北海道地方～Hokkaido Region – ページ 7 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

3.Matsumae Castle Part3

Will the Main Tower be rebuilt or repaired?

Features

Northern and Western parts of Castle

If you have time, you should consider walking around the other sides of the castle ruins. The temple district is beside the Outer Moat Ruins at the northern side of the castle. It had originally been built for the defense of this side when the site had only the hall. However, this side eventually became the weakest point compared with the other sides of the castle. That’s why the former Shogunate Army was able to attack it. You can now enjoy a relaxing walk there seeing some of the temple buildings which were designated as Important Cultural Properties.

The map around the castle

The Outer Moat Ruins at the northern side of the castle

The main gate of Hogenji Temple as an Important Cultural Property

Ryuunin Temple as an Important Cultural Property

The western side is a promenade on the bottom of the former Outer Moat. You can walk on it by looking up at the Main Enclosure. This side is supposed to be more defensive than the northern side.

The promenade on the bottom of the former Outer Moat

You can see how tall the Main Enclosure is

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Matsumae Castle was abandoned and only the Main Tower and the gate in the Main Enclosure remained as the ruins. However, the tower was unfortunately burned down by an accidental fire in 1949. It was externally restored in 1961, but since it’s been 60 years, its concrete building looks old. So, Matsumae Town is considering whether the tower should be rebuilt in the original way or repaired including safety measures such anti-earthquake systems. In addition, the castle ruins have been designated as a National Historic Site since 1935.

The Main Tower of Matsumae Castle before being burned down, taken in 1935 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The Main Tower building looks aging when you see its interior

My Impression

I think Matsumae Castle is a very unique one which has a mix of the traditional Japanese style and a newer advanced style which matches the current situation. As a result, it may have been not enough as the castle was defeated twice. However, it must also be preserved as a record of history. In my opinion, the best season for visiting it should be spring with cherry blossoms, but be aware that there will be a huge crowd as well. Cherry Blossom season is a popular time for locals as well as tourists, so expect more people than usual.

The Man Enclosure Gate in the front and the Main Tower in the back

The Man Enclosure Gate on the left and the Main Tower on the right

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit the castle ruins because there are only a few buses available.
It is about a 2-hour drive away from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station or the center of Hakodate City. From Hakodate Airport, it takes about 2.5 hours to get there. There is a parking lot in the castle ruins. It may be a good idea to rent a car at the station or the airport.
To get to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokkaido Shinkansen super express at Tokyo Station.

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

3.松前城　その３

天守の木造再建の是非が議論されています。

特徴、見どころ

城の北側と西側

もしお時間があれば、城跡の他の部分にも足を延ばしてみてはいかがでしょうか。寺町地区は、城の北側の外堀跡に沿った場所です。この地区そのものが元はここに御殿しかなかったときに、北側の防衛のために設けられたものです。ところが、そのうち城ができたときには他の方角と比べて、一番弱い場所になってしまいました。そのため、旧幕府軍はこちら側から攻撃をかけたのです。現在ではここはゆっくり歩ける場所になっていて、寺の建物のいくつかは重要文化財に指定されています。

城周辺の地図

城の西側は、以前外堀の底だった場所が遊歩道になっています。本丸を見上げながら、歩いていくことができます。こちら側は、城の北側よりは守りが固いように思えます。

その後

明治維新後、松前城は廃城となり、本丸にある天守と門だけが史跡として残されました。ところが残念ながら、1949年に失火により天守は焼け落ちてしまいました。そして1961年には外観復元されたのですが、それから６０年が経過し、コンクリート造りの建物としては老朽化しています。松前町は、天守を木造のオリジナルの工法で再建するか、それとも耐震基準などの安全対策を講じて修繕を行うのか検討しているところです。なお、城跡自体は1935以来国の史跡に指定されています。

焼失前の松前城天守、1935年 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

私の感想

松前城は、伝統的な日本式と、築城当時の状況に即して進んだ様式がミックスされた、とてもユニークな城だと思います。結果的にそれが中途半端な形になってしまい、２度の落城を招いてしまったのかもしれません。しかし、歴史の記録としてそれはそれで保存されるべきです。個人的な見解ですが、ここを訪れるには桜の季節がもっとも良いでしょうが、また大変込み合うことも想像できます。桜を見るために地元の人も観光客も普段に増して押し寄せるでしょう。ですので、何を目的をするかで訪れる時期を決められたらよいと思います。

ここに行くには

この城跡を訪れる際は車を使われることをお勧めします。バスの便数がとても少ないからです。
新函館北斗駅または函館市の中心部から約２時間の道のりとなります。函館空港からであれば、２時間半くらいはかかるでしょう。城跡内に駐車場があります。駅か空港で、レンタカーを借りるのもよいでしょう。
東京から新函館北斗駅まで：東京駅から北海道新幹線に乗ってください。

リンク、参考情報

・松前氏城跡福山城跡、松前町
・「よみがえる日本の城９」学研
・「日本の城改訂版第５０号」デアゴスティーニジャパン
・「幕末維新の城／一坂太郎著」中公新書
・デジタル八雲町史、デジタル熊石町史

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

3.Matsumae Castle Part2

So much more to see than just cherry blossoms and The Main Tower

Features

How to enter Castle ruins park

Today, the ruins of Matsumae Castle have been developed as Matsumae Park which is also known for cherry blossoms that consist of about 250 kinds and over 10 thousand trees in total. If you visit them even in August, you can enjoy hydrangea blooming there, which usually blooms in June in the mainland of Japan. Of course, you can also enjoy the castle ruins all year round.

The map around the castle

Drivers can enter them from the Matsumae Town area beside the sea in the south by going through the front entrance, and then passing the Third Enclosure, to the parking lot of the Second Enclosure.

The earthen and stone walls of the Third Enclosure

People on foot can enter them from the eastern side through the back entrance to the center.

The Umasaka Route goes from the eastern side of the castle ruins

The restored area around the Outer Back Gate

Ruins of Facilities for coastal defense

This eastern side of the ruins were well developed by Matsumae Town. For example, other entrances of the castle, the Tenjinzaka Gate and the Outer Back Gate were rebuilt. The stone walls of the Second Enclosure and its mud walls on them were partially restored. Part of the Outer Moat in front of them was dug again.

The restored stone walls with mud walls of the Second Enclosure and the Outer Moat

In the Third Enclosure below, you can see some remaining pedestals of the batteries, such as the No.5 Buttery’s with stone walls. If you stand at the ruins of the Drum Turret at the southeastern corner of the Second Enclosure, you will see how good the view of the sea is as well as a good location for spotting ships in the past.

A view of the sea from the buttery pedestal

A view of the Second Enclosure *from the buttery pedestal*

Restored Main Tower and Remaining Main Enclosure Gate

In the Main Enclosure, there is the restored three-level Main Tower. It is actually a modern concrete building, but its external appearance is almost the same as the original one. Only its stone wall base is intact. If you look at them carefully, you can find some dents on it. They are the traces of being shot by guns in the wars during the Meiji Restoration. Its roof is covered with cooper plates to bear the cold climate of Hokkaido, same as the original one.

There are traces of the wars on the stone wall base

You can enter the tower to learn more about the castle and the domain inside. The top floor is also used as the observation platform. However, you may feel like the building is too old.

An exhibition inside the Main Tower building

Many people might only focus on the Main Tower, but there are other interesting things to see in the enclosure. The Main Enclosure Gate beside the tower is the only remaining intact building of the castle, which has been designated as an Important Cultural Property since 1950. The gate was built using wooden materials while its stone walls supporting it look unusually precise as if they were built during the present time.

The gate building is certainly made of wood

The stone walls were built very precisely

Remaining part of Main Enclosure Main Hall

The entrance hall of the Main Hall is preserved in front of the gate. It had once been used as the entrance of a school in the back of the gate, its original position. It was moved to the current position in 1982. This entrance hall is said to be part of Fukuyama-kan, the hall which had existed before the castle was built. The original position is a square with a lawn.

The square which had the Main Hall in the past

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