81.Matsuyama Castle Part2

The long way to the Main Tower

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, The buildings at the foot of the mountain were demolished or burned by accidental fires. The Japanese Army used the area including the Second and Third Enclosures at the foot. After the World War II, the area was used as public facilities such as the civic hall, an NHK broadband station, a museum, a library, a hospital, a school, and playgrounds. The Second Enclosure was finally developed as Ninomaru Historical Garden in 1992 after the hospital and school moving to others. It looks like the original Main Hall with repaired stone walls and restored walls when you look it from the outside. The Third Enclosure has been developing as a public park with a large square which can be used for events. Excavation has also been done to find out the castle’s history after the playgrounds had been moved.

The aerial photo around the castle in the 1970’s

The perimeter of the restored Second Enclosure
The inside of the Second Enclosure has become a garden
The former site of a playground at the Third Enclosure
The Third Enclosure has become a square

On the other hand, many buildings on the mountain including the Main Tower remained. There were 44 buildings in the beginning of 1933. However, they were reduced by an arson in the same year to 35, by an air raid in 1945 to 24, and finally by another arson in 1949 to 21. Matsuyama City designated the 21 buildings as Important Cultural Properties in 1950 and started to restore other buildings in 1958. So far, 31 buildings were restored by 1992 in the original method, mostly using wooden materials. That means the number of the buildings became larger than 1933. In addition, the whole range of the castle, called the Shiroyama Park, has been designated as a National Historic Site since 1952.

The remaining or restored buildings of Matsuyama Castle on the mountain

Features

Going on Kuromon Route to Top

Today, visitors can choose four routes to visit Matsuyama Castle on the mountain. The most popular one is the Shinonome Route where visitors can use a cable car or lift and get around the top easily. However, if you are a history fan, I recommend visiting it by walking on the Kuromon Route which was the Main Route to the castle.

The location map of the mountain, from the signboard at the site, adding the red English letters

The route starts from the back of the Third Enclosure and passes by the Second Enclosure where the Main Hall was. There are no buildings remaining on the route, but it is still surrounded by great stone walls. First of all, you need to turn five times to go through the three gate ruins of Kuromon or The Black Gate, Tsuga-mon or the Hemlock Gate, and Keyaki-mon or the Zelkova Gate. Then you will enter the zigzagging trail partly with original stone steps to the top.

The map around the Kuromon RouteBlack Gate

The ruins of the Black Gate, the starting point of the route
The ruins of the Hemlock Gate
The route goes by the Second Enclosure on the right
The ruins of the Zelkova Gate
The trail to the top

Strong Defense system around Main Gate

You will eventually reach the Main Gate Ruins near the top. You will also see the great high stone walls surrounding the Main Enclosure and many other visitors who used a cable car or lift. This is the meeting point with the Shinonome Route.

The map around the Main Enclosure

Arriving at the ruins of the Main Gate
The high stone walls of the Main Enclosure

Next, you will go on the path towards the direction where you can see the Main Tower, but it is a dead end and a trap for enemies, you have to turn at 180 degrees to enter the Main Enclosure (the dead end is not allowed to enter). Next comes the remaining Tonashi-mon or the Doorless Gate, which was probably built to lure enemies. Enemies would be confused around there.

You can see the Main Tower ahead
The path towards the tower is a dead end
You have to turn at 180 degrees to the next
The Doorless Gate

Then, you will see the restored Tsutui-mon Gate which looks like a single gate. In fact, there is also the remaining Kakure-mon or the Hidden Gate next to it, so the defenders would counterattack the enemies from the gate.

Tsutui-mon Gate
The Hidden Gate
The back side of Tsutui-mon Gate (on the right) and the Hidden Gate (on the left)

Great views from Main Enclosure

After that, you will finally arrive at the Main Enclosure going through the restored Taiko-mon or the Drum Gate. The center of the enclosure looks a square, and there are the restored well, Tatsumi-Yagura or the Southeast Turret and Bagu-Yagura or the Harness Turret around. This is definitely a good view spot for the Main Tower and the area around including Matsuyama City and Seto Inland Sea.

The Drum Gate
The well
The inside of the Main Enclosure
A view of the Main Tower
A view of Matsuyama city area from the Main Enclosure

To be continued in “Matsuyama Castle Part3”
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48.Matsusaka Castle Part3

The Main Tower Base even uses a stone sarcophagus.

Features

Main Enclosure, Center of Castle

The lower tier had many turrets as the pivot for defense. Though there are no buildings now, you can look down on the routes below the stone walls of the tier clearly.

The map around the castle

The ruins of Kane-no-yagura Turret at the lower tier of the Main Enclosure
A view of Matsusaka City Museum of History and Folklore from the ruins of Kane-no-maru Turret
The ruins of Tsukimi Turret at the lower tier of the Main Enclosure
A view of the Second Enclosure from the ruins of Tsukimi Turret

The upper tier had turrets, residences, and the Main Tower. The stone wall base for the tower remains in its original condition from when Ujisato Gamo first built the castle. It looks very old and you can see part of it is made using a stone sarcophagus. This shows the stones for the castle construction were collected rapidly. You can also see a nice city view with mountains behind, as this is the highest point of the castle.

The entrance of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure
The inside of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure
The stone wall base for the Main Tower
The stone sarcophagus used for the stone walls (in the front)
A view from the upper tier of the Main Enclosure

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Matsusaka Castle was abandoned and the castle buildings were demolished or burned. The main portion of the castle was turned into Matsusaka Park in 1881, while the other has become a city area. Matsusaka City, the former castle town, renovated the stone walls of the castle for as long as 16 years between 1988 and 2003. The city has also been researching the ruins as well. They were finally designated as a National Historic Site in 2011.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower

My Impression

Before my visit to Matsusaka Castle Ruins, I didn’t know much about Ujisato Gamo and the castle. In fact, I was still wondering why the local city has castle ruins with such great stone walls while visiting. However, after learning about who he was and the history of the castle, I understood the reason. I hope that Matsusaka City will maintain the castle ruins and the memory of Ujisato forever because the city would not be there without hin.

The stone walls of the upper tier of the Main Enclosure

How to get There

If you want to visit the ruins by car, it is about a 15-minute drive away from Matsusaka IC on the Ise Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors beside the park.
If you want to use public transportation, It takes about 15 minutes on foot from Matsusaka Station to get there.
To get to Matsusaka Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the JR Mie rapid train or the Kintetsu-Nagoya Line on Kintetsu Railway at Nagoya Station.

That’s all. Thank you.
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157.Hachimanyama Castle Part3

A dictator’s willful behavior is to be rewarded someday.

Features

Hidetsugu’s Residence Ruins at Foot

There are also the ruins of Hidetsugu’s residence at the foot of the mountain. If you are in the Barbican Enclosure, you can use the recently developed trail to go down to the ruins. Of course, you can also visit them from the city area. Hidetsugu’s residence was the elevated point of the warriors’ residential area. Its foundation, surrounded by huge stone walls, remains and looks so great. Some roof tiles covered with golden leaf were found at this site, which proved Hidetsugu lived there.

The map around the castle

The trail going down from the Barbican Enclosure
Hidetsugu’s Residence Ruins
The stone walls, using huge stones, remained
The trail from the city area

Later History

The life of Hachimanyama Castle was only 10 years while its former castle town have been prospering as a commercial city for a long time. The castle ruins have become a popular tourist spot since the cable car was first launched in 1962. On the other hand, because of the mountain’s steep terrain, landslides sometime happen which could destroy the ruins such as in 1967. Omi-Hachiman City, which owns the ruins, preserves and researches them, preparing the development of the place as a historical site.

The Hachimanbori Moats at the foot
The remaining stone walls on the mountain
A view from the Barbican Enclosure

My Impression

Was Hidetsugu only a victim of the incident in 1595? I think no. Yoshimitsu Mogami, a great lord at Yamagata Castle, lost his daughter who just reach Kyoto to be Hidetsugu’s wife because of the execution. He was very angry and decided to leave the Toyotomi Clan. Many other nobles and lords, who communicated with Hidetsugu, asked Ieyasu Tokugawa (who would become the final ruler after Hideyoshi’s death) for help in order to avoid punishment. Hideyoshi’s willful behavior resulted in the destruction of his clan including his beloved son, Hideyori, in the summer campaign of the siege of Osaka, attacked by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1615.

Yoshiaki Mogami from Battle of Hasedo Standing Screen (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The portrait of Hideyori Toyotomi, owned by Yogenin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The summer campaign of the siege of Osaka folding screens, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 30 minutes away from Gamo smart IC on the Meshin Expressway. There is a parking lot beside the cable car platform.
By public transportation, you can take the Omi-Tetsudo Bus bound for Chomeiji from JR Omi-Hachiman Station and get off at the Osugicho bus stop. It takes about 5 minutes to get there.
Or it may be a good idea to use a rental bicycle from the station.
To get to Omi-Hachiman Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Biwako Line at Maibara Station or Kyoto Station.

The parking lot beside the cable car platform

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