中部地方～Chubu Region – ページ 13 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

143.Mino-Kaneyama Castle Part3

The ruins were preserved as a public forest.

Features

Arriving at Main Enclosure

You will finally reach the Main Enclosure on the top. The enclosure is also partly surrounded by stone walls. The southwestern corner stone walls are said to be part of the base for the Main Tower. However, it is still uncertain if the castle had the tower.

The map around the castle

The imaginary drawing of the Southwestern corner Turret (or Main Tower?) in the past, from the signboard at the site

The present stone walls at the southwestern corner

The remaining stone walls around the Main Enclosure

The inside of the enclosure is a square now, but stone foundations and roof tiles for some buildings were discovered by researchers.

The imaginary drawing of the Main Enclosure in the past, from the signboard at the site

You can see some remaining stone foundations

The ruins of the original Main Enclosure entrance

From there, you can see great views of the Kiso-gawa River in the north and the Nobi Plain in the west, like the lord of the castle did in the past. You will also realize the castle had a good location.

A view of the Kiso-gawa River from the Main Enclosure in the north

A view of the Nobi Plain River from the Main Enclosure in the west

Later History

After Mino-Kaneyama Castle was abandoned, many of its stone walls were destroyed and its buildings were demolished as waste materials. In the Edo Period, the Owari Domain which owned the mountain including the ruins banned people from entering it. After the Meiji Restoration, the mountain was preserved as an Imperial Forest or a government-owned forest. Even after the castle was abandoned, it was still difficult for people to enter it many years later. The mountain was sold to the local government which is now Kani City. The city researched the ruins between 2006 and 2010 and found that they still have the features of a Shokuho style castle. The castle ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 2013.

The monument for the mountain being sold to the local government

My Impression

When I visited the ruins of Mino-Kaneyama Castle, I pictured Tsuyama Castle which Tadamasa Mori finally built after he became the founder of the Tsuyama Domain in Mimasaka Province. Tsuyama Castle was built on a mountain with three tiers all surrounded by high stone walls. The castle was often considered impenetrable. I think Tsuyama Castle resembles Mino-Kaneyama Castle in the way that the stone walls were built. I also speculate that Tadamasa might have tried to build the strongest castle based on his experience of Mino -Kaneyama Castle.

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit the castle ruins.
It is about a 15-minute drive away from Kani-Mitake IC on the Tokai-kanjo Expressway. There are several parking lots including the Barbican Enclosure around the ruins
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the YAO Bus from Akechi Station on Meitetsu-Hiromi Line and get off at the Moto-Keneyamacho-yakuba-mae bus stop. It takes about 15 minutes on foot from the bus stop to get there.
To get to Akechi Station from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the Meitetsu-Inuyama Line at Nagoya Station and transfer to the Meitetsu-Hiromi Line at Inuyama Station or Shin-Kani Station.

The parking lot at the Barbican Enclosure

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Mino-Kaneyama Castle Part1”
Back to “Mino-Kaneyama Castle Part2”

143.美濃金山城　その３

城跡は、公有林として保存されていました。

特徴、見どころ

本丸に到着

ついに頂上にある本丸に到着します。この曲輪もまた部分的に石垣に囲まれています。この曲輪の南西角は、天守台の一部だと言われてきました。しかし、この城に天守があったかどうかは今だ定かではありません。

城周辺の地図

曲輪の内部は今は広場になっていますが、そこにあった建物に使われた礎石や瓦が調査により見つかっています。

この曲輪からは、北方に木曽川の、西方には濃尾平野の素晴らしい景色を見ることができます。この城の城主も同じような景色を眺めたことでしょう。この城の立地の良さも実感できると思います。

その後

美濃金山城が廃城となった後、多くの石垣が破壊され、建物も撤去され、建設資材として転用されました。江戸時代には、城跡がある山は尾張藩によって所有され、人々の立ち入りが禁止されていました。明治維新後、この山は皇室所有林または国有林となっていました。廃城となった後でも、長い間に渡って一般人が立ち入ることが難しい場所になっていたのです。やがて、現在の可児市にあたる地方自治体に売却されました。可児市は2006年から2010年の間、城跡を調査しその結果、織豊系城郭の特徴を持っている城だったことが判明したのです。2013年には国の史跡に指定されました。

私の感想

美濃金山城跡を訪れた時、津山城のことが頭に浮かびました。美作国の津山藩の初代藩主となった森忠政が、最後に築いた城です。津山城は、三段に形作られた山に総石垣造りで築かれました。この城は、しばしば難攻不落と称されています。個人的には、津山城は石垣の築き方などからすると、美濃金山城に似ているようにも思います。忠政が、美濃金山城での経験に基づいて、津山城を最強の城として作ろうとしたのではないかとも思いました。

ここに行くには

この城跡を訪れるには、車を使われることをお勧めします。
東海環状自動車道の可児御嵩（かにみたけ）ICから約１５分かかります。出丸を含む城跡周辺にいくつか駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、名鉄広見線の明智駅からYAOバスに乗って、元金山町役場前バス停で降りてください。バス停から歩いて約１５分のところです。
東京または大阪から明智駅まで：東海道新幹線に乗り、名古屋駅で名鉄犬山線に乗り換え、犬山駅か新可児駅で名鉄広見線に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・国史跡　美濃金山城跡、可児市
・「東海の名城を歩く　岐阜編／中井均　内堀信雄編」吉川弘文館
・「日本の城改訂版第１４５号」デアゴスティーニジャパン
・「史跡美濃金山城跡　保存活用計画書」可児市教育委員会 2016年

これで終わります。ありがとうございました。
「美濃金山城その１」に戻ります。
「美濃金山城その２」に戻ります。

143.Mino-Kaneyama Castle Part2

The castle ruins in a natural park

Features

Berbican Enclosure with well remaining Stone Walls

Today, the ruins of Mino-Kaneyama Castle have been well developed as part of a natural park though no castle buildings remain. Many people visit the park to relax. If you visit there by car, you can park at the Berbican Enclosure on the mid slope of the mountain. Don’t forget to see the stone walls around the enclosure as they are only walls still intact in this castle. You will understand its reason once you climb up to the Main Enclosure.

The imaginary drawing of the whole Mino-Kaneyama Castle, exhibited by Sengoku Yamashiro Museum

the map around the castle

The imaginary drawing of the Barbican Enclosure in the past, from the signboard at the site

The remaining stone walls of the Barbican Enclosure

Third Enclosure with trace of Castle destroyed

From the parking lot, you can first enter the Third Enclosure where you will see its stone walls partially collapsed. This is the trace of the castle being intentionally destroyed. No one would be able to build another castle on it and it could also be the sign that the castle had been abandoned. This enclosure has another entrance on the opposite side, which leads to the castle town, however, the route can’t be used now.

The imaginary drawing of the Third Enclosure in the past, from the signboard at the site

The present Third Enclosure (gate ruins)

You can also see the partially remaining stone walls of the Second Enclosure above the Third Enclosure.

The imaginary drawing of the Second Enclosure in the past, from the signboard at the site

The partially remaining stone walls of the Second Enclosure, seen from the Third Enclosure

Masugata, Important point for Defense

You can go further to the Belt Enclosure surrounding the Main Enclosure by passing the Second Enclosure. You will see many collapsed stones from past stone walls on the way there.

The slopes of the Belt Enclosure, seen from the Second Enclosure

The Belt Enclosure had a square defensive entrance called Masugata, with the Main Gate standing in front of it. That meant it was an important point for the castle to protect. You can now see the ruins of it with the front stone steps and some stone walls surrounding the square space. The ruins of the Second Gate are on the right side of the space and lead to the Main Enclosure.

The imaginary drawing of the Masugata Entrance in the past, from the signboard at the site

To be continued in “Mino-Kaneyama Castle Part3”
Back to “Mino-Kaneyama Castle Part1”