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

105.Shiroishi Castle Part3

Features

My Impression

Interior of Main Tower

You can enter the Main Tower from the inside of the enclosure by climbing the roofed stone steps. In fact, the steps were used only for the lord of the domain, the Date Clan, like their private rooms in the Main Hall of the enclosure. The others used the side entrance in the connecting tower next to the Main Tower.

The Main Tower seen from the inside of the main enclosure

The miniature model of the tower also has the roofed steps

The tower has three floors, which were all wooden in a traditional manner. Its columns are made of Japanese Yoshino cypress which would be usable for about 250 years. The design of the first floor was discovered by the excavations, so the floor has the storage space in the center and the surrounding defense passage. Defense systems like machicolations, loopholes, and lattice windows, are built along the passage or on the walls.

A lattice window on the left and a machicolation on the right

The steps to the upstairs are very steep, but more gentle than the original and you can use modern handrails for support. The second and top floors are designed by the builder’s assumption because there was no evidence of them, but are orthodox. The top floor was built as a lookout position, which is probably a fact and a good viewing spot for the current visitors.

A view of the main enclosure and the city area from the top

Attractions of Castle Town

You can also visit other attractions regarding Shiroishi Castle in the former castle town. First of all, there is a remaining Samurai Residence in the former third enclosure, in the north of the castle. The residence was confirmed to be built in 1730. The Koseki Clan, one of the middle-class warriors under the Katakura Clan, lived in it for a long time. Their descendants also lived in it until 1991 before they donated it to the city. The city restored it to its original conditions and opened it to the public the following year.

The aerial photo around the city area

The residence is small and simple with a thatched roof and four rooms ( 2 wooden floors, 1 earthen floor, amd 1 Tatami matted floor). This was probably because the warriors in Shiroishi had lower incomes than those who directly served the Date Clan. However, the Sawabata River flows along two sides of the residence, which is a very good location.

The living room (one of the wooden floors)

The Tatami room (probably for the master)

The Japanese garden beside the residence

The Sawabata River flows around the residence

Other than that, you can walk along the waterways and find the two moved castle gates in Toshinji and Enmeji Temples.

A gate moved from the castle to the Toshinji Temple

Another gate moved from the castle to the Enmeiji Temple (under repairing)

My Impression

Overall, Shiroishi Castle survived thanks to the two exemptions. One is that of the Law of One Castle per Province (or the lord’s territory) by the shogunate during the Edo Period. The other is that of Japan’s Building Standard Act in the present time. In addition, I think we would not be able to see the Main Tower of the castle without the great contributions of the Katakura CLan and the current Shiroishi people.

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about a 10-minute drive away from Shiroishi IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
There is a parking lot at the eastern foot of the hill called “Joka-hiroba”.
By public transportation, it takes about 15 minutes on foot from JR Shiroishi Station or it takes about 5 minutes by taxi from Tohoku Shinkansan Shiroishi-Zao Station.
From Tokyo to Shiroishi Station: take the Tohoku Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Tohoku Line at Fukushima Station.

That’s all. Thank you.
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161.Kishiwada Castle Part2

I recommend using a detour route to the castle through the former Kishu Road and castle town. This is because you can understand how the castle and town were developed by seeing them.

How to get There

Today, you can access the current Kishiwada Castle from Kishiwada or Takojizo Stations on the Nankai Line by foot. Takojizo Station is the nearest, but if you walk from Kishiwada Station towards the western direction, you have to turn right at the Kishiwadaeki-minami Intersection, and then turn left at the Shiromibashi Intersection, there you can see the stone walls of the Eastern Main Gate Ruins at the Kishiwada City Library on the way. The gate was the front one in the early stage of the castle and it looks interesting combined with the library’s entrance. Both routes are flat and easy to access.

The map around the castle, the blue broken line shows the route from Kishiwada Station to the castle through the Easten Main Gate, the red broken line shows the route through the Kishu Road

Takojizo Station (licensed by Nankou Oronain (as36… via Wikimedia Commons)

The remaining stone walls of the Eastern Main Gate

However, I recommend using a detour route to the castle through the former Kishu Road and castle town. This is because you can understand how the castle and town were developed by seeing them. You can also choose one of the other nearer routes above when you return to the station. If you first choose the route though the Kishu Road to go to the castle, go on the shopping street in front of Kishiwada Station until you meet the road. The road still has a laid-back atmosphere with some traditional buildings and you will see it has been intentionally zigzagged to prevent enemies from invading the town easily. As you get closer to the castle, you will find the road goes on a lower land than where the castle is located. Maybe the road was the coastline or below the sea in the past while the current coastline is far from there. If you climb the moderate slope to the castle across the modern road, the great high stone walls of the Second Enclosure will come into view.

The shopping street in front of Kishiwada Station

The road has been intentionally zigzagged

The stone walls and water moat of the Second Enclosure

In addition, if you want to visit there by car, it is about 30 minutes from Kishiwada-izumi IC or Kaizuka IC on the Hanwa Expressway. There are several Kishiwada municipal parking lots around the castle.
From Tokyo to both stations: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the Midosuji Line on Osaka Metro Subway at Shin-Osaka Station and transfer to the Nankai Line at Nanba Station.

Features

Gate Ruins connecting Center of Castle

Today, only the Main and Second Enclosures remain with the original stone walls and water moats, and reconstructed buildings in the Main Enclosure. In the past, the Northern and Western Main Gates were open to the castle town side. Currently, the Northern one has become the entrance of the Kishiwada City Hall and the Western one has become a parking lot next to the Danjiri Hall, where you can access the ruins from as well. You can see some remaining stone walls and foundations of the gates on the way. The Second Enclosure is accessible from both sides by going across earthen bridge over the moats.

The aerial photo around the castle

The Northern Main Gate is in the red circle and the Western Main Gate is in the blue circle, in *the miniature model of Kishiwada Castle*

The stone walls seem to belong to another enclosure in front of the Second Enclosure

Second Enclosure may be former Main Enclosure

The Second Enclosure had the Main Hall and Fushimi Turret which was moved from Fushimi Castle, but now has modern facilities such as an information center. The enclosure looks to the edge of the hill which was actually on the sea in the past. It was also said this enclosure was the former Main Enclosure, backed by the sea, when the castle was still small. Therefore, you may want to see a view of the city area (the former sea) around, however, you can not see it because of the tall hedge fences in that direction.

The part of the Second Enclosure in the miniature model of Kishiwada Castle, the Fushimi Turret in the red circle

The stone walls of the Second Enclosure, the Fushimi Turret was on the front corner

The inside of the current Second Enclosure

*This is not a good view point* because of the fences

To be continued in “Kishiwada Castle Part3”
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96.Obi Castle Part3

The completed castle on the Shirasu plateau

Features

Samurai Residence street and Domain school

If you walk around the eastern part of the main portion, there is the Samurai Residence street which still has its original atmosphere with stone walls, white mud walls, hedges and traditional gates. Though many of the residential buildings inside were turned into modern facilities, restaurants or residences, some of them remain as they were, for example, a former senior vassal, Ito’s residence being used as a hotel.

The map around the castlle

The former residence of Ito Denzaemon, used as a hotel

There is also the restored domain school building, called Shintoku Hall, one block north from the street, which provided talented people, including Jutaro Komura who was the plenary power of the Japanese side to sign the Treaty of Portsmouth to end the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. The stone walls around it are original, so when they needed to be re-piled for repairing, all stones should be numbered and re-piled to the original positions exactly as historical items.

The restored building of the domain school

The picture of Jutaro Komura (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The stone walls of the domain school, being repaired

Walking on former Castle Town

Visiting the former castle town below the castle ruins is also recommended, which is surrounded by the winding Sakatanigawa River. The town also has a similar atmosphere to the Samurai Residence street and looks more casual. For example, Ushiromahi or the Back Town street has waterways with varicolored carps swimming. Honmachi-Shonin (or the Main Town Merchant street) has old merchant houses where you can enjoy eating and shopping.

Finally, if you look at the castle ruins from the western side of the town along the river, you can see the castle was built on the edge of high and vertical cliffs which originate from the Shirasu plateau. Part of the cliffs are covered with concrete to avoid them from collapsing. Modern-day people are still struggling to maintain the castle ruins on the cliff, so the Obi Domain by the Ito Clan must have made much greater efforts to do it.

The cliffs along the river, where the castle ruins are

Part of the cliffs are covered with concrete

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, most of the castle buildings were demolished. However, the layout of the castle and town including their street plans continued being used to the present time. Nichinan City launched the restoration project in 1974. After that, the area of castle ruins and town were designated as the first Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings in the Kyushu Region in 1977, followed by the restoration of the Main Gate in 1978 and the hall in Matsu-no-maru Enclosure in 1979. That’s why we can enjoy the well-balanced remaining and restored items in this site.

The castle town also has great stone walls

My Impression

I think Obi Castle is the completed castle on the Shirasu plateau. Building castles on the plateau was easy thanks to its nature, while maintaining them could be very difficult. Natural hazards, such as harsh weathers and earthquakes, often caused collapsing of cliffs in these castles. Because of that, other castles of the same type like Sadowara, Shibushi, Chiran were abandoned in the peaceful Edo Period. However, the Ito Clan, the lord of the castle, didn’t have any substitute land. That’s why the clan’s Obi Domain continued to build their castle and town all through the period which we can enjoy to visit right now.

The stone walls of the former Main Enclosure

The earthen walls of the former Main Enclosure

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 45 minute drive (through Miyazaki Prefectural Road 28) away from Tano IC on the Miyazaki Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the castle ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to get there form JR Obi Station.
For visitors from Tokyo or Osaka: It may be a good idea to rent a car at Kagoshima or Miyazaki Airports after using a plane.

The parking lot in front of the castle ruins

That’s all. Thank you.
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