The castle of the Chiba Clan, an illustrious clan in Kanto Region
Location and History
Chiba Clan built it in 15th Century
Motosakura Castle was a large castle which was located in Shimosa Province (what is now the northern part of Chiba Prefecture). A warlord, Suketane from the Chiba Clan, first built the castle at latest in 1484 on a hilly area called Masakado-yama. The area was surrounded by Inba-numa Lake, and only open to the Shimosa Road on flat land in the southern direction. This meant the area was defensive and convenient for water and land transport.
The map around the castle in the early Meiji Era, Inba-numa Lake was still near the castle
The Chiba Clan’s family crest, Gessei or Moon and Star (licensed by Los688 via Wikimedia Commons)
Central portion, Inner Compounds.
When the castle was first built, the warlords in the Kanto Region were split into two groups, the western group and the eastern group. The western group was led by the shogunal deputy for the Kanto Region, the Uesugi Clan, and the eastern group was led by the head of the Kanto government in Koga, the Ashikaga Clan. The Chiba Clan was included in the eastern group and the Motosakura Castle was also an important site which connected Koga in Shimosa Province to the other provinces in Boso Peninsula inside the group. The clan built several enclosures in the central portion of the castle called the Inner Compounds.
The location of the castle
The Main Enclosure called Shiro-yama had the Main Hall for the lord of the castle. The hall had a set of two formal buildings called Shuden and Kaisho, because the clan was the governor of the province. The Okuno-yama enclosure, which had the Myoken Shrine where the clan went for worship, is next to the main enclosure on the west. The Okuno-yama enclosure was connected to the Main Enclosure by a wooden bridge . The next one is the Kura-ato Enclosure which had warehouses. The westmost one is the Settei-yama Enclosure which was used for guesthouses. In addition to these enclosures, the Higashi-yama Enclosure was set to protect them, and the Tokoji-byo Enclosure, which had temples, faced Inba-numa Lake.
The enclosures of the Inner Compound (from the signboard at the site)
Outer Compounds were built against Satomi Clan
In the middle of the 16th Century, the situation of the Kanto Region changed. The Hojo Clan captured most of the region, then the Chiba Clan decided to support Hojo by adopting a son from them. However, the Satomi Clan in Boso Peninsula (the south of Honsakura Castle) was against Hojo. As a result, the Chiba Clan had to reinforce the defense of the castle on the south.
The location of Motosakura Castle and the home base of the Satomi Clan
The clan built large enclosures outside the Inner Compounds, called the Outer Compounds such as Araue, Negoya, and Mukai-Negoya. They were surrounded by thick earthen walls and had the sticking out defensive positions called Umadashi, which were built using Hojo’s techniques. In addition, the Settai-yama Enclosure became the pivot of the defense because it was the connecting point between the Inner Compounds and the Outer Compounds. The range of the castle finally reached 39,000 square meters.
The whole image of the castle including the Outer Compound (from the signboard at the site)
However, The Chiba Clan was fired by the ruler Hieyoshi Toyotomi in 1590, as their master Hojo Clan was also defeated by Hideyoshi. After that, Motosakura Castle was sometimes used by several clans. The castle was finally abandoned in 1615.
The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, ownd by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
土造りの城であっても十分強力です。
The castle made of earth can be just as strong.
佐倉城の馬出し跡～The Umadashi ruins of Sakura Castle
立地と歴史～Location and History
佐倉城は、現在の千葉県佐倉市にあり、かつての江戸の東にあってその防御を担っていました。この城の建設は戦国時代に千葉氏が最初に始めましたが、頓挫していました。江戸時代初期、徳川家康の命により、土井氏がこれを完成させました。 Sakura Castle was located in the east of Edo City for guarding the city, in what is now Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture. The castle’s construction first started by the Chiba clan in the “Sengoku” or Warring States Period, but it was not completed. In the first Edo Period, the Doi clan was ordered to complete it by Ieyasu Tokugawa.
佐倉城の位置～The location of Sakura Castle
この城は鹿島山という小山にあります。その山は３０ｍの高さしかないのですが、鹿島台地の西端にあたり、南方と西方を川に囲まれていました。更に近くには大きな印旛沼がありました。そのため、この城の防御は北と東に向かって準備されたのです。 The castle was on a hill called Kashimayama. While the hill is only 30m high, it is the western edge of Kashima plateau, surrounded by rivers in the south and west. Moreover, there was the large Inbanuma Lake nearby. So the defense system of the castle was prepared towards the north and east.
城周辺の起伏地図～The relief map around the castle
明治初期の城周辺の地図～The map around the castle in the first Meiji Period
もう一つのこの城の特徴は、基礎が全て土からできていることです。戦国時代の東日本の城もまた土造りだったのですが、１５９０年の石垣山城以来、石垣造りとなっていました。江戸時代においては、大きな土造りの城は稀でした。 Another feature of the castle is that the foundation of it was all made of earth. Though castles in eastern Japan in the Sengoku Period were also made of earth, they were built with stone walls since Ishigakiyama Castle in 1590. A large earthen made castle was rare in the Edo Period.
佐倉城本丸の土塁～The earthen walls of Sakura Castle Honmaru enclosure
この城は弱くはありません。本丸、二の丸、三の丸といった主要な曲輪が中心から外側に配置されていました。これらの曲輪は高く分厚い土塁に囲まれ、広く深い空堀によって隔たれていました。三の丸の北側には防御のための関門である馬出しがありました。東側には、大手門などの４つの門が本丸に至るまでに控えていました。本丸は、城の中心の曲輪であり、いくつもの櫓があり、そのうち三階建ての櫓は天守と目されていました。 This castle was not weak. Its primary enclosures consisted of Honmaru, Ninomaru and Sannnomaru, from the center to outside. They were each surrounded by high and thick earthen walls, and separated by wide and deep dry moats. There was a defensive gateway barrier called Umadashi in front of the northern side of Sannomaru. On the eastern side, there were four gates such as the Main Gate “Ote-mon” to reach Honmaru. Honmaru is the main enclosure of the castle which had several turrets like the three-story turret regarded as the Main Tower or “Tenshu”.
下総国佐倉城図部分に注記、江戸時代～Part of the illustration of Sakura Castle in Shimousa Province adding notes, in the Edo Period（出典：国立国会図書館）佐倉城址公園センターにある天守のミニチュアモデル～The miniature model of Tenshu at Sakura Castle Park Information Center
江戸時代中期までに城主は何回も変わりました。江戸時代の後期は堀田氏が城と城下を統治し続けました。佐倉藩はまた、政治のみならず文化面でも著名でした。一例として、幕府の老中の一人であった堀田正睦は幕末の外交を取り仕切る一方で、佐藤泰然を招聘し私立の医学校を設立しました。この学校は後に順天堂大学となります。 The lord of the castle was changed many times until the mid Edo Period. The Hotta clan continued to govern the castle and the town during the late Edo Period. The Sakura Domain also became famous for politics and culture. For example, Masayoshi Hotta, a member of the Shogun’s council of elders, dealt with diplomatic matters in the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Juntendo University comes from a private medical school by Taizen Sato whom Masayoshi invited to Sakura.
城跡にある堀田正睦の銅像～The statue of Masayoshi Hotta at the castle ruins佐倉順天堂記念館～Sakura Juntendo Memorial Building（licensed by あばさー via Wikimedia Commons）
特徴～Features
城周辺の地図～The map around the castle
現在、城跡は佐倉城址公園という名の歴史公園として整備されています。電車とバスを使った場合は、城の外郭に当たる椎木曲輪から入っていきます。今は国立歴史民俗博物館がある所です。かつては侍屋敷がここにありました。 Now, the ruins of the castle have been developed as a historical park called Sakura Castle Park. When using the train and bus, you will enter the ruins of the Shiinoki enclosure, located in the outline of the castle, where the National Museum of Japanese History is. Residences for warriors were in it in the past.
椎木曲輪の入り口～The entrance of Shiinoki enclosure国立歴史民俗博物館～the National Museum of Japanese History（licensed by Wiiii via Wikimedia Commons）
曲輪を超えていくと、四角い形で馬出し跡が空堀とともにあります。この空堀は一時埋められましたが、最近掘り返されました。 Over the enclosure, there is the ruins of the square shaped Umadashi and its dry moat which was once filled, but recently dug again.
馬出し跡～The Umadashi ruins
椎木門跡を過ぎて、本丸に入ります。土塁と空堀がよく残されています。本丸の内部は空で、土造りの天守台だけが残されています。 Passing the ruins of the Shiinoki Gate, you can go to Honmaru where its earthen walls and dry moats remain in good condition. The inside is empty, only the earthen base of Tenshu can be seen.
本丸の内部～The inside of Honmaru土造りの天守台～The earthen base of Tenshu（taken by あけび from photoAC）
本丸の外側は外水堀に面していて、腰曲輪と呼ばれる小径と、出丸と呼ばれる突き出た曲輪があります。これらにより城の防御力が増しています。 The outside of Honmaru facing outline water moat has trails called the Koshi enclosure and stuck out enclosures called Demaru. They made the castle more defensive.
腰曲輪～Koshi enclosure出丸～Demaru enclosure（taken by あけび from photoAC）
本丸の東には姥ヶ池という池があり、老婆が誤って姫君を死なせてしまったため、彼女自身もその池に身を投げたという伝説があります。 There is a pond called Ubagaike, in the east of Honmaru, that has a legend of an old woman who accidentally killed a princess and threw the woman herself into the pond.
姥ヶ池～Ubagaike Pond
また、三の丸の前にも空堀が残っていて、最近きれいに整備されました。 There is also a remaining dry moat ,in front of Sannnomaru, that has been well developed recently.
三の丸前の空堀～The dry moat in front of Sannnomaru
その後～Later History
明治維新後は、城の建物は撤去されました。（天守は既に江戸時代後期に燃えてしまいました。）１８７３年からは、日本陸軍第２歩兵連隊が城跡を使います。その任務の一つは、江戸時代と同じく、帝都東京を守ることでした。第２連隊の後に入った第５７連隊は第２次世界大戦で中国やフィリピンに送られ、大きな損害を受け、多数の戦死者を出しました。戦後、城跡は１９６２年に佐倉市の史跡に指定されました。 After the Meiji Restoration, the buildings of the castle were demolished (The Tenshu had already been burned out in the late Edo Period). The 2nd infantry regiment of Japanese Army used the ruins since 1873. One of its tasks was to guard Tokyo City just the same as in the Edo Period. The 57th infantry regiment following the 2nd infantry regiment was sent to China and the Philippines in World War II. It suffered huge damages and casualties. After the war, the ruins were designated as a historical site by Sakura City in 1962.
大手門跡～The ruins of Ote-mon Gate大手門の古写真、撮影は佐倉藩士の阿部忠忱、菅谷義範氏蔵～The old picture of Ote-mon Gate, taken by Tadaaski Abe, a feudal retainer of Sakura Domain, owned by Yoshinori Sugaya（佐倉市Websiteから引用）
私の感想～My Impression
ここには城と見えるような建物はありません。でも城跡を歩き回ってみれば、この城が自然の地形を生かして作られたこと、土造りの城も十分強力だということがわかっていただけると思います。 There are no building looking like a castle. But after walking around the castle ruins, you can be sure that the castle was built using natural terrain, and that castles made of earth can be just as strong.
出丸の内側～The inside of Demaru enclosure
ここに行くには～How to get There
車で行く場合：東関東自動車道の佐倉ＩＣまたは四街道ＩＣから約２０分かかります。公園に駐車場があります。 ＪＲ佐倉駅または京成佐倉駅からバスで行く場合：田町車庫行きグリーンバスに乗り、国立博物館入口バス停まはた国立歴史民俗博物館前バス停で降りてください。 If you want to go there by car: It takes about 20 minutes from the Sakura IC or the Yotsukaido IC on Higashi-kanto Expressway. The park offers a parking lot. If you want to go there by bus from JR Sakura station or Keisei-Sakura station: Take the Chiba Green bus for Tamachi-shako and take off at the Kokuritsu-Hakubutsukan-Iriguchi bus stop or the Kokuritsu-Rekishi-Minzoku-Hakubutsukan-Mae bus stop.
