English – ページ 60 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

154.Tamaru Castle Part2

Castle ruins coming from several periods

Features

Going through Main and Second Gates

Today, the ruins of Tamaru Castle have been maintained by Tamaki Town and still located in the center of the town. The ruins of the Main Gate behind the remaining Outer Moat are also the entrance of the ruins and the town hall. The route on the entrance is paved and straight, not like the originally bent road, probably because of convenience for cars. If you drive to the ruins, you can use the parking lot of the hall.

The map around the castle

The Outer Moat in front of the Main Gate Ruins

The paved road goes up to the hill passing through the Second Gate Ruins surrounded by stone walls and the partially remaining Inner Moat. The route is still bent similar to the original one. Next comes the Third Enclosure in the past, however, the present route goes around it which is used as a school. You can see one of the few remaining buildings of the castle, the Fujimi-mon Gate, which had been sold, but moved to the present position, not like in the original one, on the way.

The Third Enclosure Ruins which is used as a school

the Fujimi-mon Gate which was moved to the present position

You can enjoy both Earthen and Stone Walls at Northern Enclosure

You can go directly to the Main Enclosure along the way but you should consider going the separate promenade around the Northern Enclosure. This is because you will be able to feel the long history of the castle when you see it. It is surrounded by old stone walls, and earthen walls outside. Earthen walls were commonly used in the Middle Ages before stone walls were used, so the earthen walls might have been built in the early stage of the castle.

The entrance of the promenade around the Northern Enclosure

The earthen walls of the Northern Enclosure outside

The stone walls also look like those of Azuchi Castle, one of the earliest examples of stone walls for castles, which Nobukatsu’s father, Nobunaga built. You might think the stone walls were built by Nobukatsu, but historians point out most of the castle’s stone walls were built by the Inaba Clan.

The stone walls of the Northern Enclosure

The combination of stone and earthen walls of the Northen Enclosure

Main Enclosure has several Attractions

Going back to the main route, the paved road reaches the Main Enclosure, so you can easily enter it. Its alternating entrance surrounded by stone walls, called Koguchi, which was restored in the present time based on the achievements of the excavation.

A view of the entrance from above the stone walls

One of the highlights of it is the stone wall base for the Main Tower. Part of it such as the stone steps were added later than the original. However, the basic type, called Anagura-siki or the Cellar Type, is a very early method for Main Tower bases. Historians say the base might have been built by Nobukatsu.

The inside of the base (the Cellar Type)

The second one has a good view of the town from it. The area around the town looks rich and peaceful, probably the same as in the past. That proves the good location of the castle.

The rest is the stone walls surrounding the enclosure, you can look around. They look newer and more processed than those of the Northern Enclosures, so the Kuno Clan might repaired them.

Part of the stone walls were made with two tiers

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

154.Tamaru Castle Part1

The home base of Nobukatsu Oda

Location and History

Nobukatsu Oda lives in Castle as Ise Province Governor

Tamaru Castle was located in the center of Ise Province which is almost the same as modern day Mie Prefecture. The castle has a long history, which was first built by the Kitabatake Clan in 1336 during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The clan survived as a warlord and the governor of the province until the late 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, while the castle was a branch castle of them. The castle eventually got popular when Nobukatsu Oda became the governor in 1575. He also lived and improved the castle as his home base in the same year. The reason for it was that he had been adopted as the Kitabatake Clan’s successor when the Oda Clan and the Kitabatake Clan had made peace with each other after their battles.

The range of Ise Province and the location of the castle

The portrait of Nobukatsu Oda, owned by Sokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

He is used by Rulers of Japan

Nobukatsu is one of the most difficult historical figures to evaluate fairly. He was a son of Nobunaga Oda, the ruler of Japan. He was first used by Nobunaga to take over the Kitabatake Clan. Nobunaga actually ordered him to kill his father-in-law, Tomonori Kitabatake in order to completely make the province Oda’s own. Some historians say Nobukatsu was a fool and an incompetent. For example, he failed his own invasion of Iga Province located next to Ise in 1579 and was blamed by Nobunaga.

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 portrait of Tomonori Kitabatake, owned by Iseyoshida Library (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

After his real father was killed in the Honnoji Incident in 1582, he was then used by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the next ruler. Hideyoshi used him as a stalking horse of beating Katsuie Shibata, Nobutaka Oda or subordinating Ieyasu Tokugawa to Hideyoshi. In the end, just after the completion of Hideyoshi’s unification of Japan in 1590, Hideyoshi fired Nobukatsu because he complained about moving to another territory. That was also the moment when Hideyoshi completed to take over his original master, the Oda Clan.

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

He is highly educated person

However, was Nobukatsu really incompetent even if he was inferior to the rulers; Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu? He was finally given small territories which included Uda-Matsuyama in Yamato Province and Obata in Kozuke Province by Ieyasu. He was able to govern from the first Ise to the last of these territories smoothly. He was also a highly educated person as he was once the successor of the Kitabatake Clan, which had been a noble of the Southern dynasty. It is proven by a remaining Japanese garden called Rakusanen in Obata which he built. Then, if you want to see what he was like as a warlord, it may be a good idea to see Tamaru Castle.

The location of Nobukatsu’s last territories

The Kasuga-mon Gate of Uda-Matsuyama Encampment (licensed by Saigen Jiro via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle is finally followed by Tokugawa Clan

Tamaru Castle was on a hill near Ise Gingu Shrine, with the main portion as connected the Northern, Main, and Second Enclosures on its top. The Main Enclosure also had the three-level Main Tower. The Third Enclosure was below these enclosures and all were surrounded doubly by the Inner and Outer Moats. The three gates behind the moats and of the Third Enclosure were bent inside to prevent enemies from attacking easily. This structure would lead to a square defensive space called Masugata later. Some stone walls were built including the stone wall base for the Main Tower, but the details are uncertain. As long as you look at the castle, Nobukatsu chose a good location and built it well. However, the castle was unfortunately burned down by an arson in 1580 before he had to move to Matsugashima castle.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower of Tamaru Castle

The Illustration of Tamaru Castle during Horeki Era, from the signboard at the site, adding the red letters for the names of parts

After that, the castle was restored by the Gamo Clan and followed by the Inaba, Todo and finally Tokugawa Clans. In particular, the Inaba Clan renovated the castle by building stone walls surrounding all the main portions. Since 1619, one of the Three Branches of the Tokugawa Family, the Kii Domain owned the castle through the Edo Period. It was based in the Wakayama Castle, so the Kuno Clan which was a senior vassal of the domain lived in the castle. The clan maintained and repaired it when it got old or suffered damage from natural disasters such as earthquakes.

The stone walls of the Main Enclosure of Tamaru Castle, repaired by the Kuno Clan

To be continued in “Tamaru Castle Part2”

48.Matsusaka Castle Part3

The Main Tower Base even uses a stone sarcophagus.

Features

Main Enclosure, Center of Castle

The lower tier had many turrets as the pivot for defense. Though there are no buildings now, you can look down on the routes below the stone walls of the tier clearly.

The map around the castle

The ruins of Kane-no-yagura Turret at the lower tier of the Main Enclosure

A view of Matsusaka City Museum of History and Folklore from the ruins of Kane-no-maru Turret

The ruins of Tsukimi Turret at the lower tier of the Main Enclosure

A view of the Second Enclosure from the ruins of Tsukimi Turret

The upper tier had turrets, residences, and the Main Tower. The stone wall base for the tower remains in its original condition from when Ujisato Gamo first built the castle. It looks very old and you can see part of it is made using a stone sarcophagus. This shows the stones for the castle construction were collected rapidly. You can also see a nice city view with mountains behind, as this is the highest point of the castle.

The entrance of *the upper tier of the Main Enclosure*

The inside of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure

The stone sarcophagus used for the stone walls (in the front)

A view from the upper tier of the Main Enclosure

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Matsusaka Castle was abandoned and the castle buildings were demolished or burned. The main portion of the castle was turned into Matsusaka Park in 1881, while the other has become a city area. Matsusaka City, the former castle town, renovated the stone walls of the castle for as long as 16 years between 1988 and 2003. The city has also been researching the ruins as well. They were finally designated as a National Historic Site in 2011.

My Impression

Before my visit to Matsusaka Castle Ruins, I didn’t know much about Ujisato Gamo and the castle. In fact, I was still wondering why the local city has castle ruins with such great stone walls while visiting. However, after learning about who he was and the history of the castle, I understood the reason. I hope that Matsusaka City will maintain the castle ruins and the memory of Ujisato forever because the city would not be there without hin.

The stone walls of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure

How to get There

If you want to visit the ruins by car, it is about a 15-minute drive away from Matsusaka IC on the Ise Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors beside the park.
If you want to use public transportation, It takes about 15 minutes on foot from Matsusaka Station to get there.
To get to Matsusaka Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the JR Mie rapid train or the Kintetsu-Nagoya Line on Kintetsu Railway at Nagoya Station.

That’s all. Thank you.
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