中部地方～Chubu Region – ページ 11 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

139.Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part3

A castle specialized for defense

Features

Main Enclosure on Top

You will finally arrive at the Main Enclosure on the top. From there, you can enjoy great views of Wakasa Bay in the east and the Sgaki town in the west. There are two entrance ruins called Koguchi. There is also a mud mound which might have had a turret or Main Tower. If you have more time, you can explore the enclosure lines on the ridge over the ditch in front of the Main Enclosure.

The map around the Main Enclosure

Looking up the Main Enclosure form the ditch

The Northwestern Entrance of the Main Enclosure, the one from the ditch

The partially remaining stone walls of the Main Enclosure

The Sagaki town seen from the Main Enclosure

The base for the Southern Corner Turret of the Main Enclosure (for a turret or Main Tower)

The Eastern Entrance of the Main Enclosure, the one on the opposite side of the ditch

Later History

In the beginning of the Edo Period, a monk, who joined the battle in the castle against the Asakura Clan, wrote his experience known as “The record of besiege of Kuniyoshi Castle” which spread throughout the period. That’s why the name Kuniyoshi became popular. The ruins were first scientifically researched in 1916. Mihama Town, which owns the ruins, has been excavating and developing the ruins as a historical site since 2000.

Some copies of “The record of besiege of Kuniyoshi Castle”, exhibited by the Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle Historical Museum

My Impression

Castles have had many functions such as being a lord’s home base, a base for offense, a strong point for defense, or even a government office. I think Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle was definitely specialized for defense, otherwise, the rebel army led by Katsuhisa Awaya would not have been able to repel the troops from the Asakura Clan as many as 5 times. When visiting the ruins, I was able to see and experience this with my own eyes.

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit.
It is about a 10-minute drive away from Wakasa-Mihama IC on the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, it takes about 30 minutes on foot from JR Mihama Station to get there.
To get to Mihama Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the Hokuriku Line at Maibara Station and transfer to the Obama Line at Tsuruga Station.

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part1”
Back to “Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part2”

139.佐柿国吉城　その３

防御に特化した城

特徴、見どころ

頂上にある本丸

最後には頂上にある本丸に到着します。そこからは、東には若狭湾、西には佐柿街並みの素晴らしい景色を楽しめます。ここには虎口と呼ばれる入口が２つあります。また、曲輪の中には土盛りがあり、その上には櫓か天守があったと思われます。お時間があれば、本丸の前の堀切の向こうの峰には曲輪群があるので、そこに行ってみるのもいいでしょう。

本丸周辺の地図

その後

江戸時代の初期、かつてこの城で朝倉氏との戦いに兵士として参加した僧が、彼の経験をもとに「国吉籠城記」を著しました。この本の内容は江戸時代の間中、世間に広まりました。このため、城の名前として「国吉」が一般的になったのです。この城跡は、1916年に最初に科学的に調査されました。城跡を所有する美浜町は、2000年に町の史跡として以来、発掘や整備を続けています。

私の感想

城には多くの機能があり、大名の本拠地、攻撃の拠点、防御のための陣地、そして政庁でもありえたのです。思うに、佐柿国吉城は間違いなく防御に特化した城でしょう。そうでなければ、粟屋勝久に率いられた反乱軍は、朝倉氏軍を５回も撃破することはできなかったでしょう。この城跡を訪れてみて、身をもってそのことを体験することができました。

ここに行くには

この城跡を訪れるときには車を使われることをお勧めします。舞鶴若狭自動車道の若狭美浜ICから約１０分のところです。城跡の手前に駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、ＪＲ美浜駅から歩いて約３０分かかります。
東京から美浜駅まで：東海道新幹線に乗り、米原駅で北陸線に乗り換え、敦賀駅で小浜線に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・佐柿国吉城、若狭美浜観光協会
・「佐柿国吉城ブックレット　国吉城の章　第１〜４巻」美浜町教育委員会
・「歴史群像１５６号、戦国の城　若狭国吉城」学研

これで終わります。ありがとうございました。
「佐柿国吉城その１」に戻ります。
「佐柿国吉城その２」に戻ります。

139.Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part2

You can experience the strength of the castle.

Features

Castle Ruins you can access easily

Today, the ruins of Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle are very easy to access for visitors. If you drive to the ruins from the former Echizen Province, you can access them just by going through the tunnel in the mountain where the castle was built. It may be difficult for us to imagine how tough it was to attack from the province in the past. The ruins have also been well developed for visitors. There are no castle buildings, but the foundations, some excavated stone walls, and some relics remain at the site.

The route coming to the ruins, seen from the top of the mountain

The miniature model of the castle ruins, exhibited by the Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle Historical Museum

You will first see the Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle Historical Museum at the foot of the mountain. This is where the Sagaki magistrate’s office was built in the past. You can learn a lot about the history of the castle including the reason for why the castle was so strong. You can next go to the valley below the mountain where the Main Hall was built when the castle was active. There are tiered foundations where some advanced stone walls were discovered, which shows they were used until the final stages of the castle.

The aerial photo around the castle

Climbing steep slope to Top of Mountain

The next, will be the trail to the top, where you can experience the strength of the castle. This trail is not original, but good enough for us to imagine what it was like. The top is about 140m from the foot, but you may feel too high for the actual height. You have to climb the very steep zigzagged trail for a very long time.

You need to pass a wire netting gate in order to shut animals

From Second Enclosure to Ditch

You will eventually reach the area beside the ruins of the Second Enclosure, at around half of the trail. You can take a rest and see the ruins. The enclosure is still surrounded by the thick earthen walls forming a gate of the castle. The original trail came to the gate and went to the top. Historians speculate not using stone walls at the enclosure means it was abandoned earlier.

Going back to the trail, you have to try to climb it again. If you were an enemy, the defenders could shoot guns and arrows, and throw the stones and wood, so you would not stand a chance. However, you will eventually reach the ditch in front of the top, seeing some remaining stone walls covering it. These stone walls were destroyed in the upper part when the castle was abandoned, were buried naturally, and excavated recently. You can also see many Stone Buddha Statues gathered which may have been left for throwing when enemies actually attacked.

Arriving at the ditch in front of the top of the mountain

The stone walls were partially excavated

Stone Buddha Statues gathered in one place

To be continued in “Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part3”
Back to “Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part1”