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

74.Iwakuni Castle Part3

The attractions of the Northern Enclosure few people visit

Features

Northern Enclosure remains destroyed

The real highlight of the original Iwakuni Castle is, in fact, the Northern Enclosure which few people visit. You can exit the Main Enclosure through the path beside the stone wall base. Then, you can pass the route across the large dry moat between the Main and Northern Enclosures. This was built by the founder, Hiroie Kikkawa to protect the Main Enclosure from sudden attacks of enemies.

The map around the mountain part

The dry moat between the Main and Northern Enclosures

The inside of the Northern Enclosure is a square now, but if you climb down from it and walk around outside of it carefully, you may be surprised to see what you find. Lots of large stones collapsed and lie around the western side. On the other hand, its stone walls are still intact around the eastern side. This is because of how the Kikkawa Clan destroyed the mountain part of the castle. The clan at first destroy only the buildings of it, however, after the Shimabara Rebellion in 1638, the shogunate ordered the lords in western Japan to destroy unused castles completely. The clan had to do it by destroying part of the stone walls, but left the rest of them probably to protect the people living in that area.

Around the western side of the Northern Enclosure

Around the eastern side of the Northern Enclosure

Foot Area

The former residence at the foot is still surrounded by the Inner Moat, which is now the Kikko Park. Kikko Shine was moved into the park. The main buildings of the shrine are an Important Cultural Property. A Ema-do building (where votive picture tablets are hung) called Kinunkaku stands like a turret at a corner, which was built when the park was established.

The map around the foot area

Some original warriors’ houses remain around the area where you can enjoy walking, seeing, and relaxing.

The remaining Mekata Clan’s residence as an Important Cultural Property

My Impression

I think that Hiroie Kikkawa was a TrulyValiant who could make a decision of not fighting. Many of the Mori Clan at that time and some history fans today have complained that the clan could be a ruler if Hiroie fought in the Sekigahara Battle like I used to imagine. However, it must have been a gamble. The Mori Clan actually survives until today thanks to Hiroie’s decision. He was a far-sighted excellent leader. Iwakuni Castle also survives by practically responding to demands of society like Hiroie’s way of life. That’s why the castle site still prospers with Kintaikyo Bridge.

It may be better to use the wide path in the western part of the castle when you return

The stone walls in the western part seemed to be all demolished

The eastern part still has great stone walls like ones below the Main Enclosure in the photo above

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about 20 minutes from Iwakuni IC on the Sanyo Expressway. There are several parking lots around.
By public transportation, you can take a bus bound for Kintaikyo from Iwakuni Station or Shin-Iwakuni Station and get off at the Kintaikyo bus center.
From Tokyo or Osaka to Iwakuni Station: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Sanyo Line at Hiroshima Station.
From Tokyo or Osaka to Shin-Iwakuni Station: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express.

Links and References

・Kintaikyo-Bridge, Iwakuni City Homepage

That’s all. Thank you.
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74.Iwakuni Castle Part2

Let us try to look into more of the castle.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, the residence at the foot of the mountain was turned into the Kikko Park in 1885. Kintaikyo Bridge survived for 277 years, however it was flown out because of the flood caused by Kezia Typhoon in 1950. People in Iwakuni City restored the bridge in the original method in 1953. It was rebuilt again in 2004 due to deterioration. That’s why it still looks new. It has been designated as a National Scenic Spot since 1922.

As for Iwakuni Castle, the Main Tower on the mountain was rebuilt in 1963, but its position was moved by about 50m from the original in ordered to be more well seen from the foot with the bridge. The cable car between the foot and the top also opened in 1964 which has been boosting tourism.

The present Main Tower of Iwakuni Castle which can be seen from the foot

Features

From Kintaikyo Bridge to Rebuilt Main Tower

For visitors who visit the area around Iwakuni Castle site today, the castle itself might not be popular for them. They probably want to see and walk across Kintaikyo Bridge first. They can also ride a cable car to the top of the mountain to enjoy the great view of the area including the bridge. Visiting the rebuilt Main Tower may be their third option because they can get a better view of the bridge from the foot. However, if you try to look into more of the castle, you can find new perspectives of it.

A view of Kintaikyo bridge from the top of the mountain

After arriving at the platform of the cable car, you will find the guide plate of the two routes to the castle. The guide plate recommends taking the left road, but I suggest taking the right road. This is because the path on the right leads you the front side of the castle. You will see the edge of the remaining stone walls with triangular stones on the right side of the trail. You can also see the great stone walls of the Second Enclosure on the left. As you go further, the Barbican Enclosure overhangs in front of you. It has a defensive square space called Masugata inside which was the Main Gate of the castle. The inside of the Gate Ruins is the Second Enclosure which is used as a modern rock garden, modified in the present time.

The map around the castle

The guide plate recommends the left wide road

The stone walls below the Second Enclosure

The stone walls of the Barbican Enclosure overhangs

Rebuilt Main Tower and Original Main Tower Base

The Main Enclosure is next to the Second Enclosure in the north. The restored Main Tower stands out in front of you. The tower probably has a similar appearance to the original one because its designer used the cross section drawing which was said to come from the original. It has four levels with the third one of which hanging out. This type of Main Towers was rare, called Nanban-zukuri or the Western Style. The tower is actually a modern building which is used as a historical museum and an observation platform. The original stone wall base for the Main Tower was also restored in the original position according to the excavation.

The Main Enclosure including the rebuilt Main Tower seen from the Second Enclosure

The explanation about the cross section drawing of the Main Tower, exhibited by Iwakuni Castle

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

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

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”