If you visit the ruins of Ichijodani Castle by driving or walking on the route along the valley, you will be surprised to see unending residence ruins on both sides of the route. The area of 278 hectares was designated as a National Special Historic Site named the Ichijodani Aasakura Clan Ruins. Over 2,300 unearthed items from the site were also designated as Important Cultural Properties.
The aerial photo around the castle
The ruins along the valleyThe ruins of the castle town
You can also see the ruins of fortress entrances at both edges of the site. The ruins of the Outbound Fortress Entrance still have an alternate entrance using huge stones. The entrances resemble a castle gate. The Inbound Fortress Entrance was restored in 1990 and it is 105m long and 5m tall earthen walls.
The ruins of the Outbound Fortress EntranceThe alternate entrance using huge stonesThe restored Inbound Fortress Entrance
Restored Castle Town of Sengoku Period
Thanks to the achievement of excavation, you can visit the about 200m long restored streets and residences at the center of the ruins. If you stand in the streets, you will feel like you were in a real medieval city.
The restored streets and residences
You can also enter these restored residences. For example, in a merchant house, the mannequins of merchants sell something like potteries.
The inside of the restored merchant house
In a warrior’s house, the male mannequins play Japanese chess in the Japanese style drawing room, while the servant mannequins prepare a meal in the kitchen. These items were all restored based on the relics from the site, the remaining pictures, and buildings in other sites.
The restored warrior’s houseThe mannequins playing Japanese chess in the Japanese style drawing roomThe inside of the kitchen
Asakura Clan Hall Ruins in Center
You should check out the ruins of the Asakura Clan Hall Ruins which is located on the opposite side of the restored streets separated by the Ichijodani River. The hall was largest building in Ichijodani, which was used by the lord of the clan. The ruins are about 120m square, and still have earthen walls and water moat surrounding them. The ruins also have a Chinese style gate building in front of them. The remaining gate is that of the Shounin Temple which was built on the ruins in the Edo Period after the hall was burned. The ruins and the temple gate fit in with each other very much.
The Asakura Clan Hall Ruins surrounded by the earthen walls and water moatThe Chinese style gate building at the ruins entrance
Inside the ruins, the location of each building is shown as a flat exhibition, so you can understand what buildings were built in the past.
The inside of the hall ruinsA view of the hall ruins from the upper back side
Actual Special Places of Scenic Beauty Gardens
There are also several hall ruins for the Asakura Clan’s relatives. Moreover, four of the ruins of the clan’s gardens around the halls have also been designated as Special Places of Scenic Beauty since 1991. It is surprising that the gardens as they were in the 16th Century, still impress people in the present time.
The ruins of Nakanogoten Hall, one of the hall ruins for the Asakura Clan’s relatives
For example, Yudono Garden Ruins above the Asakura Clan Hall Ruins have the combination of wild rocks. It is said that the atmosphere of the garden is similar to that of the Sengoku Period.
The Yudono Garden Ruins
It is said that Suwa Residence Garden, now called the Suwa Residence Garden Ruins, was originally built for Yoshikage Asakura’s wife. It is a beautiful waterfall garden made using huge stones. The largest stone in the garden is said to be the largest one for a waterfall garden in Japan.
The Suwa Residence RuinsThe Suwa Residence Garden RuinsThe garden was made using huge stones
実のところ、「二条城」と呼ばれた城はいくつかあったのです。これらの城は全て京都の中心地「二条」に、権力者たちの宿所として、また防御の必要のため築かれました。そして徳川家康が１６００年に天下を取った後、最後の二条城を作りました。 In fact, there were several castles which were called “Nijo Castle”. They were all built in the center of Kyoto called “Nijo” by authorities to be their lodgings and protect themselves. Ieyasu Tokugawa built the last Nijo Castle here after came to power in 1600.
徳川家康肖像画、加納探幽筆、大阪城天守閣蔵（The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum）licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
現在の二条城の敷地は２つの四角形を組み合わせた形をしています。東の方の四角形は少し大きくて、元からあった方です。西の部分は天皇がこの城に行幸する前に大改装を行ったときに後から付け加えられました。徳川氏は、この城を将軍就任や天皇行幸のときの饗応の場として使用したのです。 The present land of the castle is a shape combined from two squares. The east one was a little larger, and the original. The west part was added later when renovation was done before an emperor visited the castle. Tokugawa clan used the castle for receptions such as inaugurations of shoguns and imperial visits.
二条城付近の航空写真（A aerial photo around Nijo Castle）
この城には通算で２つの天守がありました。最初の天守は大和郡山城からここに移されてきましたが、改装のときに淀城にまた移されました。２代目の天守は、伏見城から移されてきました。残念なことに両方の天守とも１８世紀に落雷により燃えてしまいました。その当時から天守を長い期間維持するのはとても難しかったのです。 The castle had two keeps “Tenshu” in total. The first Tenshu was moved from Yamato-Koriyama Castle to there, and then moved to Yodo Castle during the renovation. The second one was moved from Fushimi Castle to there. Unfortunately both of them were burned down by strikes of thunder in the 18th century. It has been very difficult to keep Tenshu for a long time from then on.
二条城の初代天守が描かれた洛中洛外図屏風、林原美術館蔵（The first Tenshu of Nijo Castle in the Rakuchu-Rakugai folding screens, owned by Hyashibara Museum of Art）licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
そして２００年以上の長きに渡って城は使われませんでした。幕府の統治が安定していて、将軍が京都に来る必要がなくなったからです。しかしながら、江戸時代末期になって状況が変わりました。長州や薩摩といった有力諸藩が朝廷の力を利用して幕府に反抗したからです。１４代と１５代の将軍は、京都に来てこの問題に対処するため、二条城を拠点としました。そしてついには、この城は「大政奉還」の舞台となったのです。 There was a long term of over 200 years when the castle was not used because the governance of the Shogunate had been stable and Shoguns didn’t need to come to Kyoto. However, the situation was changed at the end of the Edo Period. Major domains such as Choshu and Satsuma rebelled against the Shogunate using the imperial power. The 14th and 15th shoguns had to come to Kyoto to deal with the problem and stayed at Nijo castle. In the end, the castle was used as the stage for “the restoration of Imperial rule”.
「大政奉還」壁画、邨田丹陵筆、聖徳記念絵画館蔵（The mural of “the Restoration of Imperial rule” attributed to Tanryo Murata, ownd by Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery）licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Features
現在の二の丸御殿は、多くの歴史的イベントが行われた場所です。日本で４つしか残っていない大名御殿の一つです。御殿は６つの部分からなります。「遠侍」は最初の且つ最大の建物で、武士が待機するため等に使われました。際立って目立つ屋根の外観でよくわかると思います。 The present Ninomaru main hall is where many historical events were held. It is one of the four remaining lord halls in Japan. The hall is made up of six parts. “To-zamurai” is the first and largest part which was used for warriors to wait, and so on. It has an outstanding roof appearance you can see outside.
遠侍の外観（An appearance of To-Zamurai）taken by Wakanachi3 from Photo AC
５番目は「黒書院」で、将軍と親藩大名との会合に使われました。この場所で、最後の将軍徳川慶喜が１８６７年に「大政奉還」を表明しました。 The fifth part is “Kuroshoin” which was used for meetings among the shogun and relative lords. This is where the last shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa declared “the restoration of Imperial rule” in 1867.
黒書院の外観（An appearance of Kuroshoin）
城らしい趣を求める向きには、入口の門周辺から城の外側を見てください。東大手門と東南隅櫓が、石垣と外水堀に沿って残っています。その辺りが絶好の撮影スポットになっています。 For a taste of something castle like, look outside the castle around the entrance. The East Main Entrance “Higashi-Otemon” and the Southeast Corner Turret “Tounan-Sumi-Yagura”remain alongside stonewalls and the outer water moat. They could be a good photo spot.
東大手門（Higashi-Otemon）東南隅櫓、奥は東大手門（Tounan-Sumi-Yagura, the back is Higashi-Otemon）
そして、内水堀の内側の本丸を見てみて下さい。ここは緊急事態に対処するために作られました。天守台の石垣が本丸の南西の位置に残っています。２代目の天守がそこにありました。 And, look at the main enclosure “Honmaru” inside the inner water moat. This area was built for emergencies. The stone wall for the Tenshu base remains at the southwest corner of Honmaru. The second Tenshu was on it.
本丸と内堀（Honmaru and the inner moat）天守台の石垣（The stone walls for the Tenshu base）
Later Life
この城の明治維新後は、他の主要な城に比べれば幸運だったかもしれません。この城は「二条離宮」として使われたのです。一例として、大正天皇の即位の饗宴がこの場所で行われました。 The castle might be lucky compared with other major castles after the Meiji Restoration. The castle was used as “Nijo Imperial Villa”. For example, the reception for enthrone of the Taisho Emperor was held at this site.
大正天皇即位饗宴の絵（The picture of the reception for enthrone of the Taisho Emperor）licensed by Ninijo via Wikimedia Commons
その間、旧桂宮邸が本丸に、今見る本丸御殿として移築されました。最終的には１９４０年から元離宮二条城として一般に開放されています。また、１９９４年からは世界遺産の一つにもなりました。 During that time, the former house of prince Katsura was moved to Honmaru as the Honmaru hall we can now see. Lastly, the castle has been open to visitors as the Imperial Gift Former Imperial Villa Nijo Castle since 1940. It also became a World Heritage Site since 1994.
本丸御殿、現在この建物は非公開（The Honmaru hall, now this building is not open to the public）taken by Wakanachi3 from Photo AC
My Impression
二の丸御殿の唐門は大変見ものです。とても豪華な門で、多くの観光客がいつも写真を撮っています。門の細かいところまで見ていただきたいです。 The Chinese style Gate “Kara-Mon” in front of the Ninomaru hall is a great object to see. It is very gorgeous and many tourists always take pictures. I would like you to look at the details of the gate.
二の丸御殿前の唐門（Kara-Mon in front of the Ninomaru hall）唐門の飾り（The decorations of Kara-Mon）
京都は攻めるに易く、守るに難いと言われてきました。この城の本丸はそれ程大きくはありません。この城を創った人は、この都市では大きな城は役に立たないと思っていたのかもしれません。そのために、城の部分はコンパクトに作られ、少数の兵士で敵から守れるようにしたのではないでしょうか。 Kyoto has been said to be easy to attack, difficult to protect. The Honmaru of this castle is not so large. I think the founders of the castle might think a large castle is not always useful in this city. That’s why the castle part was made compact so that it would keep against an enemy for a while by a small number of soldiers.
How to get There
ここに行くには、電車かバスが便利でしょう。 京都市営地下鉄の東西線、二条城前駅のすぐ近くです。ＪＲ使う場合には、二条駅から歩いて２０分近くかかります。または、バスの場合は京都駅から乗ってください。 It is useful to use train or bus to get there. Nijojo-Mae station on the Tozai line of the Kyoto Municipal Subway is the nearest. When using JR line, it takes nearly 20 minutes on foot from Nijo station. Or take a bus from Kyoto station.
