yamaguchi Station.

The building of Shokason-juku, which was established by Shoin, has been preserved in Shoin Shrine (*licensed by ぽこるん via Wikimedia Commons)*

Ito’s old residence (licensed by そらみみ via Wikimedia Commons)

Links and References

・HAGI Sightseeing Guide

That’s all. Thank you.
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