main enclosure – ページ 29 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

147.Takatenjin Castle Part2

The Legendary Strength of The Castle

Features

Going to Castle Ruins through steep slope

Today, you can visit the ruins of Takatenjin Castle easily if you have a car. You can park in front of either the Main Route in the south or the Back Route in the north. If you want to get a taste of how tough the castle was, I recommend walking on the Back Route. The route is flat all the way to the foot of the mountain, but it gets very steep on the slope. It goes up and zigzags through rough cliffs for a while. However, when you reach the top, you will see that it is actually flat. After seeing this, you will understand that the natural terrain was more than suitable for the mountain castle.

Leaflet, © OpenStreetMap contributors

The map around the castle

The northern entrance of Takatenjin Castle Ruins

Western ridge part

The spot you reached is called the Well Enclosure, which is the connecting point of the eastern and western ridges. The eastern ridge is the older part of the castle, which includes the Kane, Matoba, Main, Gozen, and Third Enclosures. These enclosures were built along natural terrain, which was partly surrounded by earthen walls and paths.

The original path around the Main Enclosure

The Main Enclosure is at the center and it is the highest point of the castle. You can look down vertically at the steep cliffs anywhere and see a view of Fort Hinodake, one of the Six Takatenjin Forts, from the enclosure. The Third Enclosure is located at the easternmost part of the castle, having a fine view. On a clear and sunny day, you can see a great view of Mt. Fuji in the east.

A view of Mt. Fuji from the Third Enclosure

Eastern ridge part

The western ridge is the newer part of the castle which includes the Western, Babadaira, Second, Dono-o, and Seiro Enclosures. The Western Enclosure is the highest point of the ridge where Takaten Shrine currently stands now, so you can see a good view of the Pacific Ocean in the south. The Babadaira Enclosure is below the Western Enclosure and divided by a ditch. Over the Babadaira Enclosure, there is a narrow path. This path is often referred to as “Inumodori” which translates to “Dogs return” meaning “Dogs cannot go through because it’s too tough”.

A view of the Pacific Ocean from the Western Enclosure

The ditch between the Western and Babadaira Enclosures

The Second, Dono-o and Seiro Enclosures are in a line next to the Western Enclosure, which were fortified by the Takeda Clan. This was because other mountains are connected over the Seiro Enclosure, which could have been attacked from this direction. To prevent this from happening, Takeda built a long dry moat along these enclosures and deep ditches dividing them.

The ditch between the Second and Dono-o Enclosures

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

82.Ozu Castle Part2

You can enjoy both the restored Main Tower and the remaining turrets.

Features

From Entrance to Second Enclosure

Today, Ozu Castle is open to the public as the Shiroyama Park. The range of the park is the Main Enclosure and part of the Second Enclosure. The water moats, which was one of the most important features of the castle, were unfortunately reclaimed. This is so, the entrance of the park faces the public road. However, you can see the Main Tower, which had been scraped in 1888, but was restored in almost the same way in 2004.

Leaflet|国土地理院

The aerial photo around the castle

You can also walk on the road, which was probably one of the moats, into the park. You will pass the ruins of the Main Gate with some remaining stone walls, then you will be in the Second Enclosure. The enclosure had the Main Hall and lots of warehouses, and the only warehouse that remained is called” Shimo-daidokoro”.

The ruins of the Second Enclosure Main Gate

Restored Main Tower and Remaining Turrets at Main Enclosure

After that, you will climb on the hill which is the Main Enclosure. The enclosure has the lower and higher tiers. The lower tier has the ruins of a large well, so it was also called the Well Enclosure in the past. The higher tier is the highest and the center of the castle. It was surrounded by the gates, walls and turrets, but now you can easily enter the main enclosure. The restored Main Tower with the two remaining turrets both sides still stand out, which are definitely the highlight of the castle.

The stone walls around the Well Enclosure

Going to the higher tier of the Main Enclosure

The restored Main Tower (in the center), the remaining Kitchen Turret (on the right), and Handrail Turret (on the left)

These buildings are connected to each other by the other restored Passage Turrets. Visitors enter the entrance of the Kitchen Turret or Daidokoro Yagura, one of the remaining turrets. It is thought that this turret was used for a kitchen like the name as there are lots of lattice windows for ventilation. You will next go to the restored area. The materials of the area still look new unlike those of the remaining area. However, you may not feel strange because both areas were built in the same way using wooden materials. You will enter the Main Tower after going through the Passage Turret.

Interior of restored Main Tower

The Main Tower has four floors. The central part of the first and second floors is made in the open beam ceiling. For that, you can see lots of wooden pillars and how they are combined wisely. The wooden materials for the pillars were provided by many local organizations or individuals, which are shown on the panels in the tower. The panels also explain the history of the castle.

The open beam ceiling between the first and second floors

You can go up to the top floor by climbing the steep stairways but which is considered safe, using handles. You can enjoy a view of Hijikawa River from the top through a lattice window made in the original way.

The stairway from the third floor to the top floor

Handrail Turret with good views

You can also go to the other remaining turret called the Handrail Turret or Koran Yagura from the back of the Main Tower through the other Passage Turret. The turret has a veranda with the handrail at the second floor like the name. You can climb up to the floor using the original stairway. Actually, you can’t go out to the veranda probably to preserve the place. However, you can feel the floor is open and enjoy a view of the outside. The lord of the castle must have used the turret for viewing.

From the Main Tower to the Handrail Turret

The interior of the first floor of the turret

The interior of the second floor of the turret

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

82.Ozu Castle Part1

Many clans developed Ozu Castle and the area around.

Location and History

Utsunomiya Clan first builds Castle

Ozu Castle was located in the southern part of Iyo Province on Shikoku Island, which is now Ozu City in Ehime Prefecture. The castle was first built on a hill called Jizogadake by the Utsunomiya Clan in the 14th Century. This location was near the intersection of Ozu-Uwajima Road and Hijikawa River, an important point for transportation. The Utsunomiya Clan eventually became one of the local warlords in the province during the Sengoku Period in the late 15th to the 16th Century.

The range of Iyo Province and the location of the castle

Takatora Todo modernizes Castle

After Hideyoshi Toyotomi achieved his unification of Japan, Takatora Todo, who worked under Hideyoshi owned Ozu Castle in 1595. He was based in Uwajima Castle, but he modernized both Ozu and Uwajima Castles. The details of improved Ozu Castle by Takatora are uncertain, because the ruins of it are under the current Ozu Castle. However, it is thought that the basic structure of the castle was completed by him. The Main Enclosure was on the hill beside Hijikawa River flowing from the east to the north of the castle. The Second Enclosure was below the hill on the opposite side of the river. Both enclosures were surrounded by the Inner Mort in the south and west. The Third Enclosure and the Outer Moat were also outside of them. The water of the moats was from the river, so the castle is also called a River Castle.

The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The illustration of Ozu Castle in Iyo Province, exhibited by the National Diet Library of Japan

Yasuharu Wakizaka builds Main Tower?

In 1609, Yasuharu Wakizaka, was transferred from Sumoto Castle to Ozu Castle as the founder of the Ozu Domain. It is said that he built the four leveled Main Tower in the Main Enclosure. Some historians also speculate that he might have moved the Main Tower of Sumoto Castle to Ozu. This is because the sizes of the stone wall bases for both castles are almost the same, according to the recent research. The two two-story turrets called Daidokoro-Yagura and Koran-Yagura were built at both sides of the Main Tower, connected by the Passage Turrets. Many other turrets were also built in the important positions of each enclosure.

The portrait of Yasuharu Wakizaka, owned by Tatsuno Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The stone wall base for the Main Tower and the imitation Tower of Sumoto Castle

The old photo of the Main Tower and the Daidokoro-Yagura Turret of Ozu Castle, from the signboard at the site

Kato Clan maintains Castle

In 1617, the Kato Clan was transferred from Yonago Castle to Ozu Castle, which governed the castle and the Ozu Domain over 13 generations until the end of the Edo Period. The domain didn’t have a large territory (60 thousand rice of koku) which meant they were not rich. However, it promoted industries such as Tobe pottery, Japanese papers and Japan wax. It also founded the domain school called Meirinkan to educate warriors. At the end of the Edo Period, one of the warriors, Ayasaburo Takeda learned the Western military science after graduation. He lastly built the first Western style castle called Goryokaku in Hakodate, Hokkaido Island, he also worked as the instructor of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

The portrait of Sadayasu Kato, the first lord of the clan, owned by Ozu City Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Ayasaburo Takeda (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

As for Ozu Castle, the Second Enclosure became the center of the castle in the peaceful time, having the Main Hall, warehouses surrounded by the Main Gate and some turrets.

The Second Enclosure drawn in the Illustration of Ozu Castle in 1692, exhibited in the castle

To be continued in “Ozu Castle Part2”