main enclosure – ページ 24 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

157.Hachimanyama Castle Part2

The castle ruins and modern tourist spot could be seen on the mountain.

Features

Going to Top by Cable Car

Today, visitors usually get to the ruins of Hachimanyama Castle by boarding the cable car from the foot of the mountain. The platform of the car at the foot is near the Himure Hachimangu Shrine which was moved there when the castle was built. The Hachimanbori Moats and the old town atmosphere also remain around as a popular tourist spot.

Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors

The map around the castle

The Worship Hall of the Himure Hachimangu Shrine *(licensed by 663highland via Wikimedia Commons)*

The Hachimanbori Moats and the old town atmosphere

The cable car will bring you to the platform on the mountain in few minutes. The platform is below the Second Enclosure where the observation platform faces the city area in the southeast. Many people enjoy a good view while you can also see some remaining old stone walls of the enclosure.

The observation platform at the Second Enclosure

The stone walls around the Second Enclosure

Zuiryuji Temple in Main Enclosure

The Main Enclosure, the center of the castle, is now used as the Zuiryuji Temple which Hidetsugu’s mother, Tomo established. In fact, the temple was moved there from Kyoto in 1961 of the present time, however, it is absolute suitable for this castle. The entrance of the temple consists of a defensive square space surrounded by stone walls, called Masugata. That’s because it was also the original entrance of the enclosure. The temple uses the Imperial chrysanthemum crest because Emperor Go-Yozei helped Tomo first build it and some members of the Imperial family became its chief priest.

Leaflet|国土地理院

The aerial photo around the castle

The Zuiryuji Temple at the Main Enclosure

The doors use the Imperial chrysanthemum crests

The defensive square space inside the doors

View Spots in Northern and Western Enclosures

You can go to other enclosures by passing the Belt Enclosure as the route around the Main Enclosure. The high stone walls surrounding the Main Enclosure look old, wild but so great like those of Azuchi Castle. Historians are still not sure if these stone walls were completed by Hidetsugu or the Kyogoku Clan following him. A corner of them becomes round vertically, and it is not uncertain if the condition is original or it was from deterioration.

The stone walls around the Main Enclosure

The vertically round corner of stone walls

If you go to the Northern Enclosure which is another good viewing spot, you can see a view of the mountains with the ruins of Azuchi and Kannnonji Castles in the north.

The ruins of Azuchi and Kannonji Castles

You can also go to the Western Enclosure with a view of Lake Biwa in the west.

My recommended Barbican Enclosure

I recommend you go to the Barbikan Enclosure or Demaru because it was recently re-developed. The trees and bushes around the enclosure were cut down for a better view. You can get there by going down along the trail from the Western Enclosure. You will see a panorama view of the city area and you can imagine this enclosure should have been a good lookout.

You can see the Barbican Enclosure from the city area (inside the red mark)

You can also walk around the stone walls of the enclosure close by, which is about 4m high. However, please watch your step as its foundation is on the steep and rough slope.

The stone walls of the Barbican Enclosure and a view form it

The corner of the stone walls (its round shape is rare)

The stone walls are illuminated at night

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

140.Genbao Castle Part2

A complex structured castle on the mountain

Features

Going to Castle Ruins through Trail

Today, the ruins of Genbao Castle have been well developed as a National Historic Site, even if they were at the top of a mountain. There are no castle buildings and only the foundations made of soil remained. However, it is good enough for us to understand what the castle was like because it was a specific battle castle. To reach the castle ruins, you need to walk for about 30 minutes from the parking lot. You will pass the old mountain pass called Tone-toge and climb the mountain where the castle was built.

The mountain looks natural being covered by woods and bushes around the trail, so you may be wondering if the castle ruins were built in such a place. However, you will eventually reach where the castle ruins are more visible. This is because officials or volunteers would often cut down trees and bushes in order for people to see the ruins clearly.

The castle ruins will eventually become visible

Complex route to Center of Castle

The trail to the castle ruins is from the south, which was the front side of the castle. You can still see the side was strongly protected. The enclosure you first meet is called the Enclosure I which is surrounded by earthen walls. The entrance of the enclosure is not open to the front in the south, but the left side in the west. That means you need to walk around the walls and turn right.

Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors

The map around the castle

Looking back the entrance of the Enclosure I

The route to the *Enclosure I* (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the enclosure (the blue arrow)

To get to the next one called the Koguchi Enclosure, you will have to walk on the narrow earthen bridge beside a ditch, and after that turn left.

the narrow earthen bridge to the Koguchi Enclosure

The ditch beside the earthen walls limits the route for enemies to attack

The route to the Koguchi Enclosure (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the enclosure (the blue arrow)

The Main Enclosure is the next area, but one of its Umadashi Enclosures is in front of it to prevent anyone from entering directly. You need to turn right again from the Koguchi, go around the Umadashi, and cut through the front entrance of the Main Enclosure. If you were an enemy, your attack route could be limited and would be attacked from the side while turning several times.

Turning right to go around the Umadashi Enclosure

The earthen walls in front of the Main Enclosure are also narrow

The route to the Main Enclosure (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the enclosure (the blue arrow)

Main Enclosure controls all directions

The inside of the Main Enclosure is a square, which is also surrounded by earthen walls. There is the earthen mound at the northeastern corner where the Main Tower or a large turret was built.

The turret base at the northeastern corner

It has the other Umadashi Enclosure in front of the back entrance in the north. It also has a small entrance in the east with the Overhang Enclosure in front of it. The east of the Main Enclosure is a slope of the mountain. Historians say this structure proves the builders thought enemies could also attack from this direction as well. The west of it is a very deep valley which was difficult for enemies to attack from. However, a ditch was elaborately built in front of the earthen walls on this side.

The location map of the Main Enclosure, adding red English letters

The Overhang Enclosure at the eastern side

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

140.Genbao Castle Part1

The stronghold of Katsuie Shibata in the Battle of Shizugatake

Location and History

A castle built against Hideyoshi Hashiba

Genbao Castle was located on the border between Echizen and Omi Provinces, which are modern day Fukui and Shiga Prefectures. It was built by Katsuie Shibata who owned Echizen Province when the Battle of Shizugatake happened in 1583. After the ruler, Nobunaga Oda died in the Honnoji Incident in 1582, his senior vassals, Katsuie and Hideyohsi Hashiba argued against each other over the initiative. Hideyoshi invaded the northern Omi Province, which Katsuie had owned, and started to build many battle castles near the border of Echizen Province which was the home base of Katsuie. Katsuie also confronted Hideyoshi by building his own battle castles around the border. Genbao Castle was the center of these battle castles and Katsuie’s stronghold. Part of its name Genba comes from an official post.”Genba” is the name given to warriors who are highly respected, but it is uncertain whose official name it came from.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Katsuie Shibata, from the signboard at the site of Kitanosho Castle Ruins

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

Enclosures on Mountain Top

The castle was built on the top of Nakauchio Mountain which was 445m high and also the border. It was also able to control the road over a mountain pass between the provinces, called Tone-toge near the castle. The enclosures of the castle were built on the top of the ridge from the north to the south. The front of the castle was open to the south, the mountain pass and Omi Province where Hideyoshi invaded. Because of that, the southern side of the castle was strongly protected with two enclosures in line. On the other hand, the northern side had the largest enclosure which was used as a military post. The Main Enclosure was the center of the castle, where Katsuie probably lived. It had a Main Tower or large turret, and attached three projecting small enclosures called Umadashi or Overhang for defense.

Leaflet|国土地理院

The relief map around the castle

The layout of the castle, from the signboard at the site, adding red letters

Sakuma Morimasa’s offensive vs Hideyoshi’s counterattack

On the 16th of April 1583, Katsuie’s ally, Nobutaka Oda fought an army at Gifu Castle in Mino Province against Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi went to Mino Province to crush it on April 17th. Katsuie thought it was a good opportunity to attack Hideyoshi’s side. Morimasa Sakuma, who worked under Katsuie, moved onward to capture some of Hideyoshi’s battle castles on April 19th. However, that was Hideyoshi’s trap. Morimasa succeeded in capturing a battle castle, and wanted to get one more called Shizugatake Fortress. Then, Hideyoshi immediately got back to his original position and counterattacked Morimasa on April 20th. Katsuie and Morimasa were finally defeated by Hideyoshi. An old biography about Hideyoshi called Hoan Taikoki, published in 1626 by Hoan Oze, says Morimasa’s reckless actions caused his destruction although Katsuie advised him to withdraw after his first attack. Many Japanese people have believed it for a very long time.

The picture of the Morimasa Sakuma, attributed to Nobukazu Yousai, in 1893 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Is Most Important Factor Toshiie Maeda’s withdrawal?

Recent studies show Morimasa’s actions were not critical. Toshiie Maeda, another ally of Katsuie, who would be a great lord after Hideyoshi became the ruler, eventually withdrew without Katsuie’s permission at the same time as Hideyoshi’s counterattack. It was the decisive trigger for Hideyoshi’s victory and Katsuie’s lost. Why didn’t Hoan describe this most important factor? The answer is that Hoan was a dependent of the Maeda Clan. The action of Toshiie Maeda, the founder of the clan, was probably promised to Hideyoshi, but later people would think it was a betrayal. It was thought Hoan was not able to record this fact which may be a shame of Maeda, therefore he blamed another person for the lost. Genbao Castle was strong, but was meant to work closely with other battle castles. Katsuie had to withdraw from the castle without a battle when his ally gave up on the duty.

The portrait of Toshiie Maeda, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Genbao Castle Part2”