中部地方～Chubu Region – ページ 6 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

133.Samegao Castle Part3

A way to enjoy visiting castles and castle ruins

Features

Main Enclosure and Granary Ruins

The Main Enclosure on the top of the mountain is above the meeting point of the routes. There is a rest station on the top where you can take a rest and enjoy a nice view of the Kubiki Plain, which was the core territory of the Uesugi Clan in the past.

The map around the Main Enclosure

Looking up the Main Enclosure from the meeting point

Another enclosure called Komegura-ato, or the granary ruins, is just below the Main Enclosure over another ditch. Lots of burned rice grains were found in this enclosure, probably for the same reason as the Third Enclosure. The ditches around the Main Enclosure seem to have been used as access ways, which is also interesting.

The granary ruins seen from the Main Enclosure

The ditch between the Main Enclosure and the granary ruins

The Main Enclosure seen from the granary ruins

This ditch has also been used as an access way

Later History

After the Otate Rebellion, Samegao Castle was abandoned. The burned rice grains in the granary ruins were already known in the Edo Period. The research of the castle ruins started in 1963. The excavation was also done between 2001 and 2006. It found that the ruins still kept the state of the abandoned castle in good condition. As a result, They were designated as a National Historic Site in 2008.

The sign of Samegao Castle Ruins at the Main Enclosure

My Impression

The ruins of Samegao Castle are becoming popular among history fans, including women, due to the tragic story of Kagetora Uesugi. Some historians also speculate that if Kagetora had won in the Otate Rebellion, the three clans, the Uesugi, Takeda and Hojo, could have been united against the threat from the rulers in western Japan, Nobunaga Oda and Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Historical fact tells us the Takeda and the Hojo were isolated from each other after the rebellion, and defeated one by one. Only the Uesugi somehow survived. It may be a good way to visit a castle or castle ruins to think about real history or speculative history.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda who defeated the Takeda Clan, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

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

How to get There

If you want to visit the ruins by car, it is about a 15-minute drive away from Joetsu IC or Nakago IC on the Joshinetsu Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the park.
If you want to use public transportation, it takes about 30 minutes on foot from Kita-Arai Station on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway to get there.
To get to Kita-Arai Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen Super Express and transfer at Joetsu-Myoko Station to the Echigo Tokimeki Railway.

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Samegao Castle Part1”
Back to “Samegao Castle Part2”

133.鮫ヶ尾城　その３

城や城跡巡りの楽しみ方

特徴、見どころ

本丸と米蔵跡

２つのルートの合流地点の上の方、山の頂上に本丸があります。頂上には休憩所があり、そこで休んだり、過去には上杉氏の中心的領地だった頚城平野の景色を楽しむことができます。

本丸周辺の地図

本丸下の堀切を越えたところには、米蔵跡と呼ばれるもう一つの曲輪があります。この曲輪では、大量の焼け焦げた米が見つかっています。三ノ丸のおにぎりと同様の事情と思われます。本丸の周りにある堀切は、連絡通路にも使われたようです。こういった城の仕組みは大変興味深いです。

その後

御館の乱の後、鮫ヶ尾城は廃城となりました。米蔵跡の焼け米は、江戸時代から既に知られていました。この城跡の調査は1963年に始まりました。城跡の発掘も2001年から2006年の間に行われました。これらにより、この城跡は廃城となった直後の状態がよく残っていることがわかったのです。その結果、城跡は2008年に国の史跡に指定されました。

私の感想

鮫ヶ尾城跡は、上杉景虎の悲劇の物語によって、最近女性を含む歴史ファンの間で有名になってきています。歴史ファンの中には、もし景虎が御館の乱で勝利したならば、上杉、武田、北条の三大名が結束することで、織田信長や豊臣秀吉といった西日本からの脅威に対抗できたのではないかと考える人もいます。歴史的事実としては乱の後、武田と北条はそれぞれ孤立し、逐次撃破されてしまいました。そして、ただ上杉だけが生き残ったのです。実際の歴史とそれにまつわる空想を巡らすことも城や城跡を訪れる際の楽しみの一つなのではないでしょうか。

武田氏を滅ぼした織田信長の肖像画、狩野宗秀作、長興寺蔵、１６世紀後半 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

北条氏を滅ぼした豊臣秀吉の肖像画、加納光信筆、高台寺蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：上信越自動車道の上越ICまたは中郷ICから約１５分かかります。公園の手前に駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、越後トキめき鉄道の北新井駅から歩いて約３０分かかります。
東京から北新井駅まで：北陸新幹線に乗って、上越妙高駅で越後トキめき鉄道に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・斐太歴史の里：鮫ヶ尾城跡、妙高市
・「関東戦国史と御館の乱～上杉景虎・敗北の歴史的意味とは？／伊東潤・乃至政彦著」歴史新書ｙ
・「日本の城改訂版第１２６号」デアゴスティーニジャパン

これで終わります。ありがとうございました。
「鮫ヶ尾城その１」に戻ります。
「鮫ヶ尾城その２」に戻ります。

133.Samegao Castle Part2

A typical mountain castle using natural terrain

Features

Three Routes to Castle Ruins

Today, the ruins of Samegao Castle have been developed as part of a historical park called the Hida Historical Village, which also includes ancient house ruins and groups of burial mounds. If you drive to the ruins, you can use the parking lot beside Hida Shrine which also has a long history. You can also stop by the information center of the park from the parking lot, where you can get a guide for the ruins.

The map around the castle

There are three routes to the castle ruins, which are the Eastern, the Northern and the Southern Routes. The former two routes start from the information center. In addition, the northern one has few historical items, so if it is the first time for you to visit the ruins, the eastern one would be better. The northern one can be used when you return.

The three routes, from the signboard at the site, upwards is west on the map, adding the red letters

The well ruins along the Northern Route, called “Kagetora Spring”

Going on Eastern Route

If you choose the Eastern Route as the original back route of the castle, you will walk on the route which goes on or beside the ridge of the mountain. You will eventually see the sign for “O-horikiri” or “Large Ditch 6” in Japanese. This is around the entrance of the ruins. You will come to Large Ditch 5, followed by several other ditches. The route is cut narrow over these ditches.

The relief map around the castle

The sign for “Large Ditch 6” on the right

The earthen bridge on the route is cut narrow over these ditches

Then, you will be in the Eastern First Enclosure which seems to have been a lookout.

Getting close to the Eastern First Enclosure over another ditch

A view from *the Eastern First Enclosure*

After passing Ditch 6, you need to climb a very steep slope with a rope to the next enclosure. This must have been an important point for defense in the past.

You need to climb this slope with a rope

You will soon reach Large Ditch 1, which is also the meeting point of the Eastern and the Southern Routes.

Second and Third Enclosures on Southern Route

In fact, the Southern Route was the original main route of the castle. The route zigzags through a valley and on another ridge to make enemies attack slowly. The Third and Second Enclosures are the last parts of the route after the ruins of the gateway for defense, called Koguchi. The excavation team found traces of a fire from both enclosures, probably because of the Otate Rebellion. In particular, a burned rice ball was found in the Third Enclosure, which may have been the portable ration for a soldier.

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