main roure – ページ 4 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

90.Hirado Castle Part2

A castle with a unique character

Features

Layout using Yamaga style

Today, if you are close to the present Hirado Castle and look at the Imitation Main Tower and some rebuilt turrets on the hill, you may feel that the arrangement of how they are placed is odd. In other castles in general, the Main Tower and turrets are placed along the natural terrain. However, those of Hirado Castle look like they are facing their own directions. This is probably because these buildings were built along the complex line of the stone walls surrounding the castle, based on the Yamaga style.

The Imitation Tower and rebuilt turrets on the hill

The aerial photo around the castle

If you drive to the castle, you can easily go up to the parking lot in the northern part of the hill near the top. After parking, you can walk on the path to the Main Enclosure on the top. The trail reaches the only remaining castle buildings, which are the North Entrance Gate and the Raccoon Dog Turret. The stone walls beside the gate rise with an acute angle to the neighboring turret called Jizozaka
Yagura. This interesting feature may have come from the Yamaga style as well. After passing the gate, you will go on the zigzagged route surrounded by stone walls to the Main Enclosure.

The path from the parking lot to the top

The stone walls rising to the Jizozaka Turret

Main Route to Kameoka Shrine as Approach

You can also access the castle from the south by walking on the Main Route. The route is also the approach to the Kameoka Shrine which is located in the Second Enclosure. The ruins of the Main Gate are on the route. These ruins still have a square space surrounded by strong stone walls, called Masugata, which were built for defense. If you go on to the Second Enclosure Gate’s wide stone steps
of the ruins, you will be in the Second Enclosure. There was the Second Enclosure Main Hall where the lord of the Hirado Domain lived. The three-story Inui Turret was rebuilt in the present time as a souvenir shop. The Kameoka Shrine is at the back of the enclosure below the Main Enclosure.

Castle, Town and Sea seen from Main Tower

The Main Enclosure has the Imitation Main Tower and two rebuilt turrets. The Main Tower was originally another turret called Okimi-Yagura. It is actually a modern building used as a historical museum and observation platform. From the top floor, you can enjoy a great view of the area around the castle, seeing Hirado Port in the north and Hirado Strait in the east both connect to the
Genkai-nada Sea, and there is the interesting shape of the enclosure below.

A view of the Main Enclosure seen from the Main Tower

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

87.Hizen-Nagoya Castle Part2

Spectacular traces of Hideyoshi’s ambition

Features

From Main Route to Third Enclosure

Today, the ruins of Hizen-Nagoya Castle are well-developed as a historical park. If you drive to the ruins, you can use the parking lot of Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum beside the park. Visitors usually first visit the ruins by walking on the Main Route. You will see how large the ruins are at first sight. You will also see the large-scale stone walls still surrounding the ruins. However, many of them collapsed like a V letter. In fact, the collapse was done intentionally. If you walk to the Eastern Barbican Enclosure, the route turns back at almost 180 degrees to the Third Enclosure.

The castle ruins seen from around the Main Route

The stone walls being destroyed like a V letter

The Main Route seen from the Eastern Barbican Enclosure

The route turns into the Third Enclosure

The Main Route written on the picture of the miniature model of Hizen-Nagoya Castle exhibited by the Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum

Third Enclosure as Pivot of Defense

The Third Enclosure should have been the defense’s pivot because the enclosure is next to the Main Enclosure, and both the Main Route and Back Route gather in it. The entrance to the Back Route is still surrounded by the ruins of a large-scale turret and stone walls using many huge stones. The inside of the enclosure has the ruins of a well which could have been used for a siege.

The Third Enclosure drawn in “The folding screen of Hizen-Nagoya Castle”. from the signboard at the site

Main Enclosure as Center of Castle

You can walk on stone steps through the alternate Main Gate ruins surrounded by stone walls into the Main Enclosure. The enclosure is very large but empty now except for the monument of the castle. There are some flat exhibitions which indicates what buildings were built, such as the Southwestern Corner Turret and the Hall Turrets, by using stone foundations, gravel, paved areas.

The map around the Main Enclosure

The ruins of the Southwestern Corner Turret

The stone wall base for the Main Tower is located in the northwestern corner of the enclosure. Though there are only a few stone walls left, you can enjoy see a great view of Genkai-nada Sea and the castle area around.

Only a few stone walls remain on the base

To be continued in “Hizen-Nagoya Part3”
Back to “Hizen-Nagoya Castle Part1”

34.Nanao Castle Part3

Watch out for wild animals.

Features

You can also visit other enclosures near the Main Enclosure. For instance, the Nukui Residence is next to the Sakura Riding Ground. It has the ruins of its entrance which was built using a huge stone called Kyu-shaku-ishi or 2.7m Wide Stone, which might have been the Back Gate of the castle.

The ruins of its entrance which was built using a huge stone called 2.7m Wide Stone

The Second Enclosure is the next to the Nukui Residence, which was also an important defensive point. Finally, the Third Enclosure is over another large deep ditch. Unfortunately, you will have to go up and down the stairs on very steep cliffs to get there.

The imaginary drawing of the Second Enclosure (from the signboard at the site)

Later History

In the Edo Period after Nanao Castle was abandoned, the Kaga Domain banned people from cutting down trees around the mountain. This prevented farmers cutting down trees and materials. The study of the ruins started about 100 years ago, and as a result, the ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1934. Nanao City has been maintaining the ruins since 1966. The city is planning to provide a fine landscape in the main portion and develop the Main Route from the foot of the mountain while preserving the ruins properly.

The city view of Nanao City from the castle ruins

The Main Route to the main portion of the castle

My Impression

I saw the signboard at the site that wonders of wild boars that often dig up the ruins. When I walked down from the Second Enclosure to get to the Third Enclosure, I noticed the back of a wild boar. I have been told that wild boars can attack you suddenly without warning. Therefore, I decided to give up to get there and head back. Visiting mountain castles is very interesting as long as you take precaution. Be careful not to provoke wild animals, as they can attack you unknowingly.

The signboard that tells about wild boars

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit the ruins.
If you want to go directly to the main portion of the castle,
It is about 15 minutes away from Nanao-Shiroyama IC on the Noto Expressway.
If you want to walk from the foot of the mountain,
I would recommend parking at the Nanao Castle History Museum. it takes about one hour to the top going through the Main Route.

Links and References

・Historic Site Nanao Castle Ruis, Nanao City

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