How can we evaluate the Terasawa Clan’s achievement?
Later History
After the Meiji Restoration, Karatsu Castle was abandoned and all the buildings of the castle were demolished. Most of the castle area was turned into the city area, but the mountain part became Maizuru Park in 1877. The Imitation Main Tower was built and opened in 1966 as new Karatsu Castle. Since then, the castle site has been a modern tourist attraction as well as a historical spot.
The Imitation Main Tower of Katatsu CastleThe Imitation Main Tower seen from the outside of the Main Enclosure
My Impression
I didn’t have a good impression of the Terasawa Clan because of the result of the Shimabara Rebellion. The founder of the clan, Hirotaka seemed to be loyal to the Tokugawa Shogunate in his new territory called Amakusa. I guess his oppression was a way for him to do so like the Matsukura Clan at Shimabara Castle and Nobutoshi Sanada at Numata Castle. I also think we should evaluate what he did in Karatsu and Amakusa separately. He at least built Karatsu Castle and the foundation of Karatsu City. I also recommend enjoying Karatsu pottery Hirotaka promoted, which is still a well-known product in the city.
Shimabara CastleThe ruins of Numata CastleOne of the masterpieces of Karatsu pottery called Platter with Pine Tree, owned by the Metropolitan Museum (licensed by the Metropolitan Museum via Wikimedia Commons)
How to get There
I recommend using a car when you visit the castle. It is about 15 minutes away from Nijo-Shikaka IC on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway. You can park at the parking lot near the entrance of the castle. By train, It takes about 20 minutes on foot from Karatsu Station. To get to Karatsu Station from Fukuoka: Take the Fukuoka City Subway on the Kuko Line, transfer to the JR Chikuhi Line at Meihama Station. From Tokyo or Osaka to Fukuoka: Take the Shinkansen super express or plane.
Today, Karatsu Castle is open to the public as a modern tourist facility. If you visit the castle site, you will first see the five-layer Imitation Main Tower on the mountain. It is actually a modern building, but its appearance looks like a Main Tower with a popular style when the castle was first built. It is still uncertain if the castle had a Main Tower, however, the tower looks great.
The aerial photo around the castle
If you drive to the castle site, you can park beside the estuary of Matsuura-gawa River. Crossing the road from the parking lot, you will be at the entrance of the castle. You can see the great stone walls of the Second Enclosure on the left, where the government main hall was in the past and a school is now.
A view of the Imitation Main Tower from the parking lotThe stone walls of the Second Enclosure
Climbing on Top, Enjoying great views
Visitors usually go to the center of the castle from the ruins of Sakaguchi-mon Gate. You will climb on the long stone steps to the Secondary Enclosure. The enclosure has the Masugata Entrance which has a square space and is surrounded by stone walls for defense. The enclosure is next to the Main Enclosure where you can look up the stone wall base for the Main Tower including the Imitation Main Tower. You can also enter the Main Enclosure through the restored Main Enclosure Turret Gate.
The long stone steps from the ruins of Sakaguchi-mon GateThe entrance of the Secondary EnclosureLooking up the remaining stone wall base and Imitation Main TowerThe restored Main Enclosure Turret Gate
Alternatively, you can go to the Main Enclosure more easily from the foot of the mountain by using the elevator. This is because the castle is now developed as a modern facility. The Imitation Main Tower is used as a historical museum and observation platform. Inside the tower, you can learn more about the history of the castle and the culture of Karatsu City.
The elevator to the Main EnclosureThe inside of the Main EnclosureThe Imitation Tower used as the historical museum and observation platform
On the top floor, you can enjoy a great 360-degree view of the city. For example, A beautiful pine forest along the beach can be seen over the estuary of Matsuura-gawa River in the east. It is known as Nijino-Matsubara or the Rainbow Pine Forest which Hitotaka Terasawa developed. In fact, the mountain you are standing was connected to the beach before the castle was built. You can also see a view of Genkai-nada Sea in the north, the city area in the south, and the former castle area along the beach to the west.
A view including the Rainbow Pine Forest in the eastGenkai-nada Sea in the northThe Second Enclosure along the beach in the westThe city area and Matsuura-gawa River in the south
Walking around to see what castle was like
If you want to see more about what Karatsu Castle was like in the past, how about walking around the present castle? For example, you can walk along the foot area of the mountain along the coast. This area is called the Belt Enclosure where some turrets on the stone walls were built to prevent attacks from the sea. The stone walls remain and some plaster walls were restored recently on them. You can see these stone walls stand by the shore and they protected the castle strongly.
The Belt Enclosure at foot of the mountainOne of the ruins of the turretsThe stone walls standing by the shore
You can also walk from the mountain to the west along the beach. The area is called the Second Enclosure where many warriors’ houses were built. The area was turned into the city area, but you can see the long stone walls along the enclosure remain. You will also see the water moat dividing the Second and Third Enclosures and the restored Drum Tower at the Second Gate Ruins.
The long stone walls along the Second EnclosureThe moat between the Second and Third EnclosuresThe restored Drum Tower
Karatsu Castle is located in the northwestern part of Kyushu Island, which is now Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture. The area of the city faces Genkai-nada Sea between Japan and Korea. Because of this reason, the area prospered with sea transportation including overseas trade. For example, there was Matsura Province with the port accepting the envoys from overseas nearly 2000 years ago. A warriors’ group, known as the Matsura Group, was very active using navy forces and sometimes pirates in the Middle Ages. In 1588, the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi issued the Act to Ban the Piracy to control sea transportation. After that, Hideyoshi’s retainer, Hirotaka Terasawa was sent to this area to govern it. He was an excellent practical person who supported the military logistics when Hideyoshi sent large troops from Nagoya Castle near his area to Korea.
The location of the castle
Hirotaka Terasawa built Castle
Hirotaka eventually supported the Tokugawa Shogunate and became the founder of the Karatsu Domain. He also built his new home base, Karatsu Castle between 1602 and 1608. The center of the castle was built on Mitsushima-yama Mountain beside the estuary of Matsuura-gawa River. Hirotaka changed the route of the river to place the mountain and other enclosures in a line on the ground like a peninsula. The mountain was the top of the ground towards the sea. That meant enemies were not able to attack the center from the ground easily. The center was also surrounded by stone walls along the sea. Some turrets were built on the stone walls, which were probably used for monitoring the sea. Some sea ports such as Funairi-mon Gate were also built beside the estuary. On the top of the mountain, the stone wall base for the Main Tower was built. However, it is thought that the Main Tower was not built because there has been no evidence of this.
part of the illustration of around Karatsu Castle in Hizen Province, in the Edo Period , exhibited by the National Archives of JapanThe remaining stone walls of Karatsu Castle
Terasawa Clan fired after Shimabara Rebellion
Hirotaka was also given a new detached territory in the area called Amakusa, in the western part of Kyushu Island by the shogunate due to his contribution. However, this caused the Terasawa Clan’s misfortune. There were a lot of masterless warriors called Ronin who were former retainers of the Konishi Clan who were fired by the shogunate. There were also many Christians which the shogunate banned people from becoming. Hirotaka oppressed both of them in accordance with the shogunate’s instructions. As a result, Shimabara Rebellion, including the people in Amakusa, happened in 1637 in the period of Hirotaka’s son, Katataka. The shogunate took Amakusa away from the Terasawa Clan after the rebellion. Katataka felt anxious and killed himself in 1647 in the end. The Terasawa Clan was fired by the shogunate because of no successor to him.
Part of the folding screens of Shimabara Rebellion, owned by Asakura City Akizuki Museum, from the exhibition of Arima Christian Heritage Museum
Karatsu Domain followed by Mizuno and Ogasawara Clans
After that, five clans governed Karatsu Castle and the Karatsu Domain until the end of the Edo Period. Some of the lords became famous in Japanese history. One of them was Tadakuni Mizuno who performed the Tenpo Reforms in the central government as the head of the shogun’s council of elders. Another was Nagamichi Ogasawara who was a member of the shogun’s council of elders, and devoted to the Tokugawa Shogunate till the very last moment before it fell down.
The portrait of Tadakuni Mizuno, owned by Tokyo Metropolitan University (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) The portrait of Nagamichi Ogasawara, from the digital collections of National Diet Library (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
