137.Fukui Castle Part1

The center of Echizen Province

Location and History

It starts as Kitanosho Castle

Fukui Castle was located in what is now Fukui City, the prefectural capital of Fukui Prefecture. The name of the city originates from this castle. However, the castle was originally named Kitanosho Castle (Kitanosho means like the Northern Manor). Katsuie Shibata under a great warlord, Nobunaga Oda, first built the castle in 1575 when they conquered Echizen Province (now part of Fukui Prefecture).

The location of the castle

The portrait of Katsuie Shibata, from the signboard at the site

When Hideyoshi Hashiba, who would become the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attacked the castle in 1583, he wrote in his letter that the castle had a nine-leveled Main Tower. It’s quite uncertain if the castle really had the nine-leveled Main Tower because the word nine-leveled also means just “have many levels” in Japanese. Katsuie was unfortunately defeated by Hideyoshi, while Kitanosho Castle was burned and destroyed.

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple, licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
The imaginary drawing of the first Kitanosho Castle, from the signboard at the site

Hideyasu Yuki rebuilds it as Lord of large domain

In 1601, Hideyasu Yuki, the son of the final ruler, Ieyasu Tokugawa, rebuilt Kitanosho Castle as the founder of the Kitanosho Domain. Hideyasu was a big brother of Ieyasu’s successor, Hidetada Tokugawa, but he was sent to Hideyoshi, and the Yuki Clan later to be adopted. It could be because he was not loved by his father, Ieyasu. However, Hideyasu was distinguished in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 before his father became the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Ieyasu finally accepted Hideyasu and allowed him to have a large role in the shogunate. Hideyasu became a lord who had the second largest territory excluding the shogun in Japan with 750,000 kokus of rice. He was also allowed to use the family name “Matsudaira” which means the relatives of the shogun. Echizen Province was very important spot for the shogunate to be near Kyoto, the capital of Japan, and next to the owners of the largest territory, the Maeda Clan.

The statue of Hideyasu Yuki at the ruins of Fukui Castle
The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum, licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

It is said that Hideyasu’s father, Ieyasu designed part of the layout of Kitanosho castle. The Main Enclosure was the center of the castle, which had the four-leveled Main Tower and the Main Hall and was surrounded by the stone walls and the Inner Moat. The Second Enclosure, the Third Enclosure, and the Outbound Enclosure were built around the center concentrically. These enclosures were divided by the water moats. As a result, the castle was surrounded by quadruple or quintuple water moats. The castle had over 10 turrets and 40 gates. The size of the castle reached about 2km square.

The imaginary drawing of the Main Enclosure of Fukui Castle, from the signboard at the site
The range of Fukui Castle in the Edo Period shown on the present map, from the signboard at the site

Echizen-Matsudaira Clan prospers

The castle was completed in 1606 after Hideyasu died in 1604. The Matsudaira Clan, renamed from the Yuki Clan governed the castle and domain until the end of the Edo Period, while the name of the castle and domain were changed from Kitanosho to Fukui by the third lord, Tadamasa. The Main Tower was unfortunately burned down by a fire in 1669 and not restored. The 14th lord, Shungaku Matsudaira was active in the central government during the end of the Edo Period and the Meiji Restoration.

The portrait of Tadamasa Matsudaira, exhibited by Fukui City History Museum, licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
The photo of Shungaku Matsudaira, owned by Fukui City History Museum, licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

In addition, Hideyasu’s descendants prospered greatly. The branch families which started from Hideyasu’s sons became the lords of several castles by the end of the Edo Period, such as Tsuyama Castle, Matsue Castle, Maebashi Castle and Akashi Castle. They are often called the Echizen-Matsudaira Clan including the lord of Fukui Castle. We can say Hideyasu’s efforts were rewarded good enough.

Tsuyama Castle
Matsue Castle
Akashi Castle

To be continued in “Fukui Castle Part2”

37.Ichijodani Castle Part1

The castle started and ended with the Asakura Clan.

Location and History

Integration of Castle and Castle Town

Ichijodani Castle was located in Echizen Province (now Fukui Prefecture) which the Asakura Clan governed during the Sengoku Period. People usually consider this castle as a fortified city the Asakura Clan built. The city was integrated with a castle and castle town parts. Because of that, people at that time called the castle, just “Ichijodani”. People in the present time call it the Ichijodani Aasakura Clan Ruins.

The location of the castle

The Asakura Clan originally served the Shiba Clan, the family of the governor of Echizen Provence. Takakage Asakura was distinguished in the Onin War in Kyoto in the late 15th Century to support the Ashikaga Shogunate. As a result, the Shogunate assigned him the governor of Echizen Provence instead of the Shiba Clan. After that, the Asakura Clan governed the province over five generations for about 100 years. The clan chose a long narrow valley called Ichijodani as their home base, not the flat area called Fuchu which the Shiba Clan lived. The reason for the Aasakura Clan’s choice is thought that the clan had to continue fighting with the Shiba Clan and others like the Ikkoshu Sect.

The portrait of Takakage Asakura, owned by Shingetsuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The relief map around the castle

The valley was about 3km long from the north to the south, and about 500m wide. It was protected by several mountain castles on the mountains in the eastern and western side of the valley. “Ichijo-dani Castle” was one such castle but provided a limited amount of protection. Both edges of the valley also had fortress entrances built using earthen walls and water moats called the Inbound Fortress Entrance and Outbound Fortress Entrance. The area between the entrances, where Ichijo-dani River flowed, was called the Inside of the Entrances. The castle town was built along the narrow area, including the Asakura Clan Hall, the warriors’ houses, the merchants and craftsmen area, and temples.

The entrance to “Ichijo-dani Castle” as a mountain castle
The Inbound Fortress Entrance
The Outbound Fortress Entrance
The miniature model of the castle town, exhibited by the Restored Town area

One of Largest City in Sengoku Period

Ichijodani greatly prospered. Echizen Province was basically wealthy and the Asakura Clan earned lots of profits from trading by ships. The clan also united with their relatives and retainers to prevent enemies, like the Ikkoshu Sect, from invading their territory. These made the people in Ichijodani rich. The hall of the clan was very similar to that of the shogun’s deputy in Kyoto and had a gorgeous Japanese garden. The clan accommodated many nobles, high priests, and intellectuals from Kyoto, which was devastated after the Onin War. Warriors played Japanese chess inside their houses and priests enjoyed tea ceremonies. Trading and production were actively done in the town. The population of Ichijo-dani was said to reach about 10,000. The city became one of the largest cities in Japan, sometimes called a Little Kyoto.

The miniature model of the Asakura Clan Hall, from the signboard at the site
The gate of the Asakura Clan Hall Ruins

Destroyed by Nobunaga Oda

In 1567, Yoshiaki Ashikaga, who would be the last shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate, visited Yoshikage Asakura, the last lord of the clan, in Ichijodani. Yoshiaki asked Yoshikage to take Yoshiaki to Kyoto and defeat his enemies. Yoshikage rejected it, so Yoshiaki left Ichijodani and visited Nobunaga Oda in Owari Province (now part of Aichi Pref.). Nobunaga went to Kyoto with Yoshiaki who became the shogun in 1568. They ordered Yoshikage to go to Kyoto and serve them. Yoshikage rejected it again and finally became an enemy of the shogun in 1570. Nobunaga and Yoshikage fought against each other for three years. The unity of the Asakura Clan collapsed after the long battle. Yoshikage had to escape from Ichijo-dani and was defeated in the end. Nobunaga’s soldiers attacked Ichijodani without its master. The city burned for three days and ended its history in 1573. The castle was destroyed.

The seated statue of Yoshiaki Ashikaga, owned by Tojiin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The portrait of Yoshikage Asakura, owned by Shingetsuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
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)

To be continued in “Ichijodani Castle Part2”

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.

Tue ruins of Komakiyama Castle
The present Gifu Castle
The present Echizen-Ohno Castle

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 remaining Echizen-Ohno Castle Town
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”