great stone walls – ページ 5 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

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”
Back to “Kishiwada Castle Part1”

194.Saiki Castle Part3

People can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area.

Features

Northen Enclosure and Two Reservoirs

Let us visit the Northern Enclosure on the northern ridge of the mountain, which spreads from the Main Enclosure as well. Its top area is also surrounded by low stone walls being lined up neatly. It is separated from the Main Enclosure by an altered gate with stone walls and has the exit to the Back Route (also called Wakamiya Route) nearby.

The mountain part of the castle

The long Northen Enclosure on the northern ridge

The stone walls surrounding the top of the Northern Enclosure

If you get out of the exit and climb down the trail on the route, you will eventually reach the two major reservoirs on the back valley, the upper Male Pond and the lower Female Pond. They are also surrounded by stone walls, which were probably considered the lifeline of the castle.

If you go up the trail a little, you can walk around the mid slope of the northern ridge where you can see some base stone walls beside the trail. The Northern Enclosure is supported by both of the stone walls around the top and the base. As you walk around, you will also see the great four-tiered stone walls supporting the Main Enclosure, which were recently discovered in 2009.

The path around the mid slope of the northern ridge

The stone walls supporting the base of the northern ridge

Defensive spot of Castle

There is also the Western Enclosure on the western ridge, which is next to the Second Enclosure, opposite the Main Enclosure. It is separated from the Second Enclosure by a narrow gate with stone walls and has the end point of the Suimei Route from the foot of the mountain. This was the defensive spot of the castle’s western side which is another viewing spot of the city area. You can also see round-shaped stone foundations there, which do not belong to the castle, but are the ruins of an anti-aircraft gun position during WWII.

The gate between the Second and Western Enclosures

The turret ruins at the Western Enclosure

The ruins of the anti-aircraft gun position

Remaining Main Hall Gate

The bottom part has the Third Enclosure Turret Gate, the only remaining building of the castle. This gate was the one for the Main Hall for the lord in the enclosure. The inside of it behind the gate is an empty space now. Saiki City Historical Museum is another attraction of the castle where you can learn about the history of the castle and city, including Takamasa Mori, the founder of the castle. You can also enjoy a view of the mountain with great stone walls on the top, from the front of the museum.

The map around the castle

The remaining Third Enclosure Turret Gate

The inside of the Third Enclosure is empty

The entrance of Saiki City Historical Museum

A view of the castle ruins from the front of the museum

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Saiki Castle was abandoned and all the buildings on the mountain were demolished. The mountain part was eventually used as a park and Mori Shrine. Saiki City started to excavate the mountain in 2009. The excavation team found that the castle was a newly built mountain castle in the Edo Period which was very rare in Japan. As a result, the castle ruins on the mountain were just designated as a National Historic Site in 2022. The bottom part had part of the Main Hall with its gate as an official building or a school for a long time, however the final remaining entrance of the hall was move to another place in 1969 for the construction of the Saiki Cultural Hall. The only remaining gate has been designated as a tangible cultural property of the city.

The photo of the entrance of the hall before being moved, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum

My Impression

I think people in Saiki City are proud of their home town and its history. For example, in their daily life, if they have time and the weather is not bad, they can climb Saiki Castle Ruins on the mountain any day, because the ruins are near the city area. As a result, they can enjoy beautiful scenery, get good health, and learn their local history. I wish I could live in an area like Saiki City.

A full view of the castle ruins (the mountain and foot)

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 15 minute drive away from Saiki IC on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in front of the castle ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Oita bus from JR Saiki Station and get off at the Ote-mae bus stop. It takes a few minutes on foot to get there.
For visitors from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the express bus to Oita Station from Oita Airport after using a plane, and get the train on the Nippo Line from the station.

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Saiki Castle Part1”
Back to “Saiki Castle Part2”

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

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 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.

The stone walls were built along the natural terrain

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

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 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.

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