Hojo clan – ページ 2 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

118.Oshi Castle Part1

Tins castle is known for the Battle of Oshi Castle.

Location and History

Narita Clan builds Castle using Marshes between rivers

Gyoda City is located in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture, which is sandwiched by two large rivers in the Kanto Region, Tonegawa and Aarakawa Rivers. The land of the city is very flat and has been developed for living comfortably, however, it was marshy and waterlogged in the Middle Ages due to its terrain and flood from the rivers. The Narita Clan governed the area, which was called Oshi, in the 15th and 16th Centuries during the Sengoku Period. It is said that the clan first built Oshi Castle in the late 15th Century. Many battles happened in the Kanto Region at that time, so local lords needed to protect themselves by building strong castles. Some built mountain castles such as Minowa Castle for the Nagano Clan and Kanayama Castle for the Iwamatsu Clan. On the other hand, the Narita Clan’s choice was to build a Water Castle, using the area’s features of islands among the marshes and natural levees along the rivers. The castle’s enclosures were connected by paths on bridges and earthen walls.

The range of Gyoda City and The location of the castle

The strength of the castle was actually proven when Hideyoshi Toyotomi invaded the Kanto Region to complete his unification of Japan in 1590. The whole region had been governed by the Hojo Clan which the Narita Clan served then. The Hojo Clan ordered their branches including Oshi Castle to gather soldiers to their home base, Odawara Castle to against Hideyoshi. Ujinaga Narita, the lord of Oshi Castle had to leave it for Odawawa, so few defenders were left in the castle, under the castle keeper, Nagachika Narita, Ujinaga’s cousin. Hideyosi attacked the Hojo’s territory with over 200,000 soldiers, sending troops to not only Odawara Castle but also branch castles. For example, Kanayama Castle where a magistrate from the Hojo governed was easily open by the troops. However, the only 500 defenders with 2500 residents in Oshi castle, instructed by Nagachika, never surrendered against over 20,000 attackers.

Castle is attacked by Inundation tactics in Battle of Oshi Castle

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

The commander head of the attackers was Mitsunari Ishida, a highly trusted retainer from Hideyoshi, who was also supported by other lords, such as Nagamasa Asano and Masayuki Sanada. Hideyoshi was not there, but he ordered Mitsunari to flood the castle by making banks surrounding it to keep more water. His idea probably came from the geographical features and his successful experience of the Battle of Bicchu-Takamatsu Castle where he did the same way. It is said that Mitsunari put his strong hold on Maruhakayama-Kofun, an Ancient Burial Mound, about 2km away from the castle in the south. His team rapidly built 15 to 25 km banks around the mound in few days to dam water from the rivers. A folk story remains that farmers were asked to bring earth bags to build banks for a high fee.

The portrait of Mitsunari Ishida, owned by Hajime Sugiyama (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The partially remaining bank Mitsunari built, called Ishida Tsutsumi

It is uncertain if his attempt was successful according to some records in which the defenders secretly cut part of the banks to drain water drowning some attackers. The fact is that when the supporting lords tried to assault the castle, Hideyoshi ordered them to stop it and continue the inundation. The siege lasted for about a month, however, the castle couldn’t be beaten until the master Hojo surrendered in Odawara Castle. The castle has been nicknamed “a floating castle” of “a turtle castle” which probably originate from what the castle looked like in the siege.

“The illustration of the Narita Clan’s Oshi Castle during the Tensho Era”, it was made by a local historian to consider the Battle of Oshi Castle during the Meiji Era, exhibited by the Gyoda City Local Museum

The Horikiri-bashi Bridge where the bank was cut according to a local tradition

Castle becomes important defense site for Edo

In the Edo Period, Oshi Castle was governed by relatives or hereditary vassals of the shoguns as the Oshi Domain. This was because this castle was located in an important defensive site for Edo Castle, the shogun’s home base in the south. It is said that the Abe Clan, which often became members of shogun’s council of elders, completed the castle. They still used the basic structures of the castle as the island-like enclosures among the moats and marshes. However, they improved the castle’s defense systems more by building the three-level turret (similar to the Main Tower), other turrets and gates. The castle and domain were finally followed by the Okudaira-Matsudaira Clan, whose origin was the son of Nobumasa Okudaira who contributed to Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of the shogunate, in the Battle of Nagashino Castle and was married with Ieyasu’s daughter. They were trusted in and ordered by the shogunate to guard the No.3 Shinagawa Battery facing Edo Bay to prepare for possible threat to Western battleships at the end of the Edo Period.

The miniature model of Oshi Castle during the Edo Period, exhibited by the Gyoda City Local Museum

The rebuilt three-level turret of Oshi Castle, it was built in a different position from the original one

To be continued in “Oshi Castle Part2”

17.Kanayama Castle Part2

An impregnable fortress on a hiking course

Features

Castle Ruins on Hiking Course

Today, the ruins of Kanayama Castle have been well developed by Ota City. The mountain, where the ruins were located, are covered by several hiking courses including the routes to the ruins, where you can see many people enjoying and relaxing on them. For history fans visiting the ruins, it may be better to climb Nishiyama (the Western Mountain) course from such as Historic Site Kanayama Castle Guidance Facility.

The map around the castle

Historic Site Kanayama Castle Guidance Facility

The entrance to the Western Mountain course from the facility

Arriving at the parking lot on the mountain

Drivers can also go straight to the parking lot on the mountain through the Kanayama Drive Way, about 700m away from the top, around Nishijo or the Western Castle area. The Western Mountain hiking course also meets the area, so a tour to the ruins usually starts there.

The entrance ruins of the Western Castle near the parking lot

Defense system to prevent enemies from attacking Castle easily

To go to the center of the ruins, you need to go on the original or recently developed route towards the east. You will find several ditches which were built for preventing enemies from attacking the castle easily.

The location map of the castle ruins at the site

a route to the center, developed in the present time

An original route, but it breaks on the way

In particular, the one in front of the Lookout Tower was built by digging bedrock deeply, which looks very impressive. In addition, double entrances behind the ditch are surrounded by restored stone walls, and you can enter them after going across the earthen bridge over the ditch.

The miniature model of around the Lookout Tower, exhibited by Historic Site Kanayama Castle Guidance Facility

The tower above the entrance was rebuilt as an observation platform, where you can see great views of the city area and mountains around. This area must have been a pivot point of the castle.

The rebuilt tower as an observation platform

Looking down the entrance from the tower

Restored Main Entrance with Stone Walls and Paving

Next comes the main portion of the castle, called Mijo, which is divided by the Large Ditch, the largest one in the castle, and a small reservoir being covered with stone mounds, called Tsuki-no-ike or the Moon Pond.

The map of the main portion of the castle

Over the pond, you will see the outstanding Main Entrance in a valley, which are surrounded by great several tiered stone walls on both sides. The entrance also has stone paving with drainage ditches, so it looks like a European castle. These stone walls were recently restored by the officials based on the achievements of the excavations and studies, partially using the original stones.

The several tiered stone walls on the northern side of the valley

Seeing the southern side of the valley from the northern side

Seeing the Main Entrance from the inside

They were thought to be completed by the Hojo Clan, the final owner of the castle. This is because they were piled in a method called Agodome style (in which all the stones in the bottom row are layered heavily to prevent the walls from collapsing) which the clan used in Hachioji Castle, their other branch castle. However, the excavation team also found that the stone walls were improved many times, so other clans might have started to build them.

A part of the stone walls, having the Agodashi style

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

17.Kanayama Castle Part1

An important and strong castle in the northern Kanto Region

Location and History

Yoshisada Nitta comes from Nitta Manor

Kanayama Castle was located on Kanayama Mountain in modern day Ota City, Gunma Prefecture. The area around the city was called Nitta Manor in the Middle Ages, where the Nitta Clan, a relative of the Minamoto Clan which originated from the Imperial Family, settled in. It was on Tozando Route, a major one in Kanto Region, and was sandwiched between Tone River and Watarase River, two major ones in the region as well. In the past, large rivers could provide rich farmland, water transportation, and even barriers when a battle happened. That’s why the area of Nitta Manor was considered important.

The range of Ota City and the location of the castle

Iezumi Iwamatsu builds Castle

Yoshisada Nitta is the most famous person of the clan, who attacked and defeated the Kamakura Shogunate in 1333. However, he was unfortunately defeated in 1338 by troops of the Ashikaga Shogunate which Takauji Ashikaga who was also a descendant of the Minamoto Clan established. After that, the Iwamatsu Clan, a branch of the Nitta but supporting the shogunate, followed the manor. The lord of the clan originally lived in the hall on a plain area, called the Iwamatsu Hall. However, it got too dangerous to continue to do so, because many battles happened all over the Kanto Region since the Kyotoku War started back in 1454. Therefore, the lord of the clan at that time, Iezumi Iwamatsu decided to build his new home base on Kanayama Mountain in the northern part of the manor, which would eventually be completed in 1469, and be called Kanayama Castle.

The portrait of Yoshisada Nitta, owned by Fujishima Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The ruins of Iwamatsu Hall which has become Shorenji Temple

A view of Kanayama Mountain seen from around Iwamatsu Hall Ruins

Yura Clan overthrows Iwamatsu Clan

In the Sengoku Period when the Kanayama Castle was active, a popular trend called Gekokujo or Overthrowing their lords was often seen. In the case of the Iwamatsu Clan, their senior vassal, the Yokose Clan overthrew the Iwamatsu Clan, by supporting a puppet lord and killing an unmanageable lord. For example, the lord, Naozumi Iwamatsu was forced to retire and devote all of himself to the field of linked poem called Renga. The Yokose Clan finally changed their family name to the Yura Clan, declaring they were actually another branch of the Nitta Clan, which also meant a descendant of the Minamoto Clan. They needed not only real power but also the authority the people could respect, to survive as a local warlord during the period.

The self-portrait of Naozumi Iwamatsu, owned by Shorenji Temple, one of the earliest self-portraits in Japan (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The tomb of Naozumi Iwamatsu, located near Shorenji Temple

Hojo Clan takes over and completes Castle

In the late 16th Century, much larger warlords than the Yura Clan, such as the Hojo, Uesugi, and Takeda Clans, battled each other over the Kanto Region. The policy of the Yura Clan was to deal and follow the strongest warlord each time as other local lords did. The lord of the clan, Narishige Yura even mediated between the Hojo Clan and Uesugi Clan in 1569 to provide Kanayama Castle for their negotiation, but unfortunately, the alliance lasted only a short time. The clan following one great warlord meant that they could be attacked by other great warlords. Kanayama Castle was actually attacked several times by all the three warlords, the Hojo, Uesugi, and the Takeda, however, never failed. That’s why this castle was considered impregnable and called one of the Seven Great Castles in the Kanto Region. The Kanto Region eventually belonged to the Hojo Clan, which forced the Yura Clan to hand Kanayama Castle over to the Hojo Clan in 1585.

The tomb of Narishige Yura (in the center) at Kinryuji Temple near the castle ruins

The portrait of Ujiyasu Hojo whom Naozumi suggested the alliance with the Uesugi Clan, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Kenshin Uesugi whom Naozumi suggested the alliance with the Hojo Clan, owned by Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The first stage of Kanayama Castle seemed to be built on around the top of the mountain and made of soil. As time passed by, the castle was developed and improved greatly. It is said that the Hojo Clan completed the final version of the castle. They expanded the range of the castle from the top to the western and southern ridges of the mountain. They also improved the main portion of the castle by building stone walls and even stone paving. The castle didn’t have the Main Tower which major castles in western Japan often had, but it is very rare case for those in eastern Japan to have full-scale stone walls at that time.

The restored Main Entrance of Kanayama Castle

The miniature model of the Main Entrance of Kanayama Castle, exhibited by Historic Site Kanayama Castle Guidance Facility

Abrupt ending of Castle

The main history of Kanayama Castle ended all too soon in 1590 when the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi invaded the Hojo’s territory in order to unify Japan. Kanayama Castle was governed by the Hojo’s retainers, but many of them were ordered to gather in Odawara Castle, the Hojo’s home base, so only a few defenders remained in Kanayama Castle. That’s why they had to surrender and open it when they were attacked by the invasion troops led by Toshiie Maeda. After that, the castle was eventually abandoned.

To be continued in “Kanayama Castle Part2”