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145.Kokokuji Castle Part3

A good place to visit in Numazu City

Later History

After Kokokuji Castle was abandoned, the area was turned into farm. In 1857, people founded the Homi Shrine at the ruins for prosperity after a large earthquake and famine. Numazu City has been investigating and excavating the ruins since 1982. The ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1995. The city is thinking about developing the ruins as a historical park with restored water moats.

The development plan of Numazu City on the signboard at the site

My Impression

I thought that Kokokuji Castle was just the castle for Soun Hojo to make his first career. However, the castle had the history of over 100 years after him. That was because the castle was at a very important area and had a good location. I think that the ruins of Kokokuji Castle are a good place to visit in Numazu City. If the weather is fine, you can also see the top of Mt. Fuji from the ruins.

The Main Enclosure surrounded by the earthen walls

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 20 minutes away from Numazu IC on Tomei Expressway.
There is a parking lot in the ruins.
By public transportation, it takes about 30 minutes on foot from Hara Station. Or take the Fujikyu City Bus bound for Higashi-Hiranuma or Fuji-eki from Numazu Station, and get off at the Higashi-Nekoya Bus Stop.
To get Hara Station or Numazu Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express, and transfer to the Tokaido Line at Mishima Station.

Links and References

・Kokokuji Castle Ruins (Numazu City Official Web Site)

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

145.興国寺城　その３

沼津市おすすめの観光地

その後

興国寺城が廃城となった後、この区域は畑になりました。1857年、大きな地震と飢饉の後、人々は降伏を願い城跡に穂見神社を建てました。沼津市は1982年以来、城跡の調査と発掘を続けてきました。1995年には城跡は国の史跡に指定されます。沼津市はこの城跡に水堀を復元し、歴史公園として整備しようと考えています。

私の感想

私は、興国寺城は単に北条早雲が旗揚げをした城だと思っていました。しかし、この城は早雲の後、100年以上の歴史を持っているのです。この城はとても重要な位置にあり、立地にも恵まれているからです。興国寺城跡は、沼津市のおすすめの観光地だと思います。天気が良ければ、城跡から富士山の頂を望むこともできます。

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：
東名自動車道路の沼津ICから約２０分かかります。
城跡の中に駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、原駅から歩いて３０分かかります。または沼津駅から富士急シティバスの東平沼行きか富士駅行きに乗り、東根古屋バス停で降りてください。
東京から原駅または沼津駅まで：
東海道新幹線に乗り、三島駅で東海道線に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・興国寺城跡、沼津市公式ウェブサイト
・「城の政治戦略／大石泰史」角川選書
・「列島縦断「幻の名城」を訪ねて／山名美和子著」集英社新書
・「興国寺城跡」沼津市教育委員会

これで終わります。
「興国寺城その１」に戻ります。
「興国寺城その２」に戻ります。

145.Kokokuji Castle Part2

The earthen walls and the dry moats are outstanding.

Features

Going to Main Enclosure from Third Enclosure

Now, the marshland around Kokokuji Castle has been turned into the city area. Only the ruins of the castle remain. The modern Nekata Road goes through the ruins. If you visit the ruins by car, you can park at a parking lot in the Third Enclosure, the lowest one out of the three main enclosures. You can walk up from the parking lot to the top Main Enclosure along a gentle slope. The middle tier is the Second Enclosure which looks flat and empty, but it had a round-shaped moat in the past.

The aerial photo around the castle

Main Enclosure and its Earthen Walls

The Main Enclosure is still surrounded by large high horseshoe-shaped earthen walls. It’s a fine sight. Inside of the enclosure, there are the monuments of Soun Hojo and Yasukage Amano, and the Homi Shrine which was founded in the Edo Period. The earthen walls on the back of the enclosure are 6m high, and you can walk up to the top by the steps. You can also see the stone walls partly built under the top. There are also foundation stones on the top which are considered the ruins of the base for the Main Tower, but it is thought that a kind of turret was there. You can see a view of the town area with Izu Pninsula on the south from the top.

The earthen walls surrounded by the horseshoe-shaped earthen walls

The monuments of Soun Hojo and Yasukage Amano

The stone foundation for “the base for the Main Tower” on the top

The Dry Moat of Main Enclosure and Northern Part

The large deep dry moat also remains behind the Main Enclosure. You can walk down from the top to the bottom of the moat by the steps as well. It is 18m deep where you can look up the top. You may wonder about the several earthen holes in the walls which were built as air-raid shelters during World War II. The edge of the moat leads to the side of the ruin of the castle which was part of the marshland in the past.

The air-raid shelters *built* during World War II

There is also the North Enclosure over the dry moat on the north. Another round-shaped moat was over there, and it was turned into the railway track of Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express. Historians speculate that the set of the round-shaped moats were built by the Takeda Clan or the Tokugawa Clan who used to build similar systems in other castles.

The Main Enclosure seen from the North Enclosure

The railway track of Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express which was a moat

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