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167.Shingu Castle Part2

Castle ruins with a mysterious atmosphere

Features

Developed as Tankaku Castle Park

Today, the ruins of Shingu Castle have been developed by Shingu City as the Tankaku Castle Park. The park actually has a mysterious atmosphere because it consists of the castle ruins, the ruins of an amusement facility developed in the Showa Era, and the modern park facilities. It has two entrances but they were not originally for the castle. If you enter it from the main entrance on the western side, you will walk up the stairs to the hill for a while.

The map around the castle

The main entrance of the park
Walking up the stairs from the main entrance
The eastern entrance of the park

Then, you will eventually walk on the original Main Route which comes from another side and meets at some point. You can see the rest of the original route goes down, but you can not to go there directly over the poles and ropes.

The meeting point with the original Main Route
Looking down the original Main Route

If you want to go there, you need to go around the residential area which surrounds the route.

The remaining sone walls among the residential area
The original Main Route below the hill

Enclosures surrounded by Precise Stone Walls

There are four enclosures on the hill, which are the Matsunomaru, Kanenomaru, Main, and Barbican from the west to the east, with only the stone walls remaining. The Matsunomaru Enclosure is the first one from the Main Route, whose entrance is a defensive square space surrounded by stone walls, called Masugata. This enclosure also has the route to the Water Supply Enclosure beside the river, it should have been the pivot point for defense.

The entrance of the Matsunomaru Enclosure
The defensive square space
The inside of the Matsunomaru Enclosure
The route to the Water Supply Enclosure

The next is the Kanenomaru enclosure which has another Masugata entrance. Its stone walls were well processed and piled with precision, in a method called Kirikomi-Hagi. It had had the Main Hall for the lord in Asano’s period, but the hall was moved to the Second Enclosure at the foot during Mizuno’s period. It now has a square and a Japanese Garden which was probably built when it was used as a Ryokan or a traditional Japanese style hotel in the Showa Era.

The entrance of the Kanenomaru Enclosure
The defensive square space
The inside of the Kanenomaru Enclosure
The stone walls of the Kanenomaru Enclosure seen from the foot of the hill

Main Enclosure with complex design

You will next reach the Main Enclosure, which has a more complex design. Basically, it has many different kinds of great remaining stone walls. First, it has doubled front gate ruins, especially, the second one is surrounded by stone walls piled with the most precision in the castle, using a method called Kikko-zumi or Piling like Tortoise Shell.

The map around the Main Enclosure

From the first gate ruins to the second gate ruins
The stone walls of the second gate ruins, built using a method called Piling like Tortoise Shell

Second, the stone walls of its Back Gate Ruins show an excellent surface treatment.

The stone walls of the Back Gate Ruins

Finally, the stone walls surrounding the enclosure are curved elaborately like a folding screen called Byobu-ore which made it possible for the defenders to counterattack to the enemies’ side.

The stone walls of the Main Enclosure, like a folding screen
The top of the folding screen stone walls

These stone walls have two tiers with the upper one being newer which was built by the Mizuno Clan, contrasted by the older lower tier which was built by the Asano Clan. The enclosure looks like a museum for stone walls.

The stone walls of the Main Enclosure have two tiers, but the lower one is covered with grass
The stone walls of the Main Enclosure, seen from the Matsunomaru Enclosure

Unfortunately, the stone wall base for the Main Tower had mostly collapsed due to a typhoon in 1952. Only one side of it remains.

The few remaining stone wall base for the Main Tower

On the other hand, the enclosure was also heavily modified by several stairs and paths which could have been built using the collapsing stone walls. The added structures are supposed to have been built for the amusement facility during the Showa Era. Visitors may be confused to see these structures made of stones because there are not enough explanations for it.

The stone steps which were added in a later period
The enclosure is mixed with the original structures and added ones later

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

16.Minowa Castle Part3

If you were a general, which way you would prefer?

Features

Remaining Stone Walls along Main Route

You can also walk on the Main Route up from the western side of the hill or down from the Second Enclosure. The route goes through the Third Enclosure where you can see the remaining stone walls here and there. It is thought that the builder, Naomasa Ii aimed to show his authority to the visitors passing the route. The Ii Clan later built Hikone Castle using much greater stone walls, but they built stone walls of Minowa Castle as much as they can at that time.

The map around the castle

The Main Route
The remaining stone walls of the Kaji Enclosure on the Main Route
Going to the Third Enclosure from the Kaji Enclosure
The remaining stone walls of the Third Enclosure
Stone walls of Hikone Castle

Later History

The ruins of Minowa Castle was designated as a National Historic Site in 1987. After that, the excavation was done widely between 1998 and 2006 by Takasaki City which owns the ruins. Since then, the city has been developing the ruins as a historical park.

The developed Kaku-Umadashi stronghold
The earthen walls and stone walls over the great artificial trench were also developed
The trail going on the bottom of the trench

My Impression

I was very impressed by Narimasa Nagano and his clan’s way of life to devote themselves to their master and territory. There were also other generals who had different ways of lives such as the Obata and Sanada Clans. If you were a general or warrior in the Sengoku Period, which way you would prefer? In addition, if we apply their lives in present times, the life of the Nagano Clan would be like working for the same company for a long time, the Obata Clan would be changing careers often, and the Sanada Clan would be starting a business. We can think about our own lives from learning about those generals in the Sengoku Period.

The wooden statue of Narimasa Nagano, owned by Chojunji Temple, quoted from the website of Takasaki City
Norizane Obata drawn in the “Battle of Nagashino” folding screens, exhibited by Kanra Town Museum of History and Folklore
The portlait of Masayuki Sanada, the successor of Yukitaka Sanada, who struggled to be independently, privately owned (licensed under Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit the ruins.
It is about a 30-minute drive away from Takasaki or Maebashi IC on the Kanetsu Expressway. You can park at several parking lots in the ruins.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Gunma Bus bound for Ikaho-Onsen from Takasaki Station and get off at the Shiroyama-Iriguchi bus stop. It takes about 5 minutes on foot from the bus stop to get there.
To get to Takasaki Station from Tokyo: Take the Joetsu Shinkansen super express.

The parking lot in front of the Back Route
The parking lot near the Main Route

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Minowa Castle Part1”
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147.Takatenjin Castle Part3

Why Takatenjin Castle is my favorite Mountain Castle

Features

Around Main Route

The Main Route from the south goes up to the Third Enclosure in the eastern ridge. Probably because this route is less steep than the Back route, many fights occurred at this point. However, no one could successfully break this castle by force.

The map around the castle

Around the ruins of the Main Gate
The Main Route
The ruins of Chakuto Turret which instructed the defenders to prevent enemies from attacking

Later History

After Takatenjin Castle fell, the castle was eventually abandoned. The Takaten Shrine, which had been the guardian of the castle, remained on the top of the mountain. People around the area continued to worship the shrine for a long time. As for the castle ruins, they were designated as a National Historic Site in 1975. The research for the castle have been done since 1998. The ruins have also been developed separately.

The Takaten Shrine
The gateway of the Takaten Shrine on the Back Route

My Impression

Takatenjin Castle is my favorite mountain castle in Japan. The reasons for this are listed below.

  1. It was an important point to govern the area around.
  2. The mountain where castle was built on was not so high, that meant the soldiers could run to anywhere in case of emergency.
  3. The castle was not so large, which meant only a few soldiers could protect the castle by themselves.
  4. The slopes of the mountain are all steep or there were many cliffs, meaning enemies couldn’t attack the castle easily.
  5. The view from the top was excellent, that means the defenders could see the situations around the castle very clearly.
    In addition, the castle could get enough water. By visiting the castle ruins, I learned what mountain castles were and I realized the Takatenjin Castle was the best one. I’ve never seen any other mountain castles that have these advantages.
The Back Route passing through rough cliffs
The top is all surrounded by steep cliffs
A view from the top
The ditch seen from the Dono-o Enclosure
Looking down the dry moat from the Dono-o Enclosure

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about 15 minutes away from Kakegawa IC on the Tomei Expressway. There are parking lots for visitors in front of the Main Route and the Back Route.
If you want to use public transportation, you can take the Shizutetsu Justline Bus on the Kakegawa-Daito-Hamamatsu Line bound for Hamaoka-Eigyosho or Daito-shisho from Kakegawa Station and get off at the Hijikata bus stop. It takes about 15 minutes on foot from the bus stop to get there.
To get to Kakegawa Station from Tokyo or Osaka: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express.

The castle ruins and the parking lot in front of the Back Route
The southern entrance of the castle ruins leading to the Main Route
The parking lot in front of the Mian Route

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Takatenjin Castle Part1”
Back to “Takatenjin Castle Part2”