Main tower – ページ 7 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

77.Takamatsu Castle Part1

One of the three greatest sea castles in Japan

Location and History

Chikamasa Ikoma built Castle based on experience

Takamatsu Castle, one of the greatest sea castles in Japan, was located in Sanuki Province which is now Kagawa Prefecture. The name of the prefectural capital, Takamatsu City, actually originates from this castle. Chikamasa Ikoma, who was a warrior in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, first built the castle. Chikamasa took part in many battles such as those at Nagashino Castle, Ishiyama Honganji Temple (former Osaka Castle), and Bicchu-Takamatsu Castle under the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Chikamasa contributed to the unification of the country by Hideyoshi who gave Chikamasa Sanuki Province in 1587.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Chikamasa Ikoma, owned by Kokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The present Osaka Castle, which was once Ishiyama Honganji Temple

Chikamasa at first used the existing Hiketa Castle, but he decided to build a new castle as his home base. From his experiences, his concerns about the castle were:
・whether it would be able to get naval support during battles.
・whether it would be able to withstand gun attacks.
・whether it would be able to survive a long siege.
In the end, he devised Takamatsu Castle, which was completed in 1590.

Castle surrounded by Sea and Triples Moats

Takamatsu Castle was built facing the Seto Inland Sea to the north, making it possible to ship directly to the sea. The castle was also surrounded by water moats tripled in the other directions, to which the sea supplied water. The main enclosure which had the three-layer main tower was isolated in the inner moat, connecting to the second enclosure with only a wooden bridge called saya-bashi. The third enclosure was next to the second enclosure, which had the gate opening to the sea. The enclosure also had the main hall for the lord of the castle. Such a castle was classified not only as a plain castle, but also a sea castle. It would be impossible for enemies to completely besiege this castle with technology at that time.

The folding screen of Takamatsu Castle and the castle town, owned by Kagawa Prefectural Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Matsudaira Clan followed and developed Castle

The Ikoma Clan was allowed to maintain their territory of Sanuki Province for a while by supporting the Tokugawa Shogunate in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. However, the clan was forcibly moved by the shogunate in 1640 due to their internal strife. After that, the Shogun’s relative, Yorishige Matsudaira was sent to Takamatsu Castle as a replacement for the Ikoma Clan. Though lords were basically not allowed to renovate their castles at that time, he developed and improved Takamatsu Castle by rebuilding the main tower and adding the northern and eastern enclosures. This was because he was also responsible for monitoring non-hereditary feudal lords in Shikoku Island, who might have been against the shogunate.

The old photo of the Main Tower Yorishige rebuilt

Part of the whole illustration of Old Takamatsu Castle, the illustration drawn after Yorishige developed the castle, from the signboard at the site

The Matsudaira Clan governed the castle and the area around as the Takamatsu Domain until the end of the Edo Period. In the peaceful time of the Edo Period, the beautiful view of the castle became a famous attraction for people. A guide book at the time says that the castle looks as if it is a floating castle on the waves from the Seto Inland Sea. The castle has also been said to be one of the three greatest sea castles in Japan.

The miniature model of Takamatsu Castle and the castle town, exhibited by Tamamo Park Museum

To be continued in “Takamatsu Castle Part2”

78.Marugame Castle Part1

A castle covered with great stone walls with advanced technology

Location and History

It starts as Branch of Takamatsu Castle

Marugame Castle was located on a mountain called Kame-yama which means tortoise mountain in the western part of the Sanuki Plain of Sanuki Province (what is now Kagawa Prefecture). The part of the plain has several mountains that stood out like a projection, for example, Ino-yama Mountain is known for its beautiful appearance as Sanuki-Fuji. Kame-yama Mountain is one of the mountains and much lower than the Sanuki- Fuji ( 66m vs 422m), but was more convenient for the warriors to build a castle on it.

The location of the castle

The relief map around the castle

It is said that the Nara Clan first built a fortress on Kame-yama Mountan, but a castle named Marugame Castle was built on the mountain by the Ikoma Clan in 1597. The Ikoma Clan governed Sanuki Province under the Toyotomi Clan and the Tokugawa Shogunate later between 1587 and 1640. Marugame Castle was a branch castle of Takamatsu Castle which was the home base of the Ikoma Clan. However, Marugame Castle was once abandoned in 1615 in accordance with the Law of One Castle per Province by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The castle had unfortunately been destroyed as we found the wreckage of the old stone walls when the excavation was done.

The portrait of Chikamasa Ikoma, the founder of the clan, owned by Kokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Rebuilt by Yamazaki Clan and Kyogoku Clan

After the Ikoma Clan was transferred to another due to their internal trouble in 1641, the Yamazaki Clan was given the western part of Sanuki Province by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Yamazaki Clan was allowed to rebuild Marugame Castle for their new home base. They built the high stone walls with three tiers covering all around Kame-yama Mountain. The stone walls were also built with advanced technology and very valuable because building a new castle was basically not allowed at that time. The re-construction continued for 30 years. The Yamazaki Clan was unfortunately fired by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1657 during the construction because they had no successor. The Kyogoku Clan following the Yamazaki Clan completed the construction building the Main Tower by 1663.

The Main Tower and high stone walls of Marugame Castle

The portrait of Takakazu Kyogoku, who was transferred to Marugame Castle, owned by Marugame Municipal Archives Museum *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

It looks like Stone Fortress

The final appearance of Marugame Castle was as the following. The Main Enclosure, the Second Enclosure and the Third Enclosure were on the mountain. All the enclosures were surrounded by the stone walls making the very high ones stick together. The Main Enclosure, which was at highest, had the Main Tower and the four Corner Turrets connected with the roofed passages called Tamon or the mud walls. The Second and Third Enclosures were below the Main Enclosure and they also had several turrets. The Inner Moat surrounded the mountain, the Main Gate was just inside the moat in the north, and the Back Gate was in the south. In addition, warriors’ houses were built outside the Inner Moat and were also surrounded by the Outer Moat.

The miniature model of Marugame Castle, exhibited by Marugame Castle Main Tower

The Main Gate and Inner Moat of Marugame Castle

Part of the illustration of Marugame Castle in Sanuki Province, in the Edo Period, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

The Kyogoku Clan governed Marugame Castle and the Marugame Domain until the end of the Edo Period. In fact, the lord of the castle lived in the Main Hall at the foot of the mountain. That was a common way for the lords of the castles in peaceful time. Anyway, Marugame Castle must have looked like a stone fortress.

The ruins of the Main Hall at the foot of the mountain (taken by あけび from photoAC)

To be continued in “Marugame Castle Part2”

34.Nanao Castle Part2

The main portion of the castle is still outstanding.

Features

From Parking lot to Main portion of Castle

Today, you can access the main portion of the ruins of Nanao Castle directly by car. The ruins, however, don’t have castle buildings now, but their foundation remains intact. There is a parking lot on one of the enclosures under the Cho Residence. You can walk on the well developed trail to the Main Enclosure from the parking lot.

The map around the castle

You can also see the large deep ditch called Horikiri between the Main Enclosure and the Cho Residence followed by the vertically cut cliff called Kirigishi of the Main Enclosure along the trail. They are, however, artificial.

The large deep ditch between the Main Enclosure and the Cho Residence

The vertically cut cliff under the Main Enclosure

You will first reach the Chodo-maru which was the place where weapons were prepared under the Sakura Riding Ground. The original Main Route also reached the Chodo-maru in the past.

The imaginary drawing of Chodo-maru (from the signboard at the site)

Wonderful stone walls

Next, you will see the large five-tier stone walls piled up naturally called Nozura-zumi when you walk up to the Sakura Riding Ground. The stone walls look beautiful because of the moss that covers it. They were built by Toshiie Maeda and are one of the highlights of the castle.

The five-tier stone walls Toshiie Maeda built

From the front of the Sakura Riding Ground, you can go straight to the Main Enclosure through the Yusa Residence. However, this route was not original. It was said to have been built when the Shiroyama Shrine was established on the enclosure about 80 years ago. Thanks to that, you can also see the great three-tier stone walls of the enclosure which is close by.

The entrance of the Sakura Riding Ground

The three-tier stone walls of the Main Enclosure

Main Enclosure was well protected

The enclosure was protected well by the stone walls and the vertically cut cliff in the past. The original route zigzagged and went around the back of the enclosure, guarded by the other square space called Soto-Masugata which was put on the outside of the enclosure.

The stone walls and vertically cut cliff protecting the Main Enclosure

The square space outside the original entrance of the Main Enclosure

The inside of the Main Enclosure is basically empty and the monument of the castle remains standing. The shrine is on the ruins of the Main Tower. The tower is thought to have a cypress bark roof or shingled roof, because no roof tiles were ever found during the excavation. The view from the enclosure is amazing. If the weather is nice, you will be able to see the whole view of Nanao City along the Nanao Bay and Noto Peninsula.

The monument stands an the Main Enclosure

The Shiroyama Shrine on the ruins of the Main Tower

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