main enclosure – ページ 37 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

138.Echizen-Ohno Castle Part2

Visit both the castle and the castle town.

Features

Four Trails to Top

Today, Echizen-Ohno Castle is part of Kameyama Park on the mountain. There are four trails to the top of the mountain. Only one of the four routes called Hyakken-zaka is the original one which is zigzagged and steep.

The map around the castle

If you want to walk on a gentle slope, you can use other routes such as the Southern Route. The walk takes about 15 to 20 minutes. If you choose the Southern Route and climb up stone steps after the walk, you will arrive at the Main Enclosure on the top.

Old Stone Walls and Rebuilt Main Tower

The enclosure is surrounded entirely by the old stone walls which Nagachika Kanamori originally built. These stone walls were piled up using natural stones in an old way called Nozura-zumi. They look wild but were built wisely. Part of them seemed to have been re-piled when the castle buildings were rebuilt in the present time.

The stone walls surrounding the Main Enclosure

The rebuilt Main Tower on the stone walls

What you see on the stone walls is the rebuilt Tenshu which was constructed in 1968. It doesn’t resemble the original Tenshu of Echizen-Ohno Castle which looked like combined halls. It looks like a typical Main Tower which people in Japan usually imagine as Tenshu. The reason why such a Tenshu was built was probably because people in this area wanted it. The Tenshu building is actually a modern building which is also used as a historical museum and an observation platform. You can learn more about the castle inside.

The rebuilt Main Tower, its shape is different from the original one

From the top floor, you can enjoy a great view of Ohno city area including the old castle town and Inuyama Mountain where the old castle before Echizen-Ohno Castle was built.

A view of the Inuyama Mountain side from the Main Tower

A view of the Castle Town side from the Main Tower

Attractions at Foot of Mountain

You can also visit other attractions of the castle at the foot of the mountain. There is an educational complex in the Second Enclosure now called Meirin. The facilities include a primary school and a community center. The short part of the water moat remains in front of the facility.

The Second Enclosure seen from the Main Tower

The Second Enclosure with the water moat

There is the restored house of the Uchiyama Clan, a senior vassal family of the Ohno Domain. There is also the remaining warrior’s house of the Tamura Clan around.

The remaining warrior’s house of the Tamura Clan

Attractive Castle Town

If you have time, I recommend walking around the old castle town. For example, the morning market is held every day excluding midwinter at the Shichiken Street in the merchant area. A famous spring spot called Oshouzu is near the temple area. It was used by the lord of the castle. There are a lot of springs in this town, which have been used for domestic water since the town was developed.

You can also see zigzagged streets at several points, which were made to prevent enemies from attacking the castle easily.

To be continued in “Echizen-Ohno Castle Part3”
Back to “Echizen-Ohno Castle Part1”

138.Echizen-Ohno Castle Part1

Nagachika Kanamori built the unique Tenshu and the castle town.

Location and History

Nagachika Kanamori, retainer of Nobunaga Oda, builds Castle

Echizen-Ohno Caste was located in Ohno Basin in the eastern part of Echizen Province, what is now Fukui Prefecture. The Asakura Clan governed the province until 1573 during the Sengoku Period when the clan was defeated by Nobunaga Oda. The Ikkoshu Sect once took over the province, but Nobunaga defeated them again in 1575. Nobunaga gave the area around Ohno Basin to his retainer, Nagachika Kanamori, who was distinguished in the battle. This area connected the western, seaside part of the province and Hida Province inland. It was an important area for warlords to govern Echizen Province.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century {licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Nagachika Kanamori, owned by Ryogenin Temple {licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Nagachika first lived in Inuyama Castle, a mountain castle beside the basin, which the Asakura Clan used. However, Nagachika decided to build a new castle and its castle town in the basin in 1576 to make his governance stable. He seemed to build both the castle and castle town using advanced methods. These methods were similar to ones used for the historical home bases Komakiyama and Gifu Castles, which were built by his mater, Nobunaga Oda. For example, the new castle called Echizen-Ohno Castle was built with stone walls and the Tenshu building on a hill called Kame-yama in the basin.

Unique Tenshu and Advanced Castle Town

Tenshu basically means the Main Tower in the center of a castle. However, the Tenshu of Echizen-Ohono Castle did not look like a Main Tower. Instead, it looked like three combined halls. This was because the construction of Echizen-Ohno Castle started before the completion of Azuchi Castle in 1579, Nobunaga’s last home base. Azuchi Castle had the first Tenshu building which looked like the Main Tower in Japan. Before that, Tenshu had just meant the center building of a castle. Echizen-Ohno Castle was completed in 1580 and its Tenshu building remained for a long time. However, the Tenshu was unfortunately burned down in 1795 and not restored. If the castle survived, it would be considered quite a unique part of Japanese History and heritage.

The illustration of Echizen-Ohno Castle’s Tenshu, quoted from the leaflet of an exhibition of Ohno City

The miniature model of Azuchi Castle’s Tehshu, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Museum

Nagachika created the castle town in an advanced way as well. The town was divided orderly to accommodate warriors, merchants, craftsmen, and temples separately. Such a way to develop castle towns is commonly seen in those in the next century. His master, Nobunaga Oda created the castle town of Komakiyama from the ground up. Nagachika might have followed his master’s method. However, the Komakiyama castle town was abolished by Nobunaga. The people were forced to move with Nobunaga to his next home base, Gifu Castle. By contrast, the Echizen-Ohno castle town remains today as the city area of Ohno City. Nagachika also created Takayama Castle and Takayama town after he was transferred to Hida Province in 1586. The traditional town has now become a world-class tourist destination.

The miniature model of the castle town distribution at the ruins of Komakiyama Castle

The streets and residences of Takayama City *(licensed by *663highland* via Wikimedia Commons)*

Doi Clan governs from Second Enclosure Main Hall

After Nagachika, the lord of the castle changed several times. The Doi Clan governed the castle and the area as the Ohno Domain throughout the Edo Period since 1682. In peaceful times, the lord of the castle lived in the Main Hall in the Second Enclosure at the foot of the mountain. The enclosure was surrounded by a long water moat called Hyakken-bori. The lords rarely used the facilities including the Tenshu on the mountain, called the Main Enclosure, because of the inconvenience of the location. In addition, it would be difficult for officials to govern. That may be why the Tenshu wasn’t restored after the fire.

The introspection model of the Second Enclosure Main Hall, exhibited by the present Echizen-Ohno Castle

The illustration of Echizen-Ohno Castle *, exhibited by the present Echizen-Ohno Castle*

To be continued in “Echizen-Ohno Castle Part2”

134.Toyama Castle Part2

A site mixed with original and imitation items

Features

Appearance very different from past

Today, the ruins of Toyama Castle became Toyama Castle Park which is open to the public. The appearance of the park is much different from the original state of the castle in some ways. First, the Jintsu-gawa River was rerouted from the northern side of the castle to flow in another direction in 1899. Only a stream called Matsu-kawa River flows in the original position. Second, only the Main Enclosure and the Western Enclosure remain as the park, which were tied by burying the water moat between them. Finally, no castle buildings remain but some imitation items were built. Further details on that later.

The aerial photo around the castle

The Matsu-kawa River flowing in the former Jintsu-gawa River

Original Stone Walls, Water Moats and Moved Gate

The highlights of the remaining items are the stone walls, part of the water moats, and the moved Chitose Hall Gate from the Eastern Barbican Enclosure. If you enter the park from the south, you can walk across the only remaining earthen bridge. The bridge is over the only remaining water moat to the ruins of the front gate called Kurogane-mon or the Iron Gate with the stone walls.

The stone walls include five huge ornate stones called Kagami-ishi or the Miller Stones. These stones look great and showed the authority of the lord in the past. This area is the most likely to be the original Toyama Castle.

The stone walls of the Iron Gate, including the ornate stones

The other remaining stone walls of the back gate are at the northeast part of the castle. The Chitose Hall Gate is beside the stone walls.

The Chitose Hall Gate beside the stone walls

Imitated Stone Walls and Main Tower

On the other hand, another feature of the castle, the earthen walls can hardly be seen at the site. The outline of the Main Enclosure was originally made using the earthen walls connecting the stone walls. However, the outside part is covered with the imitation stone walls built recently. The inside of it was also piled up with some stones earlier on.

The stone walls on the left are original while those on the right are imitated

The inside of the earthen walls was also piled up with stones

There are signboards which give information about the original stone walls at the site, but no explanation for the stone walls which were built in the present time. Visitors might be confused or misunderstand what the castle was like.

The signboard for the original stone walls

there is no information for the imitated stone walls

The building of Toyama Municipal Folk Museum is on the stone walls of the Iron Gate as the imitation Main Tower, where you can learn more about Toyama Castle inside. It has been a long time since its launch in 1954, so it has also become a symbol of Toyama City. Now the imitation building fits in with the original stone walls.

The imitation Main Tower built on the stone walls of the Iron Gate

The Imitation Tower seen from the inside of the park

Another art museum building which looks like a turret is also built on the stone walls of the back gate. The citizens of the city might think Toyama Castle originally had the Main Tower and was built entirely using stone walls.

The art museum built on the stone walls of the Back Gate

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