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

122.Otaki Castle Part2

Was there the Main Tower in the castle?

Features

Main Tower as Museum

The map around the castle

Today, there are a few remaining items of the original Otaki Castle. However, Chiba Prefecture rebuilt a historical museum that looks like the Main Tower called Otaki Castle on the Main Enclosure.

Going to Main Enclosure along Isumi-gawa River

If you want to visit the current Otaki Castle, there are two main routes you can take to visit from Otaki Station. One is for drivers, which starts from the front of the station to the south through the Imitation Main Gate. The route turns right to the west along the Isumi-gawa River. This part is named Mexico Street from the relationship with the country, which was derived from the episode of Rodrigo de Vivero.

The Imitation Main Gate near the station

You can see the route was built on the mid slope of the steep cliff with the hill on the right and the river on the left, which were a natural hazard for the castle. The parking lot is located under the Main Enclosure.

The steep cliff of the hill where the castle was built

Looking down the Mexico Street from the Main Enclosure

Going to Main Enclosure through Second Enclosure

The other route is for people on foot, which starts from the back of the station. The ruins of the real Main Gate is nearby. However, there is only one signpost because the area around has become a residential area. After going along the route, you will reach the second enclosure which is now used as a high school. The route goes up on the earthen walls to the enclosure where the Main Hall for the lord was built in the past.

There are two remaining items of the castle. One of them is the Back Gate of the hall, which was once sold, but later restored at its present location. The other is the Large Well which has a perimeter of 17meters. you can see the Main Tower at the highest point on the Main Enclosure from there.

The former Back Gate of the Main Hall called Yakui-mon

The Large Well seen from the Main Enclosure

The Main Tower on the Main Enclosure seen from the Second Enclosure

Old castle traces and New Imitation Main Tower on the Main Enclosure

You can climb up to the Main Enclosure from the front (the Second Enclosure) or the back (the parking lot). On the way to the enclosure, you can see old earthen walls, dry moats, and artificial steep cliffs which probably originated from the first stage of the castle. Indeed, the traces of the castle being called Odaki Castle were discovered during the excavation.

The route to the Main Enclosure from the Second Enclosure

The remaining earthen walls at the Main Enclosure

The route to the Main Enclosure from the parking lot

The artificial steep cliff of an enclosure in the back of the Main Enclosure

However, those of the original Main Tower or its stone wall base have not been found at all. The present Main Tower and its stone wall base were built in the present time, based on a drawing of the original three-level Main Tower which was found at an old merchant house in the castle town. However, since the only item can not be seen as real evidence. It can only be called the Imitation Main Tower.

The Imitation Tower on the Main Enclosure

The stone wall base for the Main Tower, built in the present time

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

90.Hirado Castle Part3

Hirado City is trying a unique promotion.

Features

Rare loopholes through Stones

If you are interested in the Yamaga military style, you can find the loopholes through stones near the Raccoon Dog Turret. Loopholes for guns were usually built through only mud or plaster walls in other castles. However, in Hirado Castle, they were built through the stone walls as well, which is a very rare feature in Japanese castles. It is thought that they were built using the Yamaga style.

An example of normal loopholes for guns from Himeji Castle

a loophole through Stones of Hirado Castle, exhibited by Hirado Castle

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Hirado Castle was abandoned, and most of the castle buildings were demolished. The ruins became Kameoka Park. In 1962, the Imitation Main Tower and four turrets were rebuilt and opened to the public as the new Hirado Castle. Hirado City recently started a new and unique promotion with private companies offering visitors one of the turrets, called Kaiju-Yagura,
to be remodeled and operate as a hotel.

The Kenso Turret, one of the rebuilt turrets in the castle

The Kaiju Turret which is also used as a hotel

My Impression

The present Hirado Castle is not what I had expected before my visit because I thought the castle still kept its old style from the 16th Century. I was convinced of that after learning the history of the castle prior to my visit. I think the castle has a unique atmosphere which probably originates from the Yamaga military style. If you want to learn more about its history, I recommend visiting the restored Dutch Trading House or Matsura Historical Museum near Hirado Port.

The unique shape of the Main Enclosure of Hirado Castle

The restored Dutch Trading House seen from the Main Tower

How to get There

I recommend the use of a car when you visit the castle. It is about 30 minutes away from Matsuura IC or Saza IC on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway. You can park at the parking lots at Kameoka Park.
If you go there from Tokyo or Osaka, I recommend going to either Fukuoka or Nagasaki Airports by plane. After that, it’s better to rent a car as it takes a lot more time to visit the castle by using public transportation to get there.

The parking lot seen form the Main Tower

Links and References

・Hirado Castle Website
・Matsura Historical Museum

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Hirado Castle Part1”
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90.Hirado Castle Part2

A castle with a unique character

Features

Layout using Yamaga style

Today, if you are close to the present Hirado Castle and look at the Imitation Main Tower and some rebuilt turrets on the hill, you may feel that the arrangement of how they are placed is odd. In other castles in general, the Main Tower and turrets are placed along the natural terrain. However, those of Hirado Castle look like they are facing their own directions. This is probably because these buildings were built along the complex line of the stone walls surrounding the castle, based on the Yamaga style.

The Imitation Tower and rebuilt turrets on the hill

The aerial photo around the castle

If you drive to the castle, you can easily go up to the parking lot in the northern part of the hill near the top. After parking, you can walk on the path to the Main Enclosure on the top. The trail reaches the only remaining castle buildings, which are the North Entrance Gate and the Raccoon Dog Turret. The stone walls beside the gate rise with an acute angle to the neighboring turret called Jizozaka
Yagura. This interesting feature may have come from the Yamaga style as well. After passing the gate, you will go on the zigzagged route surrounded by stone walls to the Main Enclosure.

The path from the parking lot to the top

The stone walls rising to the Jizozaka Turret

Main Route to Kameoka Shrine as Approach

You can also access the castle from the south by walking on the Main Route. The route is also the approach to the Kameoka Shrine which is located in the Second Enclosure. The ruins of the Main Gate are on the route. These ruins still have a square space surrounded by strong stone walls, called Masugata, which were built for defense. If you go on to the Second Enclosure Gate’s wide stone steps
of the ruins, you will be in the Second Enclosure. There was the Second Enclosure Main Hall where the lord of the Hirado Domain lived. The three-story Inui Turret was rebuilt in the present time as a souvenir shop. The Kameoka Shrine is at the back of the enclosure below the Main Enclosure.

Castle, Town and Sea seen from Main Tower

The Main Enclosure has the Imitation Main Tower and two rebuilt turrets. The Main Tower was originally another turret called Okimi-Yagura. It is actually a modern building used as a historical museum and observation platform. From the top floor, you can enjoy a great view of the area around the castle, seeing Hirado Port in the north and Hirado Strait in the east both connect to the
Genkai-nada Sea, and there is the interesting shape of the enclosure below.

A view of the Main Enclosure seen from the Main Tower

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