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

13.Shirakawa-Komine Castle Part2

the ruins of the castle were turned into a park. Officials changed their policy for developing the ruins because the detailed drawings of the castle buildings were left by Sadanobu Matsudaira. They were wondering if the castle would be restored to its original condition. That would be the first attempt in the way large castle buildings are rebuilt in the present time of Japan.

Later History

During the Meiji Era, the ruins of the castle were turned into a park in which the baseball stadium was constructed in during the Showa Era. Officials changed their policy for developing the ruins because a lot of citizens complained and the detailed drawings of the castle buildings were left by Sadanobu Matsudaira. They were wondering if the castle would be restored to its original condition. That would be the first attempt in the way large castle buildings are rebuilt in the present time of Japan.

The aerial photo around the castle during the 1970’s

The detailed drawing of the three-level turret Sadanobu Matsudaira left

However, there was a big problem with the law. Japan’s Building Standard Act has very strict restrictions on wooden buildings which are over 13m tall. According to this law, new large old-style wooden buildings like the Shirakawa-Komine castle turret are not allowed to be built. So officials continued the restoration of the turret not as a building, but as a structure that would be allowed by the law. It was finally completed in 1991. However, another problem occurred as the government made the most part of the turret inaccessible to visitors, because it was not “a building”. At last, the law had the provisions to be exempt for historical buildings in 1993. The three story-level was finally opened to visitors.

Features

Castle Ruins still look Strong

Today, if you stand in front of the ruins of Shirakawa-Komine Castle, called Shiroyama Park, you will be impressed by its wide remaining stone walls and the slim restored three-level turret on the top. The entrance of the park was that of the second enclosure, which had Taiko (drum)-mon Gate. The enclosure has become an open space where people can enjoy relaxing and exercising. It is also partially used by public facilities such as Komine-jo(castle) History Museum and a tea house.

The aerial photo around the castle

The entrance of the second enclosure (the ruins of Taiko-mon Gate

The appearance around the second enclosure in the past, from the miniature model of the castle, exhibited by *Komine-jo Castle History Museum*

The main portion of the castle ahead still looks very strong, which is surrounded by the inner moat and two-tiered high stone walls. These tiers consist of the main enclosure on the top and the surrounding Take (bamboo)-no-maru Enclosure. You need to go across the earthen bridge over the moat and the ruins of Shimizu(pure water or spring)-mon Gate to enter it. The gate was the largest one in the castle and Shirakawa City is actually planning to restore it by 2026 (as of January 2024). Next, if you climb the stone steps and turn right on the Take-no-maru Enclosure, you will see the three-level turret close by.

*The appearance around the Shimizu-mon Gate and the Take-no-maru enclosure in the past, from the miniature model of the castle, exhibited by Komine-jo Castle History Museum*

Good Combination of restored Turret and Gate

You can also see Mae-gomon (meaning the front gate) next to the turret which has been restored in the original way since 2004, following the turret. The set of the turret and the gate looks very good and shows the authority of the castle. If you enter the gate, you will be at the main enclosure, which is an empty space but had the main hall for the lord in the past.

The three-level turret (in the back) and the Mae-gomon Gate (in the front), seen from the Take-no-maru Enclosure

The ruins of the main hall of the main enclosure

*The appearance around the main hall in the past, from the miniature model of the castle, exhibited by Komine-jo Castle History Museum*

The three-level turret stands on the northeastern corner of the enclosure. Its three floors are simply built with the 11.7meters (6 Ken in the traditional Japanese unit of length) square of fist floor, the 7.8 meters (4 Ken) square of the second one and the 3.9 meters (2 Ken) square of the top one. Each level also has simple roofing and has two-tones of colored walls from white plaster and black-painted lumber. Overall, the tower looks very beautiful with its good design and color arrangement.

The three-level turret, seen from the inside of the main enclosure

Interior of Turret is completely restored as well

You can enter the turret from the inside of the enclosure. From the processes of restoring this turret, officials always stay inside and monitor the safety of the visitors. For example, only five visitors can stay above the first floor at the same time under the current regulations. That’s because the turret was restored exactly in the same way as the original one except for the minimum safety equipment and explanation boards. If you walk around the first floor, you will find that it is not bright and many columns standing inside. Some of the columns came from pine trees of Inari Mountain, one of the hills where the severe battles occurred in 1868 during the Boshin War. That’s why you can see the bullet marks, caused by the war, on one of them.

the bullet marks on the column of the first floor

You can also see the defense systems like machicolations, loopholes and bay windows at the northern and eastern sides of the floor. These sides face the outsides of the enclosure, which could have been attacked by enemies.

A machicolation built in the first floor

The loopholes built in the first floor (the black square ones)

If you want to go to the second and third floors, please be careful when climbing the very steep stairways, but you can use the handrails and ropes.

As you go above, the floor becomes smaller and you may feel you are in a box on the top floor. The floor also has defense systems similar to other floors, where you can understand the turret is very practical for battles. In addition, you can see views of the outside through the lattice windows of the floor.

To be continued in “Shirakawa-Komine Castle Part3”
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29.Matsumoto Castle Part3

There are defense systems along the passage of the first floor of the Main Tower- machicolations, loopholes (for guns and arrows), and lattice windows. For instance, as many as 117 loopholes were built in this tower. They are the genuine article!

Features

Supporting Systems of Main Tower

You can enter the tower after entering the main enclosure through Kuro-mon (the black gate). It weighs about 1,000 tons on the unstable ground at its base, so 16 thick wooden “main support pillars” stand inside the stone wall base and a ladder-type support foundation was laid across the top of them.

One of the 16 main support pillars was preplaced and is exhibited in the first floor

The layout of the 16 main support pillars, *exhibited in the first floor*

The illustration of the internal structure of the Main Tower (its lower part), exhibited in the first floor

Interior for Fighting

If you go into the first floor, you will see lots of other columns supporting the tower. The floor is separated into the central room, called “Moya”, and the surrounding defense passage, called “Musha-bashiri (directly means “warriors running”). The central room was used as storage and elevated about 50cm above the main passage. This is because the support foundation was doubled-up in this area.

The first floor (the defense passage), the central room on the left is elevated

There are defense systems along the passage – machicolations (devices for dropping stones), loopholes (for guns and arrows), and lattice windows. For instance, as many as 117 loopholes were built in this tower. They are the genuine article!

The first floor (the first level) seen from the outside

You can climb the steep steps to the next floor. The second floor is similar to the first one but brighter due to its wide latticed and non-latticed windows. It was used as a waiting place for warriors during an emergency. It is now used as Matsumoto Castle Gun Museum.

The wide latticed window on the second floor

An exhibition of the Matsumoto Castle Gun Museum

Each Floor has Unique Feature

In contrast, the third floor is dark because it is an attic with no windows. It is thought to have been used mainly for storage.

The fourth floor is also different from the others. It has fewer columns, high ceilings, and good lighting, so it is believed to have been the lord’s chamber. The steps from the fourth to the fifth are the steepest probably because of the high ceiling. Please be careful. (Taking photographs of the steps is prohibited in the tower, probably for safety and crowded-flow reasons.)

A side view of the steps to the fifth floor

The fifth floor looks interesting because the back sides of the gables are visible in all directions. It was used as a conference room for the senior vassals.

The fifth floor (the fourth level) seen from the outside

You will finally arrive at the top floor (6th), 22m above the ground. It was planned to have a veranda, but the plan was changed and the walls were built on there outside of the veranda. You can see the line where the veranda was intended to start on the floor. You can also see views of the outside through the wired windows between the walls. It was used as the headquarters of the lord during battle. If you look up at the underside of the roof, you will find the Nijurokuyashin god, which is believed to have saved this tower during the great fire during the Edo Period, worshiped on it.

The part which was supposed to be a veranda

The Nijurokuyashin god, worshiped on the underside of the roof

Later History

After the Meiji restoration, all of the castle buildings, excluding the Main Tower, were removed, and finally the tower was sold possible for scrap. Ryozo Ichikawa, a social campaigner came out, and asked the buyer to suspend the destruction of the tower. After that, he collected money by holding an exhibition and giving a detailed explanation in order to get it back, and was successful in the end. However, that was not enough for the tower. Such a large and old building is needed to do continuous maintenance to preserve it in the long term. In the middle of the Meiji Era, The tower began to lean at about six degrees due to the decay of the central columns, and bats began to live in it. Another savior, school head, Unari Kobayashi worked hard to repair the castle. At last, the tower was designated as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 1952. In addition, other primary gates of the castle, such as Kuro-mon and Taiko-mon have been restored. Matsumoto City is considering restoring the main gate as well.

The monument of Ryozo Ichikawa (on the left) and Unari Kobayashi (on the right), at the inside of the main enclosure

The photo of the Main Tower during the Meiji Era, owned by Matsumoto Castle Management Bureau (licensed under public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

My Impression

In conclusion, we can’t be completely sure exactly when and how the Main Tower was built. The history presented in this article is based on the official opinion of Matsumoto City. Some speculate that the Inui small main tower was first built, then, it was modified when the large main tower was added later because it looks like the newer multi-storied type. Others think that the large main tower originally had a different appearance from now, with the veranda on the top and more gables, and modified later. I think it is exciting for history fans to wonder which of these is the truth.

the Inui small main tower is on the left

The interior of the Inui small main tower, many logs are used for the tower, which is one possible explanation for the theory that the tower was first built

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about a 20-minute drive away from Matsumoto IC on the Nagano Expressway. There are few parking lots around the castle.
By public transportation, it takes about 15 minutes on foot from Matsumoto Station.
From Tokyo to the station: get Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train and transfer to the Shinonoi Line at Nagano Station. Or take the limited express Azusa at Shinjuku Station.

Links and References

・Matsumoto Castle, National Treasure of Japan, Official Website

That’s all. Thank you.
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84.Kochi Castle Part3

Why would Kochi Castle maintain so many original buildings?

Features

Interior of Main Tower

The first floor of the tower has some equipment for defense, such as machicolations and loopholes for guns. In addition, there are also iron spikes outside the floor to prevent enemies from climbing the tower, which is the only remaining example in Japan.

On the second floor, you can see lot of exhibitions about the castle like a miniature model.

The third floor is basically the attic of the hip-and-gable roof, but it has windows and space inside the roof for defenders who could counter attackers.

On the fourth floor, you can see one of the bronze grampuses on the roof close by through the window.

The bronze grampuses seen through the window

The fifth floor is a very dark attic, by contrast, the top floor is open and bright where you can enjoy a great view of the castle and city to all directions. You can also walk around the veranda (another steel handrail was added for safety and preservation) like the lord of the castle used to do.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Kochi Castle was turned into Kochi Park. All the buildings in the Second and Third Enclosures were demolished while the buildings in the Main Enclosure and a few others remain. All the 15 remaining castle buildings have been designated as Important Cultural Properties since 1950. The castle also became a National Historic Site in 1959.

My Impression

When I visited Kochi Castle for the first time many years ago, I misunderstood the reason for the small Main Hall in the Main Enclosure. I thought it was because Japanese people in the past were shorter and smaller than now. In my recent second visit, I understood its real reason. I guess if the hall was very large, it might have been demolished like the hall in the Second Enclosure when the castle once became the park. If it is true, fortune is unpredictable and changeable.

The interior of the Main Hall of the Main Enclsosure

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 15 minutes away from Kochi IC on Kochi Expressway.
There are several parking lots around the castle such as the Kochi Park Parking Lot.
By public transportation, take the Tosaden Bus from JR Kochi Station and get off at the Kochijo-mae bus stop.
If you go there from Tokyo or Osaka, I recommend traveling by plane or using an express bus.

Links and References

・Kochi Castle Pamphlets

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Kochi Castle Part1”
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