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

57.Sasayama Castle Part1

One of the castles which were built to surround Osaka Castle

Location and History

Tanba, Important Province for Rulers

Sasayama Castle was located in modern day Tanba-Sasayama City, in Hyogo Prefecture. Hyogo is a large prefecture which covers the western part of the Kansai Region. However, the castle was located at that time in Tanba Province which is much smaller than Hyogo Prefecture but was located in mountain areas just behind the northwest of Kyoto, the previous capital of Japan. That meant governing Tanba Province was very important to protect Kyoto and monitor if the lords in western Japan would do something effective to the central political circles.

The range of Tanba Province and the location of the castle

Castle construction is ordered by Shogunate

Ieyasu Tokugawa defeated Mitsunari Ishida supporting the Toyotomi Clan in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and established the Tokugawa Shogunate by becoming the shogun in 1603. However, the situation was still unstable because the Toyotomi Clan was still living in Osaka Castle, which was uncontrollable by the shogunate. In addition, there were many lords in western Japan, who were in favor of the Toyotomi Clan and might have been against the shogunate in the future. The response of Ieyasu to the situation was to build several strong castles around Osaka Castle to contain the Toyotomi Clan and divide the Toyotomi Clan and its favors. They are known as Nagoya, Iga-Ueno, Hikone, Zeze, Nijo in Kyoto, Kameyama and Sasayama Castles. These castles were built as the construction orders by the shogunate, which made lords including the Toyotomi Clan favors join at their own expenses. The side effects of the constructions were to reduce the lords’ money and force them to give up their rebellious split to be against the shogunate by showing the strong network of the castles.

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

The network of the castles around Osaka Castle, which Ieyasu built

The construction of Sasayama Castle launched in 1603, which was instructed by Terumasa Ikeda who was the lord of Himeji Castle, with the help of 20 lords from 15 provinces and was designed by Takatora Todo who was considered as a master of castle constructions. The castle was built on a hill called Sasayama, in the Sasayama Basin. The main portion of the castle was on the hill, using the natural terrain and building high stone walls over the hill. Other than that, the castle had simple flat square enclosures and double water moats surrounding it. That designs made it easier to build the castle, but it would made it weaker to protect the castle instead.

The Portrait of Terumasa Ikeda, owned by Tottori prefectural art museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The main portion of Sasayama Castle, from the miniature model of the castle, exhibited by the historical museum in the Large Study Hall of Sasayama Castle

The castle was surrounded by the double water moats, from the miniature model of the castle, same as above

Castle is designed by Takatora Todo

To prevent enemies from attacking it easily, Takatora designed the castle’s entrances to be strictly protected using the Masugata system. The Masugata refers to a defensive square space which was surrounded by gates and stone walls where enemies would be locked out. Another defensive system that Takatora designed was the Umadashi. It refers to a square enclosure sticking out from the entrance connected by a narrow path among the moat. The enclosure had another moat in front of it, so its entrances were at both sides where the defenders could counterattack from them. Takatora established these structures in his own Imabari Castle which was completed in 1604.

The Umadashi and Masugata systems at the Main Gate of Sasayama Castle, from the miniature model of the castle, same as above

The Masugata system of Imabari Castle, from the signboard at the site

Main Tower is not built

On the other hand, Sasayama Castle didn’t have its Main Tower in the Main Enclosure on the top. In fact, the stone wall base for the tower was built, however, the tower was not built. This was because the shogunate determined the castle would not need it as it would be enough to protect the castle without it. Another reason was that the lords working for the construction also needed to move to the another site for Nagoya Castle. That’s why Sasayama Castle was completed after only a half year of construction. Instead, several turrets were built in the Main Enclosure and the Main Hall for the lord was built in the Second Enclosure, which constituted the main portion of the castle.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower of Sasayama Castle

The Main Enclosure of Sasayama Castle, where its Main Tower was not built, from the miniature model of the castle, same as above

The Large Study Hall, the restored building of the Main Hall in the Second Enclosure of Sasayama Castle

The castle was first owned by Yasushige Matsudaira, a relative of Ieyasu Tokugawa. After the shogunate defeated the Toyotomi Clan in 1615, several hereditary feudal lords followed the castle to monitor non-hereditary feudal lords in western Japan as the Sasayama Domain, such as the Aoyama Clan which governed the area until the end of the Edo Period.

The portrait of Yasushige Matsudaira (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

A general view of Sasayama Castle, from the signboard at the site

To be continued in “Sasayama Castle Part2”

74.Iwakuni Castle Part1

The castle is reflected by Hiroie Kikkawa’s life.

Location and History

Hiroie saves Mori Clan

Iwakuni is known for its beautiful scenery from Kintaikyo bridge which has five magnificent wooden arches. The bridge over Nishikigawa River also has a good background of a mountain with the Main Tower of Iwakuni Castle. Visitors may think they all remain as they were, however, the castle has many episodes, in fact, and had a tough life.

Kintaikyo bridge with the background of Iwakuni Castle on the mountain

Hiroie Kikkawa was the founder of the castle, who also was a senior vassal and relative of the Mori Clan. The clan governed most of the Chugoku Region with an earning of 1.2 million koku of rice at the end of the 16th Century. However, after the ruler of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi died in 1598, the situation became unstable. Many lords tried to rely on Ieyasu Tokugawa, the largest one in eastern Japan with 2.5 million koku as the next ruler, while others including Mitsunari Ishida still supported the Toyotomi Clan. Mitsunari tried to make the lord of the Mori Clan, Terumoto Mori as their leader because the clan was the largest lord in western Japan. The opinions inside the clan were divided. One is to support Mitsunari and become the next ruler instead of Ieyasu, mainly insisted by Ekei Ankokuji, the other is to support Ieyasu to maintain their territory, objected by Hiroie.

The portrait of Hiroie Kikkawa, owned by Historiographical Institute the University of Tokyo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Terumoto Mori, owned by the Mori Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

When the Battle of Sekigahara happened in 1600, Terumoto became the head of the West Quad which was actually led by Mitsunari, because being a ruler was attractive to him. Hiroie was a cool-headed commander who knew his master couldn’t take over the East Quad led by Ieyasu. Therefore, he contacted Ieyasu secretly and promised that his troops would not do anything in the battle in exchange for maintaining the Mori’s territory. As a result, Ieyasu defeated Mitsunari. However, after the battle, Ieyasu found out the evidence that Terumoto had wanted to be a ruler. Ieyasu decided to take all the Mori’s territory away from Terumoto and give two provinces (Nagato and Suo) of it to Hiroie. Hiroie urged Ieyasu to give the provinces to Terumoto instead of him. In the end, Mori’s territory was formally reduced from a worth of 1.2 million koku to only 370 thousand koku of the two provinces, known as the Choshu Domain.

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

Iwakuni Castle is built in Hiroie’s new territory

Hiroie had to stand in a difficult position. He was actually the hero of the Mori Clan, but many members of it thought he was a destroyer. He was finally given by the clan a small territory with 30 thousand koku, which was the eastern edge of the Choshu Domain. Hiroie started to build a new castle as his home base in 1601, which would be called Iwakuni Castle. He first built his residence called Odoi beside Nishikigawa River which could be the natural Outer Moat. The residence was also surrounded by the artificial Inner Moat. After that he developed the mountain part of the castle mainly by building the Northern, Main and Second Enclosures on the ridge from the north to the south. They were all surrounded by stone walls and the Main Enclosure had the four-level Main Tower. The castle was completed in 1608.

The range or the Choshu Domain and the location of the castle

The relief map around the castle

Hiroie’s hard decision to destroy Mountain part

However, another difficulty was coming to Hiroie after the Tokugawa Shogunate defeated the Toyotomi Clan in 1615. The Tokugawa Shogunate ordered all the lords in Japan to destroy all the castles except for one castle where the lord lived by issuing the Law of One Castle per Province in the same year. The shogunate tried to prevent any other lords from rebelling based on many strong castles. According to this law, Iwakuni Castle could survive because the castle could be the only one castle in Suo Province and the shogunate still considered Hiroie’s Kikkawa Clan as an independent lord. However, the Mori Clan didn’t allow it as they thought that the Kikkawa Clan was just a retainer of them, not an independent lord. The controversial relation between Hiroie and the Mori Clan since the Sekigahara Battle remained. Hiroie had to choose to destroy the castle considering the future relationship with the Mori Clan.

Intentionally broken stone walls on the mountain

The mountain part was actually destroyed but the residence beside the river survived for living. It was formally called Iwakuni Encampment, not Castle until the end of the Edo Period. Kintaikyo Bridge was first built in 1673 by the third lord of the clan, Hiroyoshi Kikkawa to connect his residence with the castle town which had been built at the opposite side of the river. This bridge could be seen as a symbol of the peace at that time.

The ruins of the Odoi residence at the foot

”Kintaikyo bridge in Suo Province” from the series “Unusual Views of Celebrated Bridges in the Provinces” attributed to Hokusai Katsushika in the Edo Period (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Iwakuni Castle Part2”

47.Iga-Ueno Castle Part1

The castle for protecting and attacking Osaka

Location and History

From Home of Ninja to Site for protecting Osaka

Iga-Ueno Castle was located in Iga Province which is now the western part of Mie Prefecture. Iga is probably more well known for being the home of Ninja than for the castle. Actually, before the castle was built in 1585, the province was divided among many small local lords. They gained special knowledge and techniques so that they could protect themselves. They were also often hired by larger warlords in other provinces as spies or Special Forces we now call Ninja. Unfortunately, they were conquered by Nobunaga Oda in 1581. When Nobunaga’s successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi was organizing his unification of Japan, he sent Sadatsugu Tsutsui to the province as the lord.

The range of Iga Province and the location of the castle

The portrait of Sadatsugu Tsutsui, from a collection of Japanese poems called Giretsu-Hyakuninisshu, owned by National Institute of Japanese Literature (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Hideyoshi was based in Osaka Castle, so Iga Province was on the direct route from Osaka to eastern Japan. That’s why he sent Sadatsugu who first built Iga-Ueno Castle in 1585. Therefore, the castle was supposed to prevent enemies from attacking from the east. The three-level Main Tower of the castle was also built in the eastern part of it. Sadatsugu somehow survived when Ieyasu Tokugawa became the final ruler at the beginning of the 17th Century after Hideyoshi died. However, he was fired by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1608 due to a claim of misgovernment from his retainers. Historians speculate that the shogunate, in fact, wanted to remove Sadatsugu who was doubly loyal to both the shogunate and the Toyotomi Clan still at Osaka Castle.

Toyotomi’s Main Tower of Osaka Castle, from “The summer campaign of the siege of Osaka folding screens”, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

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

Takatora Todo renovated Castle for attacking Osaka

Instead, the shogunate transferred Takatora Todo from Imabari Castle in Shikoku Island to Iga province. Takatora was not a hereditary feudal lord, which meant he didn’t work under Ieyasu Tokugawa, who was the founder of the shogunate, for a long time. However, he was a well-known master of castle construction through having build Uwajima, Ozu and Imabari Castles. He also helped the shogunate build its famous castles such as Edo, Nagoya, and Nijo in Kyoto. That’s why he was trusted by the shogunate. They expected Takatora to build a strong castle to stand against the Toyotomi Clan at Osaka Castle in the west. Takatora accomplished this by renovating Iga-Ueno Castle. He thought that if the shogunate were to be beaten at Osaka Castle, he could accommodate Ieyasu in Iga-Ueno Castle.

Takatora extended the Main Enclosure, the center of the castle on a hill to the west, towards Osaka Castle. He invited a guild of craftsmen called Ano-shu to build the highest stone walls (at that time) at the western side of the enclosure. It was completed- Takatora’s biography praises him, saying the stone walls were greater then those of Osaka Castle. Takatora also started to build the five-level Main Tower behind the stone walls, however, the tower collapsed due to a windstorm in 1612. The Second Enclosure was built beside the hill in the south, which was used as warriors’ housing. It had two large Main Gates in its western and eastern parts. The construction was ongoing when the battles between the shogunate and the Toyotomi Clan happened in 1614. however, it halted after the shogunate beat the Toyotomi Clan in 1615.

*The illustration of Hachimanyama Castle and Town*, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The old photo of the Western Main Gate (*licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Homebase for Wartime

Takatora gave his younger brother Iga-Ueno Castle as his branch castle, and set Tsu Castle as his home base. Tsu Castle was located in a plains area near the sea in Ise Province which was another territory of his. He said that Tsu Castle would be his home base for peacetime while Iga-Ueno Castle would be the other one for wartime. After that, the senior vassals of the Todo Clan governed the castle and Iga Province in the peacetime of the Edo Period. They lived in the official residence where Sadatsugu Tsutsui originally lived. The first Main Tower, which Sadatsugu built, also remained for a while, but it is thought to have collapsed due to another windstorm in 1633 as well.

The ruins of the official residence of Iga-Ueno Castle

The official residence area drawn in the Kanei Era of the Edo Period, exhibited by Iga-Ueno Castle

To be continued in “Iga-Ueno Castle Part2”