タグ: corridor bridge

194.Saiki Castle Part2

These stone walls are not so high, but they were built along the natural terrain, which look very beautiful.

Features

Four Trails

Today, the ruins of Saiki Castle have been well developed by Saiki City. They consist of the mountain part which maintains great stone walls on the top and the foot part which has the gate for the Main Hall and a modern historical museum. It’s up to you which part you go first, but let us go to the mountain part for now. There are still four trails to the top and three of which start from the front side near the remaining gate. You can choose the one from the three of Doppo-hi (the monument of Doppo Kunikida, a famous author) Route, Suimei (like beautiful nature) Route or Tojo (Going to the castle) Route. The first one is the most moderate and well paved as the approach to the shrine on the top. The second one is a natural-like trail on a ridge of the mountain. The last one is actually my recommendation that is steep and unstable, but is also likely to be original.

The map around the castle

Doppo-hi Route
Doppo-hi Route is moderate and paved
Suimei Route
Suimei Route goes on the ridge
Tojo Route

Tojo Route goes zigzagged around the valley between ridges of the mountain. Please watch your step as there are several streams along the valley with fallen trees and collapsed stones lying. These stones seemed to come from stone walls or mounds along the route as you can see the remaining ones on the way.

some of the stones lying along the valley
The zigzagging Tojo Route
The remaining stone walls along the route

Great Stone Walls on Mountain

After about 15 to 20 minute climb, you will reach the top area which is still covered by great stone walls. These stone walls are not so high, but they cover the top area largely along the natural terrain with multiple tiers in some points. They might have not been piled like high stone walls in other castles such as Kumamoto Castle, however, they match the shape of the mountain, which look very beautiful. Some stones of the walls also look white which are probably limestone, so builders might also have considered a fine view of the castle from the design stage.

Arriving at the top of the mountain
The stone walls were built along the natural terrain
The Main Enclosure uses white stones

Only original path to Main Enclosure

You will see a stone bridge called Roka-bashi or the Corridor Bridge, over the end point of the route, connecting the Main Enclosure on the right and the Second Enclosure on the left. In fact, the bridge was the only original path to the Main Enclosure, so all the visitors had to go Second Enclosure first and go across the bridge to the narrow entrance of the Main Enclosure. The bridge might have been disabled when a battle happened.

The mountain part of the castle

The entrance of the Second Enclosure and the Corridor Bridge
The Corridor Bridge
The entrance of the Second Enclosure
Going to the Main Enclosure over the Corridor Bridge
Looking at the Corridor Bridge from the Main Enclosure

There is a small shrine on the Main Tower base of the Main Enclosure, where the larger building of Mori Shrine had been built, but was unfortunately burned down by an air raid during WWII. You can also use newer stone steps, which was built when the shrine was established, to enter of exit the enclosure, opposite the original entrance.

The stone walls of the Main Enclosure
The small shrine on the Main Tower base
The photo of the Mori Shrine building which was on the base, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum
The newer stone steps of the Main Enclosure

If you walk down from the Main Enclosure to the end point of another route to the top, Doppo-hi Route, which is also other ruins of a gate called Kansui-mon, you can enjoy a great view of Saiki City area and Saeki Bay.

The ruins of Kansui-mon Gate
A view from the gate ruins

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

194.Saiki Castle Part1

Many lords built their castles on a plain or a low hill after the Battle of Sekigahara. However, Takamasa’s choice was to build his strongest castle on a mountain, which was rare then.

Location and History

Takamasa Mori builds Castle

Saiki City is located in the southeastern part of Oita Prefecture, Kyushu Region. It is known for its agriculture, forestry and fishing, in particular, Saiki Port is the largest landing port in the prefecture. The city actually originates from the castle town of Saiki Castle which Takamasa Mori first built. He was also the founder of the Saiki Domain which governed the castle and town all through the Edo Period between the 17th and the 19th Centuries.

The range of Saiki City and the location of the castle

Takamasa originally came from Owari Province, which is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture, and worked under Hideyoshi Hashiba who would be the ruler of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. After the unification of Japan, Takamasa was sent by Hideyoshi to Korea in 1592 and became active in the invasion of it. Hideyoshi gave Hita and Kusu Districts in Bungo Province (which is now Oita Prefecture) in 1595 to Takamasa in response to his contribution, following the former lord, the Otomo Clan which was fired by Hideyoshi. He improved some castles including Tsunomure Castle while he was in the territory.

The wooden statue of Takamasa Mori, from the signboard at Saiki City Historical Museum
The ruins of Tsunomure Castle

After Hideyoshi died in 1598, a decisive battle over the county between the East Quad led by Ieyasu Tokugawa and the West Quad led by Mitsunari Ishida supporting the Toyotomi Clan took place in 1600, called the Battle of Sekigahara. Takamasa joined the West Quad which was defeated by the East Quad. He immediately surrendered to the East Quad. Considering other cases of the lords who supported the West Quad, Takamasa might have been fired or killed by the Tokugawa Shogunate which Ieyasu founded. However, he survived as the lord of another territory in Bungo Province, called Saiki. One of the reasons for his survival is said that his friend, Takatora Todo who was a powerful lord of the East Quad saved him. Another reason is probably Takamasa had the capacity to build great castles and improve civil government. He was also a specialist of guns.

The folding screens of the Sekigahara Battle, owned by Sekigahara Town History and Folklore Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Some of the demi-cannons Takamasa used, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

New Mountain Castle, rare case after Battle of Sekigahara

The Saeki area already had a great mountain castle called, Togamure Castle, however, Takamasa built a new mountain castle as his new home base in 1601, which would be Saiki Castle. The reasons why he took the trouble to build another mountain castle are said to be as follows. First, the new castle was near the port and the expected castle town, so it was convenient for the government. Second, the mountain the castle was built on had had the Hachiman Shrine, that’s why it was called Hachiman Mountain and considered as a holy place, which could give the castle builder authority. Finally, the situation was still unstable because the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Toyotomi Clan were against each other at that time. Lords in Japan needed to prepare for the next battle. Though some other lords built their castles on a plain or a low hill, Takamasa’s answer was to build his strongest castle on a mountain, which was rare then.

The imaginary illustration of Togamure Castle, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum
The miniature model of Saiki Castle, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

Saiki Castle was completed in 1605. The mountain is 145m high and has long and narrow ridges in the north and the southwest from the top. The top and ridges were all covered with stone walls. The top had the Main Enclosure and the Main Tower in it. The Second Enclosure was next to the Main Enclosure, which were connected by the Corridor Bridge, the only path to the Main Enclosure. The Second Enclosure had the Main Hall for the lord. It was not so large, but the lord and his family usually had to live on the mountain preparing for an emergency or a battle. The castle also had two reservoirs, called Men-ike or the Female Pond and On-ike or the Male Pond on a valley between the ridges. They were built for a long siege and also surrounded by stone walls.

The Main Enclosure on the right and the Second Enclosure on the left in the miniature model, the Corridor Bridge in inside the red circle
The Male Pond, still surrounded by the stone walls

Main Hall is built at foot of mountains in peaceful period

After the shogunate defeated the Toyotomi Clan in 1615, the situation changed. The government of the shogunate became stable. That meant lords in Japan didn’t need to live in an inconvenient hall on the mountain. In the case of the Saiki Domain, the third lord of the domain, Takanao Mori built the Third Enclosure and his new Main Hall at the foot of the mountain in 1637. As for the Main Tower in the Main Enclosure on the top, it is said to have had three-levels, but its details are quite uncertain. This is because it was unfortunately lost at the very first stage of the castle for some reasons.

The Main Hall at the foot of the mountain in the miniature model
The ruins of Saiki Castle

To be continued in “Saiki Castle Part2”