近畿地方～Kinki Region – ページ 47 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

159.Akutagawa-san Castle Part1

An admired mountain castle during the Sengoku Period governed by the Miyoshi Clan

Location and History

Mountain Castles during Sengoku Period

In the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, battles often happened in the Kinki Region of Japan. Warlords usually lived in their halls located in a plain area like Kyoto, and used their mountain castles for emergency. However, it got too dangerous for them then because they couldn’t predict when the next battle would happen. As a result, they started to live in their mountain castles every day. These castles had their halls on the top and strong defense systems. Akutagawa-san Castle was one of the most admired ones in the region.

The location of the castle

Nagaoyshi Miyoshi settled at Castle

The castle was first built in 1516 by Takakuni Hosokawa, a senior vassal of the Ashikaga Shogunate, but it is famous for the home base of Nagayoshi Miyoshi. Nagayoshi came from Awa Province (what is now Tokushima Prefecture) in Shikoku Island working under the Hosokawa Clan. He got power in both politics and military while other retainers of the shogunate conflicted each other. When his power competed with the Shogun, Yoshiteru Ashikaga, Yoshiteru tried to kill Nagayoshi. Nagayoshi banished the shogun from Kyoto and started his own governance in 1553. In the same year, he also settled at Akutagawa-san Castle.

The portrait of Nagayoshi Miyoshi, owned by Juko-in of Daitokuji Temple *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The portrait of Yoshiteru Ashikaga, owned by the **National Museum of Japanese Histories** *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Mountain with Defense and Authority

The castle was located on the top of Miyoshi-yama Mountain in Settsu province (what is nearly the northern part of Osaka Prefecture), the north of the Osaka Plain. The mountain itself was very defensive being surrounded by Settsukyo Valley in north and west directions. The castle was accessible by road from the east through the ridges and the south through the valley. Nagayoshi himself attacked the castle previously, so he would have realized how strong the castle was.

The relief map around the castle

The imaginary drawing of the castle (from the signboard at the site)

The Main Enclosure had the Main Hall on the top of the mountain. Many other enclosures were around the ridges on the east of the Main Enclosure. The route went alongside these enclosures, and it was controlled by structures such as earthen walls, earthen bridges, dry moats, and alternate entrances. The Main Route also ran on the south of the Main Enclosure. It was very steep and guarded by the Main Gate which had stone walls. The stone walls are thought to also show the authority of the castle, so regarded as one of the earliest examples of castles in Japan to use stone walls intendedly.

*The imaginary drawing around the Main Enclosure (from the signboard at the site)*

*The imaginary drawing of the group of the enclosures on the east of the Main Enclosure (from the signboard at the site)*

*The imaginary drawing of the Main Route and the stone walls (from the signboard at the site)*

Nobunaga Oda once stayed in Castle

Though Nagayoshi passed the castle to his son and moved to Imori Castle in 1560, Akutagawa-san Castle continued to be used by the Miyoshi Clan as their important castle. In 1568, Nobunaga Oda came to Kyoto to rule the Kinki Region. He once captured and stayed in Akutagawa-san Castle and gave it to his retainer. However, as he proceeded with his unification of Japan, there would be no need for a castle like Akutagawa-san Castle. The castle was later abandoned.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Akutagawa-san Castle Part2”

159.芥川山城　その１

三好氏が治めた戦国時代の代表的な山城

立地と歴史

戦国時代の山城

戦国時代の１６世紀、近畿地方では戦は日常茶飯事でした。戦国大名たちは普段は京都のような平坦地にある館に住み、非常時に山城を使っていました。ところが、そのやり方は、次の戦がいつ起こるのかわからない中では大変危険なことになったのです。その結果、彼らは常に山城に住むようになりました。その山城の頂上には館があり強力な防衛システムを備えていました。芥川山城は、この地方の代表的な山城だったのです。

城の位置

三好長慶が本拠地とする

この城は最初は1516年に、足利幕府の重臣であった細川高国によって築かれましたが、三好長慶の本拠地として有名です。長慶は四国の阿波国（現在の徳島県）出身で、細川氏に仕えていました。彼は、他の幕府の家臣たちが内輪もめを続ける一方で、政治軍事両面で力をつけていきます。彼の実力が将軍であった足利義輝に拮抗した時、義輝は長慶を殺そうとしました。長慶は将軍を京都から追放し、1553年に彼自身による統治を開始しました。同じ年に彼はまた芥川山城に居を定めるのです。

三好長慶肖像画、大徳寺聚光院蔵 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

足利義輝肖像画、国立歴史民俗博物館蔵 *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

防御力と権威を備えた山城

この城は、摂津国（ほぼ現在の大阪府北部に当たる）三好山の頂上にありました。この山自身が非常に防御力が強く、北と西側は摂津峡に囲まれていました。この城に行くには、東側から峰伝いに行く方法と、南側から谷沿いに行く方法がありました。長慶自身も以前にこの城を攻めたことがあり、そのときにこの城の強さを認識したようです。

城周辺の起伏地図

山の頂上は本郭となっていて、御殿がありました。他の多くの曲輪が本郭東側の峰の周辺に配置されていました。通路はこれらの曲輪に沿っていて、土塁・土橋・空堀・食い違い虎口などの構造物により、容易に進めないようになっていました。また、大手道が本郭の南側を通っていましたが、とても急であり、石垣を備えた大手門によって守られていました。この石垣は、この城の権威をも表していて、日本の城の中では石垣を意識的に使った最も早い事例の一つであるとされています。

織田信長も一時滞在

長慶は1560年に彼の息子にこの城を譲り、飯盛城に移っていくのですが、芥川山城は三好氏の重要な拠点として使われ続けました。1568年、織田信長が近畿地方を制するために上洛します。このとき信長は芥川山城を占領、滞在し、部下にこの城を与えました。しかし、信長が天下統一を進めていくにつれ、芥川山城のような城は必要なくなってしまいます。この城はその後廃城となりました。

織田信長肖像画、狩野宗秀作、長興寺蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

「芥川山城その２」に続きます。

58.Akashi Castle Part3

The two turrets survived and remain.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Akashi Castle was abandoned, and most of its buildings were sold or demolished. However, people in Akashi started to preserve the ruins of the castle as a park. Akashi Park was opened by private owners in 1883 and reopened by the local government in 1918. The four three-story turrets couldn’t all survive through the difficult period. One of them was sold as material for a school. Another one and the plaster walls between the turrets were demolished probably due to deterioration. The rest of the two turrets were somehow repaired and remain. Both were finally designated as Important Cultural Properties in 1957.

The Main Enclosure (on the left) and the Second Enclosure (on the right) that can be seen from Akashi Station

The entrance of Akashi Park (the ruins of Akashi Castle)

My Impression

The ruins of Akashi Castle certainly have few buildings, but I think the two remaining turrets and the plaster wall between them can still show us the authority of the castle. I also think that the castle uses the natural terrain wisely and its well-designed defense system is obvious throughout. Nothing special like a war happened at the castle. As a result, the castle was able to fulfill its role of monitoring the lords.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower (from the outside of the Main Enclosure)

*The stone wall base for the Main Tower (from the inside of the Main Enclosure)*

Ko-no-ike Pond at the back of the Main Enclosure

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 10 minutes away from Okuradani IC on Daini Shinmei Road.
The park offers parking lots.
By train, it takes about 5 minutes on foot from Akashi Station.
To get to Akashi Station from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express, and transfer to the Sanyo Line at Nishi-Akashi Station.

Links and References

・Akashi Castle Official Website

That’s all.
Back to “Akashi Castle Part1”
Back to “Akashi Castle Part2”