Inuyama Castle – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

29.Matsumoto Castle Part2

When you arrive at Matsumoto Castle, in the present time, the first thing you have to do is to enjoy its Main Tower. It is one of the only two remaining five-level Main Towers, followed by Himeji Castle, one of the five Main Towers of Japan’s National Treasures, and one of the twelve remaining Main Towers.

Features

Beautiful but Strong Main Tower

It may be a good idea to walk around the inner moat surrounding the main enclosure to enjoy a beautiful view of the tower before entering it. The width of the moat in front of the tower is about 60m. It would make enemies shooting up from the side ineffective but defenders shooting down from the tower more effective at that time. In addition, if the enemies could swim across the moat to the tower, they would be heavily counterattacked by the defenders through its defense systems such as machicolations and loopholes.

The aerial photo around the castle

The inner moat in front of the Main Tower

A machicolation and loopholes near the entrance of the tower

Reasons for Black Main Tower

The black-looking Main Tower of Matsumoto Castle (sometimes called “Crow Castle”) is often compared with the Himeji castle’s painted white clearly by contrast. Its black appearance comes from its wooden side walls covered with special Japanese lacquer, which could withstand harsh weathers. Himeji Castle is covered in plaster, which make it look white, and it is newer than Matsumoto Castle. It is said that using plaster on all walls of a castle would not effectively protect against the rain when Matsumoto Castle was built. That meant the improvements in wall painting techniques occurred between the building of the two castles. Another possible reason for the using the black walls is that wooden walls are stronger than plaster walls against the cold winter of inland area like the Matsumoto Basin.

If you look up at the Main Tower, you can see its each level is covered with plaster in the upper part and wooden walls in the lower part

Himeji Castle, a representative of white castles

Some also say black was a favorite color of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, while white was the color which Ieyasu Tokugawa often used for his castles when Himeji Castle was built. Anyway, these speculations are enjoyable to see the contrast.

*Hideyoshi’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*)

Nagoya Castle, another representative of white castle, during Ieyasu’s period

Unique Lookout Tower

The Main Tower of Matsumoto Castle actually consists of the large main tower, the Inui small main tower, and three turrets (Watari Yagura, Tatsumi-Tsuke Yagura and Tsukimi Yagura) which are connected to each other. This is called “multiple attached style”. The large one is generally considered “the Main Tower”. The tower has five levels but six floors inside. This type of the tower is called the lookout tower type, which refers to a small lookout tower on a large turret. In the case of Matsumoto Castle, the turret part is the first and second floors and the fifth and top floors is the tower part, binding the middle part of the third and fourth floors. However, the third floor is built as the attic of the turret part, with no roof. That’s why the numbers of its levels and floors are different.

(From the left) The Inui small main tower, (simple) Watari Turret, the large main tower, Tatsumi Turret, and Tsukimi Turret)

In addition, the Main Tower has a striking appearance for a lookout tower. One of the reasons for this is that the top floor doesn’t have a veranda, which lookout towers usually had, and is covered with walls. The fact is that it had been first planned to have a veranda, but was changed to its current state during construction. As a result, the tower looks a little top-heavy.

The top level is covered with the walls, which looks a little top-heavy.

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

138.Echizen-Ohno Castle Part1

Nagachika Kanamori built the unique Tenshu and the castle town.

Location and History

Nagachika Kanamori, retainer of Nobunaga Oda, builds Castle

Echizen-Ohno Caste was located in Ohno Basin in the eastern part of Echizen Province, what is now Fukui Prefecture. The Asakura Clan governed the province until 1573 during the Sengoku Period when the clan was defeated by Nobunaga Oda. The Ikkoshu Sect once took over the province, but Nobunaga defeated them again in 1575. Nobunaga gave the area around Ohno Basin to his retainer, Nagachika Kanamori, who was distinguished in the battle. This area connected the western, seaside part of the province and Hida Province inland. It was an important area for warlords to govern Echizen Province.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century {licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Nagachika Kanamori, owned by Ryogenin Temple {licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Nagachika first lived in Inuyama Castle, a mountain castle beside the basin, which the Asakura Clan used. However, Nagachika decided to build a new castle and its castle town in the basin in 1576 to make his governance stable. He seemed to build both the castle and castle town using advanced methods. These methods were similar to ones used for the historical home bases Komakiyama and Gifu Castles, which were built by his mater, Nobunaga Oda. For example, the new castle called Echizen-Ohno Castle was built with stone walls and the Tenshu building on a hill called Kame-yama in the basin.

Unique Tenshu and Advanced Castle Town

Tenshu basically means the Main Tower in the center of a castle. However, the Tenshu of Echizen-Ohono Castle did not look like a Main Tower. Instead, it looked like three combined halls. This was because the construction of Echizen-Ohno Castle started before the completion of Azuchi Castle in 1579, Nobunaga’s last home base. Azuchi Castle had the first Tenshu building which looked like the Main Tower in Japan. Before that, Tenshu had just meant the center building of a castle. Echizen-Ohno Castle was completed in 1580 and its Tenshu building remained for a long time. However, the Tenshu was unfortunately burned down in 1795 and not restored. If the castle survived, it would be considered quite a unique part of Japanese History and heritage.

The illustration of Echizen-Ohno Castle’s Tenshu, quoted from the leaflet of an exhibition of Ohno City

The miniature model of Azuchi Castle’s Tehshu, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Museum

Nagachika created the castle town in an advanced way as well. The town was divided orderly to accommodate warriors, merchants, craftsmen, and temples separately. Such a way to develop castle towns is commonly seen in those in the next century. His master, Nobunaga Oda created the castle town of Komakiyama from the ground up. Nagachika might have followed his master’s method. However, the Komakiyama castle town was abolished by Nobunaga. The people were forced to move with Nobunaga to his next home base, Gifu Castle. By contrast, the Echizen-Ohno castle town remains today as the city area of Ohno City. Nagachika also created Takayama Castle and Takayama town after he was transferred to Hida Province in 1586. The traditional town has now become a world-class tourist destination.

The miniature model of the castle town distribution at the ruins of Komakiyama Castle

The streets and residences of Takayama City *(licensed by *663highland* via Wikimedia Commons)*

Doi Clan governs from Second Enclosure Main Hall

After Nagachika, the lord of the castle changed several times. The Doi Clan governed the castle and the area as the Ohno Domain throughout the Edo Period since 1682. In peaceful times, the lord of the castle lived in the Main Hall in the Second Enclosure at the foot of the mountain. The enclosure was surrounded by a long water moat called Hyakken-bori. The lords rarely used the facilities including the Tenshu on the mountain, called the Main Enclosure, because of the inconvenience of the location. In addition, it would be difficult for officials to govern. That may be why the Tenshu wasn’t restored after the fire.

The introspection model of the Second Enclosure Main Hall, exhibited by the present Echizen-Ohno Castle

The illustration of Echizen-Ohno Castle *, exhibited by the present Echizen-Ohno Castle*

To be continued in “Echizen-Ohno Castle Part2”

149.Komakiyama Castle Part1

The castle had a very short life but rich history.

Location and History

Nobunaga’s Foothold

Komakiyama Castle was located on an 86m high mountain called Komakiyama, on Nobi Plain in Owari Province, what is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture. The mountain had no castle until Nobunaga Oda built a castle on it in 1563. The reason for it was that he wanted to move his home base from Kiyosu Castle in now Nagoya City to this castle. He aimed to capture Inabayama Castle, what is now Gifu City, which the Saito Clan owned at that time. Komakiyama was much closer to Inabayama than Kiyosu. However, it was very rare for warlords and their retainers to move their home to another. They always continued to live in places where their ancestors had been.

The location of the castle

Three Distinct Features

Komakiyama Castle by Nobunaga had three distinct features. First, the Main Enclosure or Honmaru on the top was surrounded by stone walls made using huge stones. Some of the stones were carried from another mountain. At that time, building stone walls for castles was rare, and there was likely no other case like Komakiyama. It was one of the earliest examples of using stone walls as a show of authority.

The remaining stone walls on the mountain

Secondly, the castle had two residences for the lord, one was on the mountain, the other was at the foot. Other warlords who had a mountain castle also often had two residences. They usually lived in the one on the foot and used the one on the mountain when a battle happened. However, in the case of Nobunaga, he seemed to live in his residence on the mountain. He might have considered the mountain as a special place. Another similar example can be seen in Gifu Castle, his next home base.

Lastly, the Main Route went straight from the foot to the mid-slope of the mountain like Azuchi Castle, his last home base. It was abnormal for other warlords to have such a route on the mountain, because it was not defensive. The reason is still unsure, but it must have depended on Nobunaga’s idea. In addition, its castle town was built in an advanced way in an area where nothing existed prior. The town was divided orderly to accommodate warriors, merchants, and craftsmen separately. Such a way to develop castle town is commonly seen in those in the next century.

The miniature model of the castle town distribution at the site

Ieyasu’s Stronghold

The life of the castle by Nobunaga was just four years, as he was successful in capturing Inabayama Castle in 1567. He moved his home base again to Inabayama castle and renamed it Gifu Castle. Komakiyama Castle was abandoned right away. In 1584, the castle was reused by Ieyasu Tokugawa when he fought with the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute. Ieyasu reinforced earthen walls and dry moats surrounding the castle to establish a stronghold there against Hideyoshi at Inuyama Castle. This battle resulted in a dead heat and Ieyasu showed his great presence towards the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate later.

*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 “Komakiyama Castle Part2”