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

114.Karasawayama Castle Part3

The stone walls of the main enclosure entrance are not so high, but use several huge ornament stones.
In addition, the entrance was recently researched and it was found that it had a turret gate. Overall, these structures made the castle stronger as well as more authorized.

Features

Great Stone Walls of Main Enclosure

The stone walls are around 8m high and about 40m long. They were built by piling natural or roughly processed stones in a way called Nozura-zumi. They look rough but really great! It was said that the last lord, Nobuyoshi Sano built them by inviting an excellent guild of stone craftsmen celled Ano-shu from western Japan.

The map around the castle

The stone walls seen from the second enclosure side

You will eventually enter the second enclosure just below the main enclosure. Therefore, you will see the entrance of the main enclosure, which was also surrounded by great stone walls. They are not so high (at 2.5m), but use several huge ornament stones, called Kagami-ishi (meaning mirror stones).
In addition, the entrance was recently researched and it was found that it had a turret gate. Overall, these structures made the castle stronger as well as more authorized.

The second enclosure in the front and the main enclosure in the back

The enclosure is on top of the mountain and is used for the shine buildings. It is unknown what buildings it had in the past, but it might have had buildings like the Main Hall and the Main Tower.

Defensive Spots in North and South

There is another enclosure, in the south of the main enclosure, called Nanjo (meaning southern castle). It was built to protect the southern ridge of the mountain where you can see stone walls and dry moats around. The shrine office is on the enclosure and this is another great viewing spot. If the weather is fine, you can enjoy a view of both Tokyo Sky Tree and Mt. Fuji. Nobuyoshi might have had no choice but to accept the shogunate’s close questioning that looking down on Edo Castle from the mountain would be rude.

The dry moats around the enclosure, called the First Moat

A view from the enclosure, it was clouded when I visited there

There is also other enclosures on the northern ridges, such as the Northern Castle. They are basically made of soil, divided by earthen ditches and connected by earthen bridges, which were older parts of the castle.

The double ditches between the Sugi and northern enclosures

Hiking Course has other Castle Ruins

For hikers, it is recommended to try part of Karasawayama Shuyu(Round) Course, from the castle to Imori-yama Mountain via the Kagami-iwa Rock, Byobu-iwa Rock and Gongen-do Hall Ruins. The course is on another ridge connected to the Karasawayama Mountain, which was a defense point for the castle.

The map around the mountain

The relief map around the mountain

That’s why you can see a set of a narrow bridge with artificial ditches on the way. You can also enjoy a great view of the whole Kanto Region on each peak of the ridge. The Imori Mountain is where Kenshin Uesugi and Masatsuna Sano fought against each other in their last battle in 1570.

Later History

After the Sano Clan was banished by the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Ii Clan which was a senior vassal family of the shogunate owned the Sano area as its detached territory during the Edo Period. The clan banned people from entering the mountain, the former castle area. That’s why the ruins of the castle have been preserved in a good condition. After the Meiji Restoration, locals established the Karasawayama Shrine in 1883. Establishing shrines on castle ruins was a popular way to maintain them at that time. The ruins also became part of Karasawayama Prefectural Natural Park in 1965. That’s why several approaches and hiking courses have been developed there. As for castle ruins, Sano City has been researching and studying them since 2007. As a result, they were designated as a National Historic Site in 2014.

My Impression

The current people often say Kenshin Uesugi attacked Karasawayama Castle and approached its main enclosure, but failed. Meanwhile, Kenshin himself wrote on his letter in 1567 when he owned the castle and was attacked by the Hojo Clan that “Only the Main Enclosure remained”. I’m not sure if similar things happened twice whether the people misunderstood Kenshin’s sides. Either way, Kenshin and the castle were closely involved. I think the people are still borrowing his name even today to explain about the strength of the castle.

The main enclosure of Karasawayama Castle

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle ruins by car, it is about a 10-minute drive away from Sano-Tanuma IC on the Kitakanto Expressway.
There are parking lots at the foot, the mid slope and top of the mountain.
By public transportation, it takes about 40 minutes on foot from Tanuma Station on the Tobu-Sano Line to the top.
From Tokyo to the station: take the train on the Joban Line from Tokyo or Ueno Stations, transfer to the Tobu-Isesaki Line at Kitasenju Station, and transfer to the Tobu-Sano Line at Tatebayashi Station.

The parking lot on the way of the hiking course

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Karasawayama Castle Part1”
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114.Karasawayama Castle Part2

Today, the ruins of Karasawayama Castle have been well developed as Karasawayama Shrine. Many people visit the shrine to pray for something, hike the mountain, see a great view, and recently see lots of friendly cats living in the shrine. Of course, some of the visitors enjoy historical items at the site as well.

Features

Castle Ruins are developed as Karasawayama Shrine

Today, the ruins of Karasawayama Castle have been well developed as Karasawayama Shrine. Many people visit the shrine to pray for something, hike the mountain, see a great view, and recently see lots of friendly cats living in the shrine. These cats seem to have been strayed or abandoned, but are now fed by volunteers and visitors.

Of course, some of the visitors enjoy historical items at the site as well. There are main routes from the foot of the mountain to the top in the south and west, similar to the castle’s period. In addition, the current routes have been developed for both cars and hikers, which means there are at least four routes.

The map around Karasawayama Shrine

The western hiking course (part of the original path)

Past and Current Routes

They are not the same as the original routes to the castle. For example, the two paved roads for cars from the two directions gather at the parking lot on the top. However, part of the road from the south was blocked by huge rocks near a remaining rock called Kagami-iwa (meaning the Mirror Rock). The two original paths to the castle gathered in front of the rocks and went to the Main Gate via zigzagging route.

Attractions along Main Route

If you enter the Main Gate Ruins from the parking lot, you will see the ruins have a typical alternating entrance with stone walls (but mainly built or renovated during the Meiji Era). The main route goes to the center inside the gate, but there are also some attractions from side to side. There is another huge rock called Tengu-iwa (meaning the long-nosed goblin rock) on the right (the southern side), which was a lookout and defensive point, and is a great viewing spot. There is also a hill on the left (the northern side), called Hiraishi-yama (meaning the mountain for avoiding enemies’ arrows). It was named after the armor the Sano Clan passed down from Hidesato Fujiwara, their founder. Therefore, it must have been used as another defensive spot.

The map around the castle

If you go ahead to the center on the main route, you will see a large well called Oi-no-ido on the left. It is 9m in diameter and over 8m deep and it still has spring water inside. The castle ruins have other wells, too. They were essential for the castle to be besieged for a long time. You will next see large and long dry moats, called Yotsumebori (meaning the fourth moat), which divided the main portion and the others. Only the fixed concrete arch bridge, called Shinkyo, goes over the moats. It was said to be originally a draw bridge which would have been fallen when a battle happened. People often say Uesugi Kenshin attacked this point but failed.

Kuruma-ido Well below the main enclosure

Four tiered Major Enclosures

The main route as the shrine’s approach goes on right side of the main portion. The portion consists of four tired enclosures, the belt, third, second and main enclosures from the bottom to the top. In particular, the third enclosure is the largest, which was said to be used as a reception room. You can visit it via a side path. There will be a division point of the approach and the original main route. If you go straight on the approach, you will reach below the stone steps of the shrine on the main enclosure. Otherwise, you can turn left and get to the second enclosure. It is recommended for castle visitors to take the latter because you can see the great stone walls of the main enclosure close by on your right.

The side path to the third enclosure via the belt enclosure

If you turn left, you will see the great stone walls on the right

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

114.Karasawayama Castle Part1

The last lord of the castle, Nobuyoshi Sano built high stone walls on the main portion of the castle, which was a rare case in the region. It must have been done with help from Hideyoshi Toyotomi because he and his retainers had built many similar stone walls in western Japan.

Location and History

Sano Clan builds Castle during Sengoku Period

Karasawayama Castle was located in modern day Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, which was a large mountain castle beside the northern edge of the Kanto Plain. Tradition says that a famous general, Hidesato Fujiwara built it in 972 during the Ancient times. However, historians think that it was created by the Sano Clan, who were descendants of Hidesato and governed the castle for a long time. According to the results of the research and studies, the clan first lived in a hall at the western foot of the mountain until the 15th Century. It was thought that the castle was built or developed by the clan on the mountain when many battles happened in the Kanto Region, during the Sengoku Period. Other popular mountain castles in the region like Kanayama and Minowa Castles were built at the same time to protect the owners under the severe conditions. The Sano Clan first used the mountain castle in the cases of emergency, but eventually lived in it to survive.

The range of Sano City and the location of the castle

The relief map around the castle

The ruins of the Sano Clan’s residence (current Koshoji Temple)

Kenshin Uesugi devotes to capture Castle

On the other hand, great warlords, who wanted to rule over the region, thought they would need to get Karasawayama Castle because of its advantageous location. Kenshin Uesugi was one of them and was devoted to do it. There is a symbolic episode when he first invaded the Kanto Region around 1560. He visited Karasawayama Castle with few vassals, which was surrounded by his enemy, the Hojo Clan’s large troops, to persuade the lord of castle, Masatsuna Sano to support him until he succeeded. However, every time Kenshin returned to his home, Kasugayama Castle in Echigo Province, the Hojo Clan got its territory back and forced local lords to support it. Masatsuna was one of them and he had to switch allegiance.

*The portrait of Kenshin Uesugi, owned by the Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Kenshin, who is considered one of the strongest generals, got angry and attacked the castle, but was not able to capture it by force as it was really strong. Even when Masatsuna surrendered to Kenshin, they would do the same things after Kenshin went back. As a result, they fought with each other at least five times. Kenshin once banished Masatsuna from the castle and sent his relative and vassals to govern it. However, he finally returned the castle to Masatsuna for some reasons. He might have felt the difficulty of how to control this distant site.

*The portrait of Masatsuna Sano, owned by Daianji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

High stone walls are built with help of Hideyoshi Toyotomi

The Kanto Region, including Karasawayama Castle, eventually belonged to the Hojo Clan during the 1570’s and 1580’s. It sent its relative, Ujitada Hojo to govern the castle like Kenshin had used to do. On the other hand, Masatsuna’s relative, Fusatsuna Sano ran away from the region to western Japan to serve Hideyoshi Toyotomi who was the ruler of Japan at that time. Fusatsuna led Hideyoshi to the region when they invaded it in 1590, which resulted in Fusatsuna getting the castle back as the lord. However, Hideyoshi seemed to also want to control the castle. He made the little brother of his close vassal, Nobutaka Tomita to be the successor of Fusatsuna, which would be called Nobuyoshi Sano, the last lord of the clan and the castle. This could be because his rival, Ieyasu Tokugawa was moved by him to the region. He wanted to have Ieyasu monitored by someone reliable.

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

Karasawayama Castle was built on a large mountain which had several ridges. Lots of enclosures were also built on the top and the ridges which had turrets, lookouts, guard houses and shooting points to monitor and attack enemies. These ridges or enclosures were divided by deep ditches to prevent enemies from invading easily. There are two main routes in the south and west, which gathered at the meeting point in front of the Main Gate near the top, which were controlled by the castle’s soldiers. The foot area was used as the lords and senior vassals’ residences surrounded by thick and long earthen walls for defense. They had been developed and improved by the Sano, Uesugi, and Hojo Clans for a long time.

Karasawayama Mountain where the castle was built

The remaining earthen walls at the foot of the mountain

The ruins of the residence of a sennior vassal at the foot of the mountain called Hayato-Yashiki

The castle’s foundations were basically made of soil, which was a common way of building castles in eastern Japan at that time. However, the last lord, Nobuyoshi built high stone walls on the main portion of the castle, which was a rare case in the region. It must have been done with help from Hideyoshi because he and his retainers had built many similar stone walls in western Japan. On the other hand, Ieyasu still didn’t have the techniques and guilds for building such high stone walls. That meant the stone walls of strong Karasawayama Castle must have been a big threat to Ieyasu.

The high stone walls of Karasawayama Castle

Life of Castle suddenly ends, ordered by Ieyasu Tokugawa

When Ieyasu got the power to be the ruler around 1600 after Hideyoshi died, Nobuyoshi somehow survived by supporting Ieyasu. However, the declinations of Karasawayama Castle and the Sano Clan suddenly occured. In 1602, Ieyasu ordered Nobuyoshi to move from Karasawayama to Sano Castle in a plain area nearby. It was said that the reason for it was that it could be rude for Nobuyoshi to look down on Ieyasu’s home, Edo Castle from the mountain castle. Nobuyoshi was finally fired by Ieyasu in 1614 due to being implicated for a crime of his brother, Nobutaka Tomita. Overall, Ieyasu seemed to want to remove possible rebels like Nobuyoshi with strong castles like Karasawayama.

*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 “Karasawayama Castle Part2”