The supply of the water from the Kumagawa River provides specialties such as hot spring, Kuma-shochu spirit, and sweet fish while the water could sometimes cause flood damages.
Features
Today, if you get close to the ruins of Hitoyoshi Castle, you will see a grand view of the Kumagawa River which collects water from mountain areas around, where you can also see students in canoes.
A grand view of the Kumagawa RiverThe students in canoes in the river
The supply of the water from the river provides specialties such as hot spring, Kuma-shochu spirit, and sweet fish while the water could sometimes cause flood damages. There was recently the Kumagawa River flood disaster in July, 2020 which actually caused serious damage to the castle ruins beside the river. The ruins have already resumed to be seen by visitors, but the Hitoyoshi Castle History Museum at the site is still closed as of September, 2023.
A facility of Hitoyoshi hot springThe closed Hitoyoshi Castle History MuseumThe water reached the level of the bill
Mysterious Water Bath of Basement
The museum is in the lowest area of the riverside which was used as the Main Gate, the domain’s facilities, and the senior vassals’ residences. Some turrets and walls surrounding the area have been restored. In fact, the museum is exactly on the same residence ruins of Seibe Sagawa who was banished during the Edo Period.
The aerial photo around the castle
The ruins of warriors’ residences at the riversideThe ruins of the Main GateThe restored row-style turret beside the Main GateThe restored Corner Turret
An interesting thing about the residence was that a water bath made of stones was found in the basement of the ruins. The water comes from the river and the bath is over 2m deep. There are no other similar cases in Japanese castles so far. Some speculate that it might have been used as a bathing place of a Jewish chapel because the specs were similar. There were secret Christians in the Hitoyoshi area though being Christians was prohibited during the Edo Period. Some of them might have believed Judaism.
The discovered water bath of the basement, quoted from the Hitoyoshi City website
Stone Walls with Hanedashi system surrounding Main Hall
The next area is the former Main Hall for the lord, called Mitachi, which is used as the Sagara-Gokoku Shrine. Some items for the hall remain, such as a pond garden, the stone entrance bridge over the moat, and stone walls surrounding it.
The ruins of the Main HallThe Sagara-Gokoku ShrineThe pond gardenThe stone entrance bridge over the moat
In particular, the stone walls facing the riverside use the Hanedashi system which refers to all the stones on the top row are layered to prevent enemies from invading. That’s why it is also called Musha-gaeshi or the Repelling Warriors system. The system is rarely seen in other Japanese castles only in Goryokaku, Shinagawa Batteries, and Tatsuoka Castle which were built at the end of the Edo Period.
The stone walls with the Hanedashi system of Hitoyoshi CastleThe stone walls with the Hanedashi system of GoryokakuThe stone walls with the Hanedashi system of Shinagawa BatteriesThe stone walls with the Hanedashi system of Tatsuoka Castle
In front of the stone walls, the ruins of Mizunote-mon or the Water Gate are open to the Kumagawa River, which proves that the castle was involved in water transportation.
The ruins of the Water GateThe ruins seen from the outside
Many lords built their castles on a plain or a low hill after the Battle of Sekigahara. However, Takamasa’s choice was to build his strongest castle on a mountain, which was rare then.
Location and History
Takamasa Mori builds Castle
Saiki City is located in the southeastern part of Oita Prefecture, Kyushu Region. It is known for its agriculture, forestry and fishing, in particular, Saiki Port is the largest landing port in the prefecture. The city actually originates from the castle town of Saiki Castle which Takamasa Mori first built. He was also the founder of the Saiki Domain which governed the castle and town all through the Edo Period between the 17th and the 19th Centuries.
The range of Saiki City and the location of the castle
Takamasa originally came from Owari Province, which is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture, and worked under Hideyoshi Hashiba who would be the ruler of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. After the unification of Japan, Takamasa was sent by Hideyoshi to Korea in 1592 and became active in the invasion of it. Hideyoshi gave Hita and Kusu Districts in Bungo Province (which is now Oita Prefecture) in 1595 to Takamasa in response to his contribution, following the former lord, the Otomo Clan which was fired by Hideyoshi. He improved some castles including Tsunomure Castle while he was in the territory.
The wooden statue of Takamasa Mori, from the signboard at Saiki City Historical MuseumThe ruins of Tsunomure Castle
After Hideyoshi died in 1598, a decisive battle over the county between the East Quad led by Ieyasu Tokugawa and the West Quad led by Mitsunari Ishida supporting the Toyotomi Clan took place in 1600, called the Battle of Sekigahara. Takamasa joined the West Quad which was defeated by the East Quad. He immediately surrendered to the East Quad. Considering other cases of the lords who supported the West Quad, Takamasa might have been fired or killed by the Tokugawa Shogunate which Ieyasu founded. However, he survived as the lord of another territory in Bungo Province, called Saiki. One of the reasons for his survival is said that his friend, Takatora Todo who was a powerful lord of the East Quad saved him. Another reason is probably Takamasa had the capacity to build great castles and improve civil government. He was also a specialist of guns.
The folding screens of the Sekigahara Battle, owned by Sekigahara Town History and Folklore Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)Some of the demi-cannons Takamasa used, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum
New Mountain Castle, rare case after Battle of Sekigahara
The Saeki area already had a great mountain castle called, Togamure Castle, however, Takamasa built a new mountain castle as his new home base in 1601, which would be Saiki Castle. The reasons why he took the trouble to build another mountain castle are said to be as follows. First, the new castle was near the port and the expected castle town, so it was convenient for the government. Second, the mountain the castle was built on had had the Hachiman Shrine, that’s why it was called Hachiman Mountain and considered as a holy place, which could give the castle builder authority. Finally, the situation was still unstable because the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Toyotomi Clan were against each other at that time. Lords in Japan needed to prepare for the next battle. Though some other lords built their castles on a plain or a low hill, Takamasa’s answer was to build his strongest castle on a mountain, which was rare then.
The imaginary illustration of Togamure Castle, exhibited by Saiki City Historical MuseumThe miniature model of Saiki Castle, exhibited by Saiki City Historical Museum
Saiki Castle was completed in 1605. The mountain is 145m high and has long and narrow ridges in the north and the southwest from the top. The top and ridges were all covered with stone walls. The top had the Main Enclosure and the Main Tower in it. The Second Enclosure was next to the Main Enclosure, which were connected by the Corridor Bridge, the only path to the Main Enclosure. The Second Enclosure had the Main Hall for the lord. It was not so large, but the lord and his family usually had to live on the mountain preparing for an emergency or a battle. The castle also had two reservoirs, called Men-ike or the Female Pond and On-ike or the Male Pond on a valley between the ridges. They were built for a long siege and also surrounded by stone walls.
The Main Enclosure on the right and the Second Enclosure on the left in the miniature model, the Corridor Bridge in inside the red circleThe Male Pond, still surrounded by the stone walls
Main Hall is built at foot of mountains in peaceful period
After the shogunate defeated the Toyotomi Clan in 1615, the situation changed. The government of the shogunate became stable. That meant lords in Japan didn’t need to live in an inconvenient hall on the mountain. In the case of the Saiki Domain, the third lord of the domain, Takanao Mori built the Third Enclosure and his new Main Hall at the foot of the mountain in 1637. As for the Main Tower in the Main Enclosure on the top, it is said to have had three-levels, but its details are quite uncertain. This is because it was unfortunately lost at the very first stage of the castle for some reasons.
The Main Hall at the foot of the mountain in the miniature modelThe ruins of Saiki Castle
Let’s walk with the location map laying over the previous and current city areas.
Features
Castle Ruins mostly being turned into City Area
Today, there are only few remaining items of the original Oshi Castle because most of its lands and moats were turned into a city area. Part of the earthen walls and the Inner Moat surrounding the Main Enclosure remains or was restored with the rebuilt Three-level Turret looking like a Main Tower. Part of the Outer Moat, little far from the Main Enclosure in the south, remains as the Water Castle Garden. The other moats were filled and the other enclosures were flattened for building modern buildings and transportation. However, if you use the location map laying over the previous and current city areas, which Gyoda City provided, you can walk by following the original routes to the center of the castle. Some stone monuments of the original buildings will guide you see where your own location is in the past.
The aerial map around the castle
The earthen walls and water moat of the Main EnclosureThe Water Castle GardenThe location map laying over the previous and current city areas, The water moats of the castle is light blue colored, from the signboard at the siteThe place where the Main Gate was builtThe monument of the Main Gate RuinsThe part of the Main Gate in the miniature model of the castle, exhibited by the Gyoda City Local Museum
Starting from Main Gate Ruins
For example, if you want to go to the Main Enclosure from the Main Gate Ruins on the original route, you would need to pass five enclosures like an island through very narrow paths over the moats. You can now follow the present routes similar to the original ones, which are now among modern residential areas.
The map around the castle, the broken red line shows the route from the Main Gate to the Main Enclosure, which is nearly original
For instance, the promenade of Oshi Castle Bus Terminal is the trace of one of the narrow paths, which is an unbelievable change.
The promenade of the bus terminal, which was the narrow path over the moatThe monument of Numahashi-mon Gate Ruins is over thereThe part of Numahashi-mon Gate in the miniature model
You can also find the stone monument of the original Three-level Turret on the way, so you will understand the original one was in the different place from the rebuilt one in the Main Enclosure.
The monument of the ruins of the original three-level turretThe original three-level turret is in the blue circle, the current three-level turret is in the red circle, in the miniature model
Past and Present of Main and Second Enclosures
In fact, the Main Enclosure had been used as the Main Hall for Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, during his hunt tour at the marshland around the castle. This enclosure eventually became an empty space surrounded by its earthen walls and the Inner Moat even during the Edo Period. The Main Enclosure is now being used as the Gyoda City Local Museum including the rebuilt turret, which exhibits the history of the castle and the city, and has become the landmark of the city.
The part of the Main Enclosure in the miniature modelThe rebuilt three-level turret in the Main Enclosure
The Main Hall for the lord of the Oshi Domain was built in the Second Enclosure across from the Main Enclosure, which is being used as Gyoda Secondary School.
The part of the Second Enclosure in the miniature modelThe secondary school in the Second Enclosure
