Echizen-Ohno castle – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

138.Echizen-Ohno Castle Part3

Will you be able to see the castle in the sky?

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, all the buildings of Echizen-Ohno Castle were demolished. The mountain of the castle was turned into Kameyama Park. After World War II, some castle buildings including Tenshu were rebuilt.

The rebuilt Main Tower on the stone walls at Kameyama Park

Ohno City, which now owns the castle, promotes it as “Castle in the Sky” like Takeda Castle. The meaning of Castle in the Sky is when clouds spread below the mountain, the castle on the mountain looks like its floating in the sky. If this happens while you are at Echizen-Ohno Castle, you can take a photo of the castle in the sky from Inuyama Mountain where you can see the whole view of the castle. The city also says this situation is most likely to occur in October and November. However, according to the records, the chance to see the castle in the sky happens about 10 days per a year.

The “Castle in the Sky” can be seen at Echizen-Ohno Castle (licensed by Keisuke MAEDA via Wikimedia Commons)

The “Castle in the Sky” can be seen at Takeda Castle (licensed by abok via Wikimedia Commons)

My Impression

I visited Echizen-Ohno Castle to see the castle in the sky on a day in November. The castle was open from early in the morning during the month to make it possible for visitors to see if the castle in the sky situation happens.

The entrance of the Southern Route in the early morning

When I looked up from the top floor of the Tenshu building, the sky around the castle was very clear. Inuyama Mountain, from which you could see the castle in the sky, was rather cloudy. I realized that staying just one night is not enough. Even if the weather conditions for the castle in the sky are ideal, you cannot always see it. You may need to spend several days to see it.

If you stay for only one night in the town, you can at least take a beautiful photo of the illuminated Echizen-Ohno Castle.

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 30 minutes away from Fukui IC on Hokuriku Expressway.
There is a parking lot near the entrance of the Southern Route to the castle.
By public transportation, it takes about 40 minutes walking from JR Echizen-Ohno Station.
To get to Echizen-Ohno Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen super express, transfer to the limited express on the Hokuriku Line at Kanazawa Station, and transfer to the Kuzuryu Line at Fukui Station.
From Osaka: Take the Thunderbird limited express and transfer to the Kuzuryu Line at Fukui Station.

Links and References

・Echizen Ohno Castle Official Site

That’s all. Thank you.
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138.Echizen-Ohno Castle Part2

Visit both the castle and the castle town.

Features

Four Trails to Top

Today, Echizen-Ohno Castle is part of Kameyama Park on the mountain. There are four trails to the top of the mountain. Only one of the four routes called Hyakken-zaka is the original one which is zigzagged and steep.

The map around the castle

If you want to walk on a gentle slope, you can use other routes such as the Southern Route. The walk takes about 15 to 20 minutes. If you choose the Southern Route and climb up stone steps after the walk, you will arrive at the Main Enclosure on the top.

Old Stone Walls and Rebuilt Main Tower

The enclosure is surrounded entirely by the old stone walls which Nagachika Kanamori originally built. These stone walls were piled up using natural stones in an old way called Nozura-zumi. They look wild but were built wisely. Part of them seemed to have been re-piled when the castle buildings were rebuilt in the present time.

The stone walls surrounding the Main Enclosure

The rebuilt Main Tower on the stone walls

What you see on the stone walls is the rebuilt Tenshu which was constructed in 1968. It doesn’t resemble the original Tenshu of Echizen-Ohno Castle which looked like combined halls. It looks like a typical Main Tower which people in Japan usually imagine as Tenshu. The reason why such a Tenshu was built was probably because people in this area wanted it. The Tenshu building is actually a modern building which is also used as a historical museum and an observation platform. You can learn more about the castle inside.

The rebuilt Main Tower, its shape is different from the original one

From the top floor, you can enjoy a great view of Ohno city area including the old castle town and Inuyama Mountain where the old castle before Echizen-Ohno Castle was built.

A view of the Inuyama Mountain side from the Main Tower

A view of the Castle Town side from the Main Tower

Attractions at Foot of Mountain

You can also visit other attractions of the castle at the foot of the mountain. There is an educational complex in the Second Enclosure now called Meirin. The facilities include a primary school and a community center. The short part of the water moat remains in front of the facility.

The Second Enclosure seen from the Main Tower

The Second Enclosure with the water moat

There is the restored house of the Uchiyama Clan, a senior vassal family of the Ohno Domain. There is also the remaining warrior’s house of the Tamura Clan around.

The remaining warrior’s house of the Tamura Clan

Attractive Castle Town

If you have time, I recommend walking around the old castle town. For example, the morning market is held every day excluding midwinter at the Shichiken Street in the merchant area. A famous spring spot called Oshouzu is near the temple area. It was used by the lord of the castle. There are a lot of springs in this town, which have been used for domestic water since the town was developed.

You can also see zigzagged streets at several points, which were made to prevent enemies from attacking the castle easily.

To be continued in “Echizen-Ohno Castle Part3”
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138.Echizen-Ohno Castle Part1

Nagachika Kanamori built the unique Tenshu and the castle town.

Location and History

Nagachika Kanamori, retainer of Nobunaga Oda, builds Castle

Echizen-Ohno Caste was located in Ohno Basin in the eastern part of Echizen Province, what is now Fukui Prefecture. The Asakura Clan governed the province until 1573 during the Sengoku Period when the clan was defeated by Nobunaga Oda. The Ikkoshu Sect once took over the province, but Nobunaga defeated them again in 1575. Nobunaga gave the area around Ohno Basin to his retainer, Nagachika Kanamori, who was distinguished in the battle. This area connected the western, seaside part of the province and Hida Province inland. It was an important area for warlords to govern Echizen Province.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century {licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Nagachika Kanamori, owned by Ryogenin Temple {licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Nagachika first lived in Inuyama Castle, a mountain castle beside the basin, which the Asakura Clan used. However, Nagachika decided to build a new castle and its castle town in the basin in 1576 to make his governance stable. He seemed to build both the castle and castle town using advanced methods. These methods were similar to ones used for the historical home bases Komakiyama and Gifu Castles, which were built by his mater, Nobunaga Oda. For example, the new castle called Echizen-Ohno Castle was built with stone walls and the Tenshu building on a hill called Kame-yama in the basin.

Unique Tenshu and Advanced Castle Town

Tenshu basically means the Main Tower in the center of a castle. However, the Tenshu of Echizen-Ohono Castle did not look like a Main Tower. Instead, it looked like three combined halls. This was because the construction of Echizen-Ohno Castle started before the completion of Azuchi Castle in 1579, Nobunaga’s last home base. Azuchi Castle had the first Tenshu building which looked like the Main Tower in Japan. Before that, Tenshu had just meant the center building of a castle. Echizen-Ohno Castle was completed in 1580 and its Tenshu building remained for a long time. However, the Tenshu was unfortunately burned down in 1795 and not restored. If the castle survived, it would be considered quite a unique part of Japanese History and heritage.

The illustration of Echizen-Ohno Castle’s Tenshu, quoted from the leaflet of an exhibition of Ohno City

The miniature model of Azuchi Castle’s Tehshu, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Museum

Nagachika created the castle town in an advanced way as well. The town was divided orderly to accommodate warriors, merchants, craftsmen, and temples separately. Such a way to develop castle towns is commonly seen in those in the next century. His master, Nobunaga Oda created the castle town of Komakiyama from the ground up. Nagachika might have followed his master’s method. However, the Komakiyama castle town was abolished by Nobunaga. The people were forced to move with Nobunaga to his next home base, Gifu Castle. By contrast, the Echizen-Ohno castle town remains today as the city area of Ohno City. Nagachika also created Takayama Castle and Takayama town after he was transferred to Hida Province in 1586. The traditional town has now become a world-class tourist destination.

The miniature model of the castle town distribution at the ruins of Komakiyama Castle

The streets and residences of Takayama City *(licensed by *663highland* via Wikimedia Commons)*

Doi Clan governs from Second Enclosure Main Hall

After Nagachika, the lord of the castle changed several times. The Doi Clan governed the castle and the area as the Ohno Domain throughout the Edo Period since 1682. In peaceful times, the lord of the castle lived in the Main Hall in the Second Enclosure at the foot of the mountain. The enclosure was surrounded by a long water moat called Hyakken-bori. The lords rarely used the facilities including the Tenshu on the mountain, called the Main Enclosure, because of the inconvenience of the location. In addition, it would be difficult for officials to govern. That may be why the Tenshu wasn’t restored after the fire.

The introspection model of the Second Enclosure Main Hall, exhibited by the present Echizen-Ohno Castle

The illustration of Echizen-Ohno Castle *, exhibited by the present Echizen-Ohno Castle*

To be continued in “Echizen-Ohno Castle Part2”