Hideyoshi Toyotomi – ページ 3 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

114.Karasawayama Castle Part1

The last lord of the castle, Nobuyoshi Sano built high stone walls on the main portion of the castle, which was a rare case in the region. It must have been done with help from Hideyoshi Toyotomi because he and his retainers had built many similar stone walls in western Japan.

Location and History

Sano Clan builds Castle during Sengoku Period

Karasawayama Castle was located in modern day Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, which was a large mountain castle beside the northern edge of the Kanto Plain. Tradition says that a famous general, Hidesato Fujiwara built it in 972 during the Ancient times. However, historians think that it was created by the Sano Clan, who were descendants of Hidesato and governed the castle for a long time. According to the results of the research and studies, the clan first lived in a hall at the western foot of the mountain until the 15th Century. It was thought that the castle was built or developed by the clan on the mountain when many battles happened in the Kanto Region, during the Sengoku Period. Other popular mountain castles in the region like Kanayama and Minowa Castles were built at the same time to protect the owners under the severe conditions. The Sano Clan first used the mountain castle in the cases of emergency, but eventually lived in it to survive.

The range of Sano City and the location of the castle

The relief map around the castle

The ruins of the Sano Clan’s residence (current Koshoji Temple)

Kenshin Uesugi devotes to capture Castle

On the other hand, great warlords, who wanted to rule over the region, thought they would need to get Karasawayama Castle because of its advantageous location. Kenshin Uesugi was one of them and was devoted to do it. There is a symbolic episode when he first invaded the Kanto Region around 1560. He visited Karasawayama Castle with few vassals, which was surrounded by his enemy, the Hojo Clan’s large troops, to persuade the lord of castle, Masatsuna Sano to support him until he succeeded. However, every time Kenshin returned to his home, Kasugayama Castle in Echigo Province, the Hojo Clan got its territory back and forced local lords to support it. Masatsuna was one of them and he had to switch allegiance.

*The portrait of Kenshin Uesugi, owned by the Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Kenshin, who is considered one of the strongest generals, got angry and attacked the castle, but was not able to capture it by force as it was really strong. Even when Masatsuna surrendered to Kenshin, they would do the same things after Kenshin went back. As a result, they fought with each other at least five times. Kenshin once banished Masatsuna from the castle and sent his relative and vassals to govern it. However, he finally returned the castle to Masatsuna for some reasons. He might have felt the difficulty of how to control this distant site.

*The portrait of Masatsuna Sano, owned by Daianji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

High stone walls are built with help of Hideyoshi Toyotomi

The Kanto Region, including Karasawayama Castle, eventually belonged to the Hojo Clan during the 1570’s and 1580’s. It sent its relative, Ujitada Hojo to govern the castle like Kenshin had used to do. On the other hand, Masatsuna’s relative, Fusatsuna Sano ran away from the region to western Japan to serve Hideyoshi Toyotomi who was the ruler of Japan at that time. Fusatsuna led Hideyoshi to the region when they invaded it in 1590, which resulted in Fusatsuna getting the castle back as the lord. However, Hideyoshi seemed to also want to control the castle. He made the little brother of his close vassal, Nobutaka Tomita to be the successor of Fusatsuna, which would be called Nobuyoshi Sano, the last lord of the clan and the castle. This could be because his rival, Ieyasu Tokugawa was moved by him to the region. He wanted to have Ieyasu monitored by someone reliable.

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Karasawayama Castle was built on a large mountain which had several ridges. Lots of enclosures were also built on the top and the ridges which had turrets, lookouts, guard houses and shooting points to monitor and attack enemies. These ridges or enclosures were divided by deep ditches to prevent enemies from invading easily. There are two main routes in the south and west, which gathered at the meeting point in front of the Main Gate near the top, which were controlled by the castle’s soldiers. The foot area was used as the lords and senior vassals’ residences surrounded by thick and long earthen walls for defense. They had been developed and improved by the Sano, Uesugi, and Hojo Clans for a long time.

Karasawayama Mountain where the castle was built

The remaining earthen walls at the foot of the mountain

The ruins of the residence of a sennior vassal at the foot of the mountain called Hayato-Yashiki

The castle’s foundations were basically made of soil, which was a common way of building castles in eastern Japan at that time. However, the last lord, Nobuyoshi built high stone walls on the main portion of the castle, which was a rare case in the region. It must have been done with help from Hideyoshi because he and his retainers had built many similar stone walls in western Japan. On the other hand, Ieyasu still didn’t have the techniques and guilds for building such high stone walls. That meant the stone walls of strong Karasawayama Castle must have been a big threat to Ieyasu.

The high stone walls of Karasawayama Castle

Life of Castle suddenly ends, ordered by Ieyasu Tokugawa

When Ieyasu got the power to be the ruler around 1600 after Hideyoshi died, Nobuyoshi somehow survived by supporting Ieyasu. However, the declinations of Karasawayama Castle and the Sano Clan suddenly occured. In 1602, Ieyasu ordered Nobuyoshi to move from Karasawayama to Sano Castle in a plain area nearby. It was said that the reason for it was that it could be rude for Nobuyoshi to look down on Ieyasu’s home, Edo Castle from the mountain castle. Nobuyoshi was finally fired by Ieyasu in 1614 due to being implicated for a crime of his brother, Nobutaka Tomita. Overall, Ieyasu seemed to want to remove possible rebels like Nobuyoshi with strong castles like Karasawayama.

*The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons*)

To be continued in “Karasawayama Castle Part2”

18.Hachigata Castle Part1

Hachigata Castle was located in modern day Yorii Town in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture. The castle was prominent both when the Sengoku Period of the Kanto Region started and ended.

Location and History

Hachigata Castle was located in modern day Yorii Town in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture. The castle was prominent both when the Sengoku Period of the Kanto Region started and ended.

Beginning of Sengoku Period in Kanto Region

The location of the castle

The region ran into the unquiet Sengoku Period in 1455 when the Kyotoku War began. The Ashikaga Clan, the shogunate head for the Kanto Region and the Uesugi Clan, the shogunate deputy for the region opposed and confronted each other at the Tone River, the largest river in the region. The Uesugi Clan constructed Ikkako Encampment at the western riverside and used it for over 20 years. The clan actually consisted of two branch clans, the Yamanouchi and the Ogigayatsu Clans. Each branch clan also had a main retainer to control many warriors and matters from the Nagao Clan for the Yamanouchi and the Ota Clan for the Ogigayatsu. One of the main retainers, Kagenobu Nagao died in 1473 before his position was assigned by his boss, Akisada Yamanouchi to his little brother, Tadakage.

The yellow area was influenced by the Uesugi Clan and the purple area was influenced by the Ashikaga Clan at that time, from the signboard at the site

Kageharu Nagao builds Castle

This was a reasonable decision, because Tadakage was considered as a senior and experienced person. However, Kagenobu’s son, Kageharu thought otherwise, as the position was inherited by his grandfather and father. Kageharu left the encampment, built Hachigata Castle in 1475, and started a rebellion in 1476. The castle was built on a high cliff at the meeting point of Arakawa River, another large river in the region, and Fukasawagawa River, a peninsula affording natural defense. Though the details of the first stage of the castle are unknown, it would have been easy for Kageharu to attack the Ikkako Encampment which had no guard on its southern side (which faced the castle). Many other retainers, who worried about their own positions in the new power hierarchy, supported Kageharu. The encampment finally collapsed in 1477.

The family crest of the Nagao Clan, called Kuyou-Tomoe (meaning the nine comma-shaped figures)

The relief map around the castle

The Arakawa River and the cliffs behind, where the castle was built

What Kageharu really wanted was unclear, but he tried to get many territories with his supporters and the Ashikaga Clan with whom Kageharu took sides. Kageharu was an excellent general. However, the other main retainer for the Ogigayatsu, Dokan Ota was superior to him. Dokan, who is known for building Edo Castle, which would become the center of the government during the Edo Period , and is now the Imperial Palace, was also a great strategist and politician. Dokan captured the Kageharu supporters’ castles, such as Kozukue Castle, one by one. He also made brokered a fragile peace with the Ashikaga Clan, which drove Kageharu back to his home base, Hachigata Castle. Dokan finally attacked and captured the castle in 1478, so Kageharu was forced to flee. Dokan became the greatest lord in the Kanto Region, however, he was killed in 1485 by his master, Sadamasa Ogigayatsu who feared his power. The region became unstable again and Kageharu continued to fight against his masters, the Yamanouchi, throughout his life as a soldier of fortune. He finally settled down under Sozui Ise, the founder of the Hojo Clan, until his death in 1514.

The portrait of Dokan Ota, owned by Daijiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The ruins of Edo Castle (the current Imperial Palace)

The replica of the portrait of Soun Hojo, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle becomes Hojo’s Branch

Hachigata Castle was occupied by the Yamanouchi for a while, but eventually abandoned. The power of the Uesugi Clans (Yamanouchi and Ogigayatsu) decreased while the Hojo Clan invaded the Kanto Region during the 16th Century. The Hojo Clan was based in Odawara Castle in Sagami Province (now Kanagawa Pref.) and they set several important branch castles where the Hojo’s relatives were sent to govern the region’s stability. Hachigata Castle was chosen as one of the castles as its location was at the northern edge of their territory. Ujikuni Hojo became the lord of the castle in 1568 and struggled to keep. For example, when the Hojo Clan allied with Kenshin Uesugi who was the successor of the Yamanouchi and one of the strongest warlords, Ujikuni was charged with negotiating with him. However, once the alliance was broken, Kenshin attacked Hachigata Castle, set fire to its castle town, and withdrew.

The family crest of the Hojo Clan, called Hojo-Uroko (meaning the squames of the Hojo)

Ujikuni Hojo, Last Lord of Castle

To survive under these severe conditions, Ujikuni greatly improved the castle. The castle’s defenses were naturally strong, having been built on a tall cliff, sandwiched by the two rivers to the north, the east, and the west. It also had many enclosures made of soil, mainly including the Main, Second and Third Enclosures in a line from north to south. Therefore, enemies would have to attack the Third Enclosure first from the south. To prevent attack, these enclosures were divided by deep dry moats and surrounded by high, thick earthen walls. Part of the walls were supported by stone mounds looking like stone walls. The entrances of the enclosures were protected by a set of gates and the Umadashi system. The Umadashi system refers to a connected smaller enclosure in front of the gate, connected by a narrow path to the larger enclosures. The position could be used to both protect the enclosure and attack from it.

The diorama of the castle at the site, viewed from the north

The history of the castle suddenly ended in 1590 when the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi invaded the Kanto Region as the Hojo’s territory to complete his unification of Japan. He went there with over 200,000 soldiers and about 35,000 of which, attacked Hachigata Castle in May, led by Toshiie Maeda. Ujikuni, along with about 3,000 defenders, was besieged for a month. The attackers didn’t assaulted the castle, directly, instead, it is said that they fired large guns from Kuruma-yama Mountain, about 1 km away from the Main Gate of the castle to the south. Ujiie finally surrendered and opened the castle in June, perhaps because there was no hope for reinforcements, or due to the damage from the guns. The castle passed to the Tokugawa Clan, who now ran the region instead of the Hojo Clan, however, it was eventually abandoned at the end of the Sengoku Period.

The Kuruma-yama Mountain seen from the Outer Enclosure

To be continued in “Hachigata Castle Part2”

56.Takeda Castle Part1

Masahiro Saimura, who completed Takeda Castle, only earned 22 thousand koku of rice, which meant he could not afford to build great stone walls at the castle. It is considered that the construction of castle was backed up by Hideyoshi.

Location and History

Famous for Castle in Sky

Takeda Castle was located on Torafusu-yama or the Sitting-Tiger Mountain (at 354m above the sea level) in Tajima Province which is now the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture. The ruins of Takeda Castle recently became very popular among not only history fans but also general tourists as a Castle in the Sky. The ruins don’t have any buildings but their great stone walls remain on the high mountain, which look like they are floating on a sea of clouds when there are certain weather conditions in the morning in autumn to winter. It is also called the Machu Picchu in Japan. The Castle in the Sky is an attraction in the present time and you need to go further away from the castle ruins to see it. However, the nickname also came from the castle’s history and location.

A photo of Takeda Castle in the Sky, from the signboard at the site

Yamana Clan first builds Castle

Tajima Province is not popular among the present generation because the province was small and finally merged to become Hyogo Prefecture. However, it was very important in the past because of its location. In many years of the Middle Ages, the Yamana Clan owned several provinces in the northern part of the Chugoku Region or also called the Sanin Area. Tajima Province was the eastern edge of Yamana’s territory and had borders with Harima and Tanba Provinces. That’s why the Yamana Clan first built Takeda Castle around the 15th Century as a base of offence and defense. At that time, building castles on a high mountain was popular for lords to protect themselves. These castles including Takeda Castle were all made of soil, at that time, they didn’t use stone walls.

The range of Tajima province and the location of the castle

The situation became more complex in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period when many battles happened. The power of the Yamana Clan decreased while other lords outside Tajima Province wanted to get more territory. For example, in 1571, Suketoyo Yamana, the lord of the clan invaded Tanba Province, however, it was counterattacked and Takeda Castle was temporarily captured by Naomasa Ogino from Kuroi Castle of Tanba in 1575. Suketomo thought he would also ask for help from the strongest warlord, such as Nobunaga Oda and the Mori Clan depending on the situation to maintain his territory. However, when Nobunaga sent troops led by Hidenaga (Toyotomi) Hashiba who was the little brother of Hideyoshi Hashiba, the later ruler of Japan, to Tajima Province in 1577, Nobunaga gained control of Takeda Castle (it is uncertain if it was caused by a battle or a surrender). After Nobunaga died in 1582, when Hideyoshi became the ruler, he ordered Hidenaga to stay and improved Takeda Castle. It could be because Ikuno Silver Mine was there, which made the owner very rich, near the castle. It is thought that building the stone walls on the top started then. The improvement was followed by Masahiro Saimura, another retainer of Hideyoshi, when Hidenaga moved to Wakayama Castle in 1585.

The family crest of the Yamana Clan *(licensed by Houunji 1642 via Wikimedia Commons)*

*The illustration of Naomasa, from the signboard at the site* of Kuroi Castle Ruins

*The portrait of Hidenaga Toyotomi, owned by Shungakuin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Masahiro Saimaura completes Castle

Masahiro was originally called Hirohide Akamatsu, a local lord in Tatsuno Castle, Harima Province. He surrendered to Hideyoshi when Hideyoshi invaded Harima Province in 1577, however, Hideyoshi took away his castle so that he had to become Hideyoshi’s retainer. Masahiro worked hard for Hideyoshi to get his original territory back some day. As a result, Hideyoshi gave Masahiro a territory, not in Tatsuno, but with Takeda Castle. Masahiro’s territory only earned 22 thousand koku of rice, which meant he could not afford to build great stone walls at Takeda Castle. It is considered that the construction of castle was backed up by Hideyoshi. Masahiro continued to contribute to Hideyoshi, such as joining the invasion of Korea, ordered by Hideyoshi. It is said that some gate structures of Takeda Castle were reflected by those of Japanese Castles in Korea, built for the invasion.

The family crest of the Akamatsu Clan *(licensed by KfskzsuRPkwt via Wikimedia Commons)*

The great stone walls of Takeda Castle on the mountain

Takeda Castle was built on the mountain with three ridges; long ones in the north and the south, and a short one in the southwest. The Main Enclosure was on the top and had the Main Tower, but its details are unknown. Each ridge had several enclosures including a large one which could accommodate soldiers and supplies. The edge of the ridges was open to the outside, but was also protected strictly by a defensive gate. They were all surrounded by great stone walls, piled using natural or roughly processed stones in a method called Nozura-zumi. A professional stone-piling guild was called in to do this. One of the advanced things of this castle’s layout was that it included bypass routes between the three ridges. The defenders could move from one to another smoothly so that they were able to respond to enemies’ attacks flexibly.

The aerial photo around the castle

The stone wall base for the Main Tower of Takeda Castle

Abrupt ending of Masahiro and Castle

Masahiro usually lived in his Main Hall at the foot while developing the castle town. He was also interested in Chinese studies and communicated with domestic Confucians and a high-class Korean official. It is said that he also built a shrine to Confucianism in the castle on the mountain. However, the lives of he and his castle suddenly ended. In the crucial battle between the East Squad led by Ieyasu Tokugawa and the West Squad led by Mitsunari Ishida which happened in 1600, Masahiro joined the West Squad. When Masahiro heard about Mitsunari being defeated by Ieyasu at Sekigahara field, he switched to support the East Squad. He burned the castle town around Tottori Castle where another lord supporting the West Squad lived, to show his loyalty to Ieyasu. However, Ieyasu’s decision was to force Masahiro to kill himself by performing Harakiri to put the responsibility of the burning on him. This was an incomprehensible conclusion, but some historians speculate that Ieyasu and his Tokugawa Shogunate also wanted to secure Ikuno Silver Mine by removing possible rebels like Masahiro.

The ruins of Akamatsu Hachiman Shine at Tottori, where Masahiro was worshiped

To be continued in “Takeda Castle Part2”