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

197.Shibushi Castle part1

A castle on the Shirasu Plateau, built near an important port

Location and History

Shibushi has been Important Port

Shibushi City, which is located in the eastern part of Kagoshima Prefecture, may have kind of a unique name even in Japanese. This is because when you say the city’s name in Japanese, you will say “SHI-BU-SHI-SHI(city)” which may be difficult to pronounce. This phrase is sometimes used as an example of a Japanese tongue twister like “Shibushi-shi, Shibushi-cho, Shibushi, no, Shibushi-shiyakusho, no, Shibushi-shisho” which means “The Shibushi branch office of the Shibushi city hall, Shibushi, Shibushi Town, Shibushi City”. If you want to understand why it’s called “Shibushi”, you can find it refers to “Present, Cloth and Present” in Japanese. It is said to originate from the legend of the ancient Emperor Tenchi visiting. He was presented cloths from both upper-class and lower-class people, he was very pleased and came up with the name. We are uncertain if the legends are true but the land does have a long history.

The range of Shibushi City and the location of the castle

The signboard of the Shibushi branch office of the Shibushi city hall at the site *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Another feature of the city is Shibushi Port which is designated as a Major Port and a Core International Port. If you go around the port area, you can see huge amount of containers and wood, and some ferries such as Sunflower. The port has actually been prospering since the end of the Ancient Times when some manors in the southern Kyushu Region were developed. International trading was also done during the Middle Ages, which made lords around the area rich. That’s why they wanted to possess the area and they often battled each other over it. Shibushi Castle was a mountain castle for the base to govern the area.

One of Southern Kyushu type Castles

Shibushi Castle also had an important feature as one of the Southern Kyushu type castles which were built on the Shirasu Plateau looking like a mountain or hill in the area. The plateau has been made from volcanic ash caused by ancient eruptions. Its soil is fragile and can easily collapse to form cliffs. Warriors in the area often used this to build their castles because it was easy for them to process natural terrain for strong defensive systems such as deep moats and high walls. Some popular examples of that type castles were Chiran, Sadowara, Obi and Shibushi.

The relief map around the castle

For example, if you are in Shibushi Port and look back at the inland area, you will see the long lying cliffs set back from the coastline. The lords in Shibushi built their castles one by one using that natural terrain. In fact, Shibushi Castle is the generic name of four local castles, Uchijo, Matsuojo, Takajo, and Shinjo. It is said that the Nirei Clan first built Matsuojo in the 14th Century, followed by Uchijo, used as the Hatakeyama and the Niro Clan’s home base in the 16th Century. By then, Takajo and Shinjo were also built as outer compounds for the other two castles. The lord of Shibushi Castle changed again and again to the Kimotsuki Clan and finally the Shimazu Clan. This was because the area around the castle was attractive so it became a battle field between great warlords, the Ito Clan in the north and the Shimazu Clan in the south. Some lords of the castle changed loyalty between the two great lords.

A view of the long lying cliffs of the Shirasu Plateau from Shibushi Port

The aerial photo of the local four castle in Shibushi Castle, from the signboard at the site (adding the red Englich letters)

Strong Defense system using Shirasu Plateau

At the peak of the castle, the main Uchijo had a very complex defensive system. The original Shirasu plateau was cut by three dry moat lines lengthwise and five dry moat lines crosswise. The remaining parts of the plateau became enclosures independently, surrounded by earthen walls and fences. These enclosures had turrets, barracks and residences to maintain and protect the castle. If visitors or enemies wanted to enter the enclosures, they needed to go from the bottom of the moat and pass the defensive gateway of the enclosure. Enemies at the bottom would be attacked from far above by defenders at the enclosures.

The miniature model of Uchijo, exhibited by Shibushi City Center for Archaeological operations

the part of the Main Enclosure from the miniature model above

The lords of the castle usually lived in the residence at the foot and used the castle in the cases of emergency such as a battle. However, the excavation team found in the castle ruins, expensive trading items from overseas such as Ceramic ware as well as daily necessities like domestic pottery, coins, and bullets. These items show that the castle was used for a long time and involved with Shibushi Port where the international trading was done. The castle was finally abandoned by the last owner, the Shimazu Clan due to the Law of One Castle per Province, issued by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1615.

The ruins of Shibushi Castle (the Main Enclosure)

To be continued in “Shibushi Castle Part2”

198.Chiran Castle Part1

This castle was built using features of the Shirasu Plateau

Location and History

Many attractions of Chiran

Chiran area of Minami-Kyushu City in Kagoshima Prefecture has many attractions. First, it is known for Chiran tea leaves, which is planted on Shirasu Plateau enriched with ashes of the volcanic zone in the southern Kyushu Region, largely covering the area. The city recently became the largest producer of Japanese tea in the nation in 2017.

A tea plantation at Minami-Kyushu City *(licensed by Ray_go via Wikimedia Commons)*

Second, the area also became popular with its history of the Kamikaze corps of Chiran Airport. The history is kind of a tragedy, however, because it was on a plateau with good wind direction, the area was suitable for building the airport. It had originally been used for the normal Japanese Army air corps practices, but was eventually turned into a base for Kamikaze due to the crucial situation of the final stage of WWII.

The Triangle Barrack of Chiran Airport for Kamikaze pilots

Thirdly, people often visit Chiran Samurai Residences which are located in the plains at the foot of the plateau. The residences have a traditional atmosphere with many gardens and some remaining buildings. Their main street still looks like the original one in the Edo Period. They were originally built in the 17th Century by the Sata Clan which was a relative of the Shimazu Clan, the lord of Satsuma Province including the Chiran area. The Satsuma Domain led by the Shimazu Clan was based in Kagoshima Castle far from Chiran. Other domains at that time usually brought their retainers together in their home base. However, the Satsuma Domain had a unique system called Tojo or the Outer Castles. It refers to the domain sending many of its retainers to their own sites and letting them govern and protect it by themselves. Chiran Samurai Residences were one of the Outer Castles, which was also called Chiran Roku.

The main street of Chiran Samurai Residences *(licensed by Naokijp via Wikimedia Commons)*

The miniature model of Izumi Outer Castle, a representative one in the Satsuma Domain, exhibited by the Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical Material

Castle is built using Shirasu Plataeu

Finally, Chiran Castle may be less popular than the three attractions above, but the Sata Clan had originally lived in the castle before they were moved to the residences at the foot of the plateau. It was a kind of mountain castle which was a common way to live and protect themselves as warriors until the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. However, the castle was built with a very unique method using the special conditions the Chiran area had. It was located on the edge of the Shirasu Plateau which looks like a cove. A plateau made of volcanic ash is fragile so that its edge can become a cliff. Soil of the plateau is also easy to process, that way, the builders of Chiran Castle made high walls and deep moats easily. As a result, the enclosures of the castle looked like several huge columns at the edge.

The location of the castle

The aerial photo of Chiran Castle Ruins, quoted from the website of Minami-Kyushu City

Chiran Castle had four primary enclosures such as the Main Enclosure in the center and several sub enclosures around. Each enclosure was independent, surrounded by dry moats which were over 25m deep. If enemies wanted to attack the castle even from the plateau which was the same level as the top of the castle, they were prevented by the deep dry moats from attacking directly. They were eventually also counterattacked by the defenders from over 25m above. Some primary enclosures also had artificial defense system for their entrances , called Masugata. It refers to a square space at the entrance, where the route to the inside of the enclosure is not straight intentionally.

The relief map arountd the castle

The layout of Chiran Castle, quoted from the website of Minami-Kyushu City

History of Castle

The castle is said to be first built by the Sata Clan in the 14th Century. After that, the Ijuin Clan took the Chiran area including this castle from the Sata Clan in the 15th Century, but their master, the Shimazu Clan gave it back to the Sata Clan. In 1591, the clan was punished due to being against the Act to Ban Piracy and was banished from the castle again, but came back to the castle in 1610. Finally, the castle was burned down by an accidental fire in the same period and the clan moved to the residences at the foot of the plateau following the domain’s policy. The castle was eventually abandoned. However, the clan seemed to maintain the castle ruins in some ways because ceramic-ware in the Edo Period after the abandonment was found by the excavation team.

To be continued in “Chiran Castle Part2”

97.Kagoshima Castle Part2

There are plenty of history to see even in the museum.

Features

Main Enclosure still looks like Castle

Today, the ruins of Kagoshima Castle are used like that the Main Enclosure as the Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical Material called Reimeikan, the Second Enclosure as other public facilities, and Shiroyama Mountain as the Shiroyama Park. In particular, the Main Enclosure still looks like a castle today because its stone walls are still intact and its front gate was recently restored. If you stand in front of the enclosure, you may feel its pride as the home base of the Shimazu Clan.

The aerial photo around the castle

The stone walls, which are still surrounded by the water moat, are piled precisely by using well processed stones in a method called Kirikomi-hagi. An interesting thing about them is that their one corner has an internal angle of two walls, called Irisumi. This is because the corner faces the northeastern side which was thought to be an unlucky direction, called Kimon or the Devil’s Gate. People who built the castle considered that the specially built corner could prevent misfortunes from the direction.

The Irisumi part at the northeastern corner

The front gate called Goro-mon stands out between the stone walls. It has been said it is one of the largest castle gates in Japan, with its height and width of about 20m. it was restored using wood in April 2020, after 147 years since it had been burned down in 1873, based on its old photos and the remaining stone foundations.

You can enter the gate by going across the original stone bridge over the moat in front of it. Other stone walls stand inside the gate and you will need to turn right and walk on the zigzagged steps or slopes to reach the center of the enclosure. You can see an uncountable number of dents on the stone walls, which were traces of gun shot by the government army in Seinan War. They make us understand how severe the attack of the army was.

Going across the original stone bridge to enter the gate

Some of the dents on the stone walls caused by Seinan War

Wonderful exhibitions in Reimeikan Museum

The Reimeikan is an excellent historical museum, which has huge amounts of historical, folk and art items regarding the Kagoshima Prefecture. You can learn about the history including the castle and culture of the prefecture inside. There may be too many items to see in one day. I also recommend seeing very well designed miniature models of historical buildings such as Kagoshima Castle, Shibushi Castle (a local castle in the prefecture) and Izumi Outer Castle.

The miniature model of Izumi Outer Castle

There are also many dioramas of historical events which helps visitors understand more easily. I hope these good activities of the museum will continue to become more popular.

The diorama of the Tenmonkan street in Taisho Era

The diorama of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi where the Satsuma Domain defeated the Tokugawa Shogunate troops

Shiroyama Mountain like natural park

The Shiroyama Park on Shiroyama Mountain behind the Main Enclosure is easy to go to because the mountain is not so high at only 107m above sea level. You can go up a trail like walking to the top which look like a natural park rather than a historical site. This could be because the Satsuma Domain rarely used the mountain as part of the castle and banned people from entering it during the Edo Period. You can only see the trace of enclosures, which are surrounded by earthen walls, coming from the Kamiyama Clan’s mountain castle before the Shimazu Clan.