近畿地方～Kinki Region – ページ 32 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

49.Odani Castle Part3

You should also check out the back part of the castle.

Features

After passing Nakanomaru Enclosure, you will see Kyogoku-maru Enclosure where Nobunaga’s retainer, Hideyoshi, first captured in the castle. Komaru Enclosure where Nagamasa’s father, Hisamasa, lived as a retreat is close behind the Kyogoku-maru Enclosure. That’s probably why he was defeated soon in the battle.

The map around the castle

Finally, Sanno-maru Enclosure is at the highest point of the ridge. You can see the largest and greatest remaining stone walls in the castle at the eastern side of the enclosure. It has four tiers, two more than the Main Enclosure. Some historians speculate that it is the actual Main Enclosure as those of other castles were usually the strongest and highest. In fact, almost all the names of the enclosures were defined after the actual period.

The imaginary of the Sanno-maru Enclosure, from the signboard at the site

Later History

After Odani Castle fell in 1573, Hideyoshi was given this castle by Nobunaga and lived there for a while. However, Hideyoshi built Nagahama Castle beside Biwa Lake in 1575 using some materials of Odani Castle. After he moved to the new castle, Odani Castle was eventually abandoned. The mountain the castle was built on became publicly owned until it was sold to local governments and private section in 1915. Then, local people started to preserve the castle ruins. As a result, the ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1937. Nagahama City, which now owns the ruins, is considering how to preserve them as well as letting people enjoy them.

The present Nagahama Castle (licensed by 663highland via Wikimedia Commons)

The stone walls of Odani Castle which have collapsed

My Impression

In fact, the ruins of Odani Castle cover a much larger than I visited. The site also has many other attractions such as the branch Ozuku Castle, some ruins of another ridge of the mountain, and the hall ruins on the valley called Shimizudani sandwiched by the ridges. It would take a whole day to see all of them. I am looking forward to doing this someday.

The restored map of the whole ruins, from the signboard at the site

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 5 minutes away from Odanijo Smart IC on the Hokuriku Expressway. There are parking lots at the foot or the mid slope of the mountain.
By public transportation, it takes about 30 minutes on foot from the JR Kawake Station.
To get to Kawake Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Hokuriku Line at Maibara Station.

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

49.小谷城　その３

城の後ろ側も見どころ

特徴、見どころ

城の後ろ部分

中丸を通り過ぎると、京極丸が見えてきます。ここは戦いのときに信長の部将であった秀吉が城の中で最初に占拠した場所です。長政の父親、久政が隠居所として住んでいた小丸は、京極丸のすぐ後ろ手にあります。恐らくこのために、久政は戦いの初期段階で倒されてしまったのでしょう。

城周辺の地図

最後に山王丸は、城がある峰の中では最高地点にあります。この曲輪の東側では、この城で最大かつ最も見事な大石垣を見ることができます。この曲輪は４段になっていて、本丸の２段より２段も多い構造となっています。歴史家の中には、本当の本丸はここではないかと言っている人もいます。通常、本丸というのは最も高い所にあり、最も強力に作られているからです。実は、これら曲輪のほとんどの名前は、実際城があった時より後の時代に付けられています（京極丸の名前のみ当時の記録にあるそうです）。

その後

1573年に小谷城が落城した後、信長は秀吉にこの城を与え、秀吉はしばらくここに住みました。ところが彼は、小谷城の廃材も使って1575年に琵琶湖畔に長浜城を築城しました。秀吉が新しい城に移った後には、小谷城は程なく廃城となりました。城が築かれた山は公有地となりましたが、1915年には地元自治体や民間に売却されました。そして、地元の人たちは城跡の保存活動を始めました。その結果、1937年には城跡は国の史跡に指定されたのです。現在城跡を所有している長浜市は、城跡を保存する一方で、人々に楽しんでもらうような場所にするための検討を行っています。

現在の長浜城 *(licensed by 663highland via Wikimedia Commons)*

私の感想

実は、小谷城跡とされている範囲は、私が訪れた所（城の中心部分）よりずっと広いのです。もう一つの峰の方にも城跡があり、清水谷と呼ばれる峰の間の谷にも屋敷跡があります。全て見て回るには、丸一日かかるでしょう。いつかこれをやってみたいです。

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：北陸自動車道の小谷城スマートICから約５分のところです。山麓と中腹に駐車場があります。
公共交通機関を使う場合は、ＪＲ河毛駅から歩いて約３０分かかります。
東京から河毛駅まで：東海道新幹線に乗って、米原駅で北陸本線に乗り換えてください。

リンク、参考情報

・小谷城戦国歴史資料館
・「戦国の山城を極める　厳選２２城／加藤理文　中井均著」学研プラス
・「日本の城改訂版第１号」デアゴスティーニジャパン
・「歴史群像１７０号、戦国の城　近江虎御前山砦」学研
・「週刊名城をゆく２２／小谷城・長浜城」小学館

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

49.Odani Castle Part2

Continuous enclosures on the ridge

Features

Large Main Portion

Today, if you are close to the ruins of Odani Castle, you will see Odaniyama-Mountain the castle was built is still standing out. You will also see another mountain called Toragozeyama Nobunaga used as his battle castle in front of Odaniyama-Mountain. Many people gather at the foot of Odaniyama-Mountain for visiting the ruins or hiking. If you drive to the ruins, you can choose your parking spot at the foot or the mid slope. In the case of parking at the mid slope, you can access the main portion of the castle near the parking lot. However, this portion is large, steep and rough on the mountain, so it is recommended to wear trekking boots.

Odaniyama-Mountain on the right and Toragozeyama-Mountain on the left

The road to the main portion from the parking lot at the mid slope

Imagine how it looked by reading signboard

There are no castle buildings and few remaining stone walls on the foundations made of soil. This is because these items were taken as waste materials for other castles’ constructions, and it took a long time after the castle was abandoned. However, you can still see many enclosures on the ridge of the mountain as you climb up. Some signboards explain what each enclosure was called, used for, and looked like.

The imaginary of *the Guardhouse Ruins*, from the signboard at the site

Toragozeyama Mountain from the view spot at the mid slope

The imaginary of the Teahouse Ruins, from the signboard at the site

The imaginary of the Stable Ruins, from the signboard at the site

The imaginary of the Cherry Riding Ground Ruins, from the signboard at the site

Large Hall Nagamasa where lived and Main Enclosure where he fought

Ohiroma or the Large Hall Enclosure is the largest one in the castle. Its entrance is Korogane-mon Gate Ruins which have some stone steps and stone walls. There were the Main Halls for the lord and relatives. A lot of household items, such as earthen cups, silver cups, coins, and mirrors were unearthed by the excavation. You can also enjoy a good view from there, so Nagamawa and his family might usually have lived in the enclosure.

The map around the castle

A view from the Cherry Riding Ground Ruins nearby

The next is the Main Enclosure where Nagamasa fought against Nobunaga. It has two tiers with some remaining stone walls. It is speculated that it had a building like the Main Tower. Nagamasa sallied out from there but died in the Akao Residence Ruins nearby.

The remaining stone walls of the Main Enclosure

The imaginary of the Main Enclosure, from the signboard at the site

You will see the Large Ditch behind the Main Enclosure to divide the castle into the front and back part. This ditch might have protected the enclosure from Nobunaga’s attack from the back part for a while.

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