言語～Language – ページ 261 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

149.Komakiyama Castle Part3

The mountain and ruins protected by the Tokugawa Clan

Later History

After the battle in 1584, Komakiyama Castle was abandoned again. In the beginning of the Edo Period, parts of the huge stones were taken away for the construction of Nagoya Castle. You can see one stone which was divided but was not used in the construction. During the Edo Period, the Tokugawa Clan banned people from entering Mt. Komakiyama, because the place was the site of the ruins of their founder Ieyasu’s victory and fortune. For many years during the Modern Times, the mountain was privately owned by the Tokugawa Clan. It is said that it made the foundation of the castle very durable. The ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1927 after the Tokugawa Clan donated the mountain to the nation.

The stone which was divided but was not used in the construction for Nagoya Castle

The cross section of the earthen walls at the north entrance

My Impression

It was believed previously, that Komakiyama Castle was just a temporary position for Nobunaga to plan his next step. However, the achievement of the recent excavation made people change their ideas about the castle. I was actually surprised to see the remains of the huge stones and learned they came from Nobunaga’s ideas about castle building. I am looking forward to seeing new discoveries and studies in the future.

The remaining huge stones on the mountain

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 10 minutes away from Komaki IC on Tomei Expressway.
There are several parking lots around the mountain including the Komaki City Hall.
By train, it takes about 30 minutes on foot from Komaki Station on Meitetsu Komaki Line.
To get to Komaki Station from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express, get off at Nagoya Station, transfer to the Higashiyama Subway Line, transfer at Sakae Station to the Meijo Subway Line, and transfer at Heandori Station to Meitetsu Komaki Line.

Links and References

・Komakiyama, Komaki Civic Cultural Foundation

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

149.小牧山城　その３

徳川氏により守られた山と城跡

その後

1584年の戦いの後、小牧山城は再び廃城となりました。江戸時代の初期、巨石の一部が名古屋城の建設工事のために持ち去られました。そのために一旦割られたが、結局使われなかった石を見ることができます。江戸時代の間、徳川氏は人々が小牧山に入るのを禁じました。この場所は創始者である家康の「御勝利と御開運の御陣跡」とされたためです。近代になっても長い間この山は徳川氏の私有地となっていました。そのために城の基礎部分がよく残っていると言われています。徳川氏が国に山を寄贈した後、1927年に城跡は国の史跡に指定されました。

私の感想

以前、小牧山城は信長の次のステップのための単なる一時的な陣地だと信じられてきました。ところが、最近の発掘調査の成果により、この城に関する考え方は変わりました。私も実際に残っている巨石を見て驚きましたし、これは信長の城づくりの考え方によるものだと学びました。将来、また新しい発見や研究が出てくることが楽しみです。

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：
東名自動車道の小牧ＩＣから約１０分のところです。
小牧市役所を含む山の周辺にいくつか駐車場があります。
電車の場合は、名鉄小牧線の小牧駅から歩いて約３０分かかります。
東京または大阪から小牧駅まで：
東海道新幹線に乗って名古屋駅で降り、地下鉄東山線に乗り換え、栄駅で地下鉄名城線に乗り換え、平安通駅で名鉄小牧線に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・史跡小牧山、こまき市民文化財団
・「信長と家臣団の城／中井均著」角川選書
・「信長の城／千田嘉博著」岩波新書
・「日本の城改訂版第１２８号」デアゴスティーニジャパン

これで終わります。
「小牧山城その１」に戻ります。
「小牧山城その２」に戻ります。

149.Komakiyama Castle Part2

You can see the legacies of Nobunaga and Ieyasu

Features

Mountain and Castle surrounded by Earthen Walls

Now we can still see Mt. Komakiyama covered with the green of the plants noticeable on the plain area. The building on the top is the Komaki City History Museum which looks like a Main Tower. Komaki City has been developing the whole of the mountain as a historical park. The city opened Komakiyama Castle Historical Site Information Center at the foot in 2019.

A view of Mt. Komakiyama from the city area

The aerial photo around the castle

When you get close to the mountain, you can find earthen walls and dry moats surrounding it. They were made by Ieyasu Tokugawa when the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute happened in 1584. From the Miyukibashi Entrance of the eastern side, you can enter the park across the wooden bridge through the alternate earthen walls. The bridge is not original but was built just for tourists to enter the park easily. Inside the walls, there are plain enclosures which were used for the houses of Nobunaga and his retainers, and also used as military posts of Ieyasu’s troops.

The mountain surrounded by the earthen walls

Main Road similar to Azuchi Castle

From the Main Entrance of the southern side, you can walk up the Main Route, which Nobunaga originally created, to the mountain. The route goes up straight to the mid-slope of the mountain and becomes zigzagged in the upper part. This formation is very similar to that of Azuchi Castle which was Nobunaga’s last home base. This meant he had his own ideas about building castles from an early age.

*The Main Route of Azuchi Castle* (above the mid slope)

Remaining Huge Stones and Stone Walls on Mountain

The Komaki City History Museum is on the top of the mountain where the Main Enclosure was. Around the top, you can see several huge stones lying down. In fact, these stones originally were built in the stone walls surrounding the Main Enclosure. Part of the stone walls still remain, and they were thought to be built by Ieyasu, not Nobunaga. However, the recent excavation found out that Nobunaga built these stone walls using huge stones. They were made into three tiers to demonstrate his authority. They are now recognized as a very early example of stone walls for a castle built in Nobunaga’s unique way.

The Komaki City History Museum *(licensed by Bariston via Wikimedia Commons)*

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