近畿地方～Kinki Region – ページ 48 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

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”

58.明石城　その３

２基の三重櫓が生き残りました。

その後

明治維新後、明石城は廃城となり、ほとんどの建物は売却されるか撤去されました。それでも、明石の人たちは城跡を公園として保存することを始めました。1883年に民間所有の公園としてオープンし、1918年には公営の公園として再度オープンしました。４基の三重櫓は、この困難な時代を全ては生き残れませんでした。１基は学校用の資材として売られていきました。もう１基と櫓間の漆喰塀は、恐らくは老朽化のために撤去されました。残りの２基の櫓は何とか修理され残っています。両方とも最後は1957年に重要文化財に指定されました。

私の感想

明石城跡は確かにそれほど建物は残っていません。しかし、２基の現存櫓とその間にある漆喰塀だけでも今だに城の権威を表していると思うのです。また、この城は自然の地形をうまく使っており、よく設計された防御システムが全体に行き渡っていると思うのです。この城には戦争のような特別なことは起こりませんでした。結果的に大名を監視するという役割を果たしたことになるでしょう。

ここに行くには

車で行く場合：
第二神明道路の大蔵谷ICから約１０分のところです。
公園に駐車場があります。
電車の場合は、明石駅から歩いて５分のところです。
東京か大阪から明石駅まで：東海道新幹線に乗って、西明石駅で山陽本線に乗り換えてください。

リンク・参考情報

・明石城　公式ウェブサイト
・「よみがえる日本の城４」学研
・「日本の城改訂版第８８号」デアゴスティーニジャパン
・「日本の城改訂版第１３８号」デアゴスティーニジャパン

これで終わります。
「明石城その１」に戻ります。
「明石城その２」に戻ります。

58.Akashi Castle Part2

The castle with a defensive system that is still obvious

Features

You can see Castle from Station

If you visit the ruins of Akashi Castle by train, you will see evidence of what was a very sturdy castle from your first step on the platform of Akashi Station. You will see the two remaining three-story turrets called Hitsujisaru Turret (on the left) and Tatsumi Turret (on the right) connected by the plaster wall on the hill. How wonderful they are!

The castle that can be seen from the platform of Akashi Station

The aerial photo around the castle

Around the Main Gate

The ruins of the castle have been developed as part of Akashi Park, inclusive of the inside of the Middle Moat. The front entrance of the park was the Main Gate of the castle. Its stone walls remain forming the square space inside called “Masugata”. The plain area is used as a relaxing zone and facilities such as the stadium which was once the Main Hall for the lord.

Defense to protect Main Enclosure

Hitsujisaru Turret of the Main Enclosure stands on the high stone walls in front of you. You can walk up on the stairways towards the turret and reach under the turret and the stone wall base for the Main Tower. However, you can’t enter the enclosure directly. You have to enter it from the back side by going through the Inari Enclosure under it. Enemies would be counterattacked from the Main Enclosure before reaching it.

The blocking stone wall base for the Main Tower

The entrance of the Main Enclosure at the back side

Inside of Main Enclosure

Inside the Main Enclosure, you can see the two remaining turrets close by. They are two out of the twelve remaining three-story turrets in the castles of Japan. The plaster wall between the turrets was restored recently. You can also see a great city view from the observation platform at the middle of the wall. The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge can also be seen over Tatsumi Turret.

Second and East Enclosures to support Main Enclosure

The Second Enclosure is the other connecting point to the Main Enclosure. It now has no buildings, but its stone walls and its entrance surrounded by the walls remain in good condition. You can see the good looking Tatsumi Turret in the Main Enclosure from the Second Enclosure. The East Enclosure is next to the Second Enclosure and another entrance of the park.

The entrance the Main Enclosure from the Second Enclosure

Tatsumi Turret that can be seen from the Second Enclosure

The stone walls and stairways of the Second Enclosure

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