The Main Tower remained, but was burned down, then restored.
Later History
After the Meiji Restoration, Ogaki Castle was abandoned and almost all the buildings of the castle were demolished. A lot of moats were also reclaimed except the Outer Moat called Suimon-gawa River. They were turned into the city area.
Suimon-gawa River, the former Outer Moat
Only the Main Tower and two turrets at the Main Enclosure remained. Especially, the external design of the Main Tower was used when the Main Tower of Gujo-Hachiman Castle was rebuilt in 1933.
The old photo of the original Main Tower, from the signboard at the site The rebuilt Main Tower of Gujo-Hachiman Castle
However, those of Ogaki Castle were unfortunately burned down by the Ogaki Air Raid in 1945. After World War II, they were externally restored in 1967 using the design of the original ones and Gujo-Hachiman Castle instead.
The externally restored Main Tower of Ogaki Castle
Features
Around Main Tower as Ogaki Park
The map around the castle
Today, only around the Main and Second Enclosures remained as the Ogaki Park. Part around the Second Enclosure is a normal park and the Main Enclosure has a historical atmosphere. No moats unfortunately remained around the enclosure while the roads around it are probably the former moats.
Ogaki ParkA road around, probably the former moat
It has two gates, the Western Gate was built in the present time, and the Eastern Gate is the original, but was moved from another place which was once called Yanagikuchi-mon Gate. There are also the externally restored Inui and Ushitorra Turrets alongside the gates.
The Western Gate built in the present timeThe Eastern Gate, moved from the Yanagikuchi-mon GateThe externally restored Inui TurretThe externally restored Ushitora Turret
The restored four-level Main Tower is inside the enclosure, which is actually a modern building and used as a historical museum.
The inside of the Main EnclosureThe remaining stone walls of the Main Enclosure
Other than the Main Tower, you can visit the neighboring Pine Enclosure through the path on the upper tier of the Belt Enclosures. There is a monument of the Ryosotai Party which escaped the Gujo Domain which supported the New Government during the Meiji Restoration. They joined the domains supporting the shogunate and fought against the New Government Army located Wakamatsu Castle.
The upper tier Belt Enclosure as the path connecting the Cherry Enclosure and the Pine EnclosureGoing to the Pine Enclosure through the upper tier Belt EnclosureThe inside of the Pine EnclosureThe monument of the Ryosotai Party
The parking on the top was one of the ditches behind the castle where most of the fierce fightings happened in 1600. There is a well in the ruins, which was said to have been used to wash the head of slain warriors in battle.
The parking lot on the topThe ruins of the well for washing the head
Later History
After the Meiji Restoration, Gujo-Hachiman Castle was eventually abandoned and all the castle buildings were demolished. In 1932, the mayor, Chuhei Nakagami suggested the Main Tower be rebuilt in order to revitalize the town. Other people agreed with him and began making donations. The tower was constructed using the external design plans of Ogaki Castle whose Main Tower remained at that time, however it would be burned down by an air raid in 1945. People also considered how the tower would have looked like when they look up at it from the town. The rebuilt tower was finally completed in 1933.
The old photo of Ogaki Castle, the Main Tower on the right (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The rebuilt Main Tower of Gujo-Hachiman Castle
My Impression
When I visited Gujo-Hachiman town, I thought the purpose of the town was to successfully built a beautiful castle as its symbol. You can see a good view of the Main Tower from any parts of the town. I also finally understood that no matter weather the original tower was there or not, the castle is still very important and much needed by the people of the town.
A view of the Main Tower from the townStone walls of the Belt EnclosuresA view from the Main Tower
How to get There
If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 15 minutes away from Gujo-Hachiman IC on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway. There are several parking lots for visitors aroud the castle. By public transportation, it takes about 20 minutes on foot from the Gujo-Hachiman Jokamachi Plaza. To get to the plaza from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express, transfer to Tokaido Local Line at Nagoya Station and get off at Gifu Station. Then, take the Gifu bus on the highway Hachiman line and get off at the Jokamachi Plaza bus stop.
The parling lot at the foot of the mountainThe parking lot at halfway up
Today, Gujo-Hachiman Castle has become a symbol of the Gujo-Hachiman town. You can see the rebuilt Main Tower of the castle on the mountain from any parts of the town. The mountain is covered with cherry blossoms in spring, green leaves in summer, autumn leaves in fall, and snow in winter. A famous writer, Ryotaro Shiba said the castle was “the most beautiful mountain castle in Japan” when he visited it in the early spring when the snow remained on the ground. If you drive to the castle, you can park either at the foot, halfway up, or on the top of the mountain. You can also hike up the mountain from wherever you park.
A view of Gujo-Hachiman Castle from the town
The map around the castle
If you climb from the parking lot at the foot, you will pass by the ruins of the rice warehouse where the farmers gathered during the Gujo uprising and the Shiroyama Park where the Main Hall was built. From this point, you can enter the mountain trail.
The route from the parking lot at the footThe ruins of the rice warehouseGoing to the halfway up of the mountainAround the Shiroyama ParkThe route from the halfway up
Three-tier Belt Enclosures
After about a 10-minute climb, you will see the three-tier Belt Enclosures surrounded by old stone walls that were piled up naturaly. The first (lower) tier is now used as the paved road to the parking lot on the top. The second (middle) tier is used as the promenade for visitors from the parking lot to the castle facilities. The third and final upper tier is for the path connecting the Cherry Enclosure and the Pine Enclosure on the top.
The route is mixed with the roadway and trailThe stone walls of the lower tierThe paved road on the lower tier (on the left) and the stone walls of the middle tier (on the right)The observation platform on the middle tier (originally a barbican?)The promenade on the middle tier (on the left) and the stone walls of the upper tier (on the right)The path on the upper tier (on the left) and the stone walls of the Cherry Enclosure (on the right)
Rebuilt Main Tower has Traditional Taste
You can enter the Cherry Enclosure to visit the rebuilt Main Tower. Experts speculate the three-level Main Tower would have been built in this area. However, because it was only seen in some drawings, and not scientifically proven by excavations and records. It would be difficult to call the current tower the reconstructed one. If the original towers was not built on the past, we can call the current tower the imitation tower. Since we can’t be certain of that fact, let’s simply refer to it as the rebuilt main tower.
The map around the top
The entrance of the Cherry EnclosureThe rebuilt Main TowerThe original stone wall base for the towerThe Main Tower in the drawing of the battle in 1600 at the castle, exhibited in the Main Tower of the castle
It is the oldest wooden rebuilt Main Tower in Japan, built back in 1933, nearly 90 years ago. However, it is not the original, but it has a taste of traditional Japanese architecher. You can hear squeak noises from wooden floors as you walk or climb in the tower because of this old wooden building. The tower has 4 levels and 5 floors including the lower floors which are used for exhibitions of the castle and town. You can easily climb up on the stairways to the top floor. There, you can enjoy a great view of the area around.
The interior of the rebuilt Main TowerClimbing up to the top floorA view of Gujo-Hachiman town from the top floor
