Masugata – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

205.Matsuoyama Castle Part2

Features

Introduction

This article will describe how we visit the ruins of the encampments for the battle of Sekigahara (mainly of the Western Allies). We will finally go to the ruins of Matsuoyama Castle where Hideaki Kobayakawa was positioned. In addition, as for the encampments of the Western Allies, we will visit them not only based on the defacto theory but also based on the new theories. Ogaki Castle may be a good starting point because the battle happened just after Mitsunari Ishida left the castle. You can see some exhibitions of him and the Sekigahara Battle in its restored main tower which has become a historical museum. Sekigahara Station is just few minutes from Ogaki Station.

Tour to Encampments of Western Allies based on Defacto Theory

It will be easy for visitors to visit the encampments based on the defacto theory because there are lots of information boards (also written in English). “Sekigahara Historical Landmark Tour” map, provided by the Sekigahara tourist association secretariat, will also help you. The following link is available in English.
(https://www.sekigahara1600.com/download/file/20200109155151.pdf)
So, let us first go to the encampment of Mitsunari Ishida on Sasaoyama Mountain, based on the defacto theory.

It may be better to go towards the Battle Site Memorial before reaching the mountain because you can find it easily. You can see the mountain where the flag of Mitsunari’s encampment stands.

The Battle Site Memorial, The flag on the right is Ieyasu’s family crest, while the flag on the left is Mitsunari’s family crest

Sasaoyama Mountain seen from the Battle Site Memorial, Notice the tiny white flags on the mountain

If you reach the foot of the mountain, you will eventually see that it was the encampment of Shima Sakon who was Mitsunari’s senior vassal. In fact, there is no evidence which proves that the mountain was certainly their encampments. The current historical sites were designated by the officials during the Meiji Era, probably based on the local traditions of the Edo Period. However, the top of the mountain looks suitable for the stronghold. You can see a panoramic view from the top, including Nangusan Mountain on the left, where Hiroie Kikkawa was positioned, and Matsuoyama Mountain on the right, where Hideaki was positioned. If Mitsunari would have been on the top, he would have been able to see any suspicious actions by the lord.

The stone monument of Mitsnari’s encampment

The view from the mountain, The mountain on left is Nangusan and the mountain on the right is Matsouyama

Our next target will be the grave site of Yoshitsugu Otani, after passing the encampments of other lords of the Western Allies, such as Yoshihiro Shimazu, Yukinaga Konishi, and Hideie Ukita. You need to walk for few kilometers to reach the target. However, some soldiers who joined the battle testified that the lords were positioned together in the range of only few hundreds of meters. This is another mystery that his often debated by historians and experts.

You will eventually enter the Yamanaka area (which directly means “mountain area”), not like the Sekigahara field. There are actually some ruins of encampments, made by soil, which Yoshitsugu might have built. His grave is in the area, which is said that his retainer originally buried his head there. Takatora Todo, who had been his enemy, heard about it and developed the grave as we can see now. There are always offerings (such as flowers) in front of the grave, from his fans. This is probably because of his episodes in the battle. Yoshitsugu joined the Western Allies because of his friendship with Mitsunari but was defeated by the betrayal of Hideaki (according to the defacto theory).

Tour to the Encampments of the Western Allies based on New Theories

Let us next go to the encampment of Yoshitsugu Otani from his grave nearby.
His encampment has been designated based on the defacto theory while a new theory says it was, in fact, that of the Shimazu troops. By the way, there is the view spot of Matsuoyama Mountain near the encampment as well. You can see the flag of Hideaki’s encampment from that spot. I think the view is one of the reasons why Yoshitsugu’s encampment was designated nearby in the defacto theory. The theory says Yoshitsugu was positioned in order to better monitor the betrayal of Hideaki. On the other hand, in the new theory, Yoshitsugu was actually in the Sekigahara field, so another lord was expected to use the encampment instead of him.

The flag of the encampment of Hideaki Kobayakawa on Matsuoyama Mountain, seen from the view spot

We will next go to the encampment of Mitsunari Ishida, based on the new theory, after climbing down the mountain area. If you walk on the Old Nakasendo Road, you will eventually see a hill up ahead, which is the encampment, called “Jigai-ga-oka”. The hill is also a historical site of Jinshin War during the Ancient Time, called “Jigai-mine-no-sanbon-sugi” which means “The three cedars on Suicide Hill”. A tradition says as followed:
Prince Otomo was defeated by Prince Oama during the war and killed himself in another place. People around the hill, who loved him, got his head and buried in the hill. The three cedars are said to be the mark, which you can visit and see.

The three cedars on Suicide Hill, The two remaining cedar trees are not accessible however, because they have a chain fence around them

There is one more spot regarding both the Sekigahara Battle and the Jinshin War, after going on the road over Fujikogawa River. You can find Fuwanoseki Museum, which are the ruins of Fuwanoseki (which means Fuwa Gateway). The new theory says this spot was the encampment of Yoshitsugu Otani. In the Jinshin War, the gateway was the border between the forces of Otomo (the west) and Oama (the east). In the Sekigahara Battle, Sekigahara (which directly means “gateway field”) was that of the Western and Eastern Allies.

Fujikogawa River in the front and Fuwanoseki Museum on the hill in the back

The Fuwanoseki Museum as the ruins of Fuwa Gateway, which might have also been the encampment of Yoshitsugu Otani, The white flag says “Fuwa Gate” while the red flag says “Jinshin War”

We will get closer to Matsuoyama Mountain. There are lots of flags of the Kobayakawa Clan at its entrance. It has a nice atmosphere.

The entrance to Matsuoyama Mountain as the encampment of Hideaki Kobayakawa, The yellow flags show the family crest of Kobayakawa. The 4 flags on the left show two sickles crossing each other.

Going to Matsuoyama Mountain

Matsuoyama Mountain is 293m above sea level and about 200m above the foot of the mountain. If you drive your car, you can park it at the foot. The trail to the top is part of Tokai Natural Trail, which has been well developed. The number of Hideaki’s troops were said to be about 8,000 to 15,000. They were probably stationed from the foot all the way to the top. If the Toi-deppo story is true, the soldiers at the foot would have been able to hear it.

The starting point of the trail, Notice the basket of sticks which is free for visitors to use. Make sure you return it to the original basket after using it

Matsuoyama Castle is often called the encampment of Hideaki Kobayakawa, in fact, it was a full-scale castle. It had the main enclosure on the top and several other enclosures on its ridges. They were surrounded by earthen walls one by one and were divided by dry moats from each other. It also had ditches on the ridges and vertical moats on the slopes in order to prevent enemies from invading it. The castle was mostly fortified by the Western Allies just before the Sekigahara Battle. It was done using natural terrain and construction with soil.

The diorama of Matsuoyama Castle, exhibited by Sekigahara Town History
& Folklore Museum

The trail looks like a well-developed forest road before turning into a fork. There is a sign which says 850m to the top. As you get close to the top, the trail goes beside a ridge which was the eastern enclosure of the castle. If you were an enemy back then, you would have been attacked by the defenders above.

Turn right, at the flag, Notice the drain on the road. When it rains, the water flows down the mountain, and goes to the drains

The trail goes beside the eastern enclosure

You will eventually see several flags standing on the main enclosure of the top above. One of them is that of Hideaki Kobayakawa’s encampment, which you saw from the view spot of Matsuoyama Mountain. The view from the top is so nice that you will be encouraged to stop and stare for a while. It would have been the view of Kobayakawa according to the defacto theory.

The flag of the encampment of Hideaki Kobayakawa

The view of the Sekigahara field from the top of Matsuoyama Mountain, It would have been great if the town decided to cut the trees so that viewers could get a better view of Sekigahara Field

Is it a Castle or is it an Encampment?

Let us check out if Matsuoyama Castle is worth for a full-scale castle at the site. In fact, the opposite side of the trail we climbed looks more fortified, according to the pamphlet of Matsuoyama Castle. (unfortunately, the pamphlet is only available in Japanese)
We will enter the castle from the side.

The layout of the castle (from the pamphlet of Matsuoyama Castle), we first came from above

The path of the entrance gets narrower by being cut by the ditches on both sides. You will next pass an enclosure like a position, which is called the enclosure like Umadashi (the position which sticks out from the gate).

The path gets narrower again and wind towards the main enclosure. The entrance of the main enclosure is a square, surrounded by earthen walls, which is generally called Masugata. The route you walked on right now may be the front of the castle, where Hideaki might have also been at.

The path goes close to the main enclosure, Notice the wooden steps that were added later on by the town

The Masugata system at the entrance of the enclosure

You can also walk down to the dry moats surrounding the main enclosure, from the front of the Masugata system. You will see the vertical cliffs on the slopes of the enclosure, which were artificially cut for defense, on the way to the moats. The bottom of the moats looks spacious tough it is covered with trees and grass now. Historians speculate that it was used as passages or stations for soldiers. The moats also have earthen walls like normal enclosures have.

The vertical cliffs, Notice the narrow road partially covered in plants. On the right, is the artificially cut soil, in order ot make the slope steeper for the enemies

The earthen walls on the moat, Notice the sign in Japanese saying “altered earthen walls”

Finally, we will climb another enclosure on a hill, the opposite of the main enclosure. The top of the enclosure is leveled, probably in order to accommodate soldiers in the past. Overall, Matsuoyama Castle must have been a large basement for the Sekigahara Battle. I have confirmed that it was not only a simple encampment but also a full-scale castle.

My Impression

After visiting the Sekigahara area, I think it still has a mysterious vibe and can accept adventurous spirits with many theories. In addition, I also learned that the area has a long history including the gateway and battle between eastern and western Japan since the ancient time. In fact, the battle between them still continues today in the category of noodles. You can buy two types of instant noodles for eastern and western Japan there at the souvenir shop. Gifu Sekigahara Battlefield Memorial Museum is a very popular spot for visitors where you can learn about the battle and buy other souvenirs. You can also get Goshuin stamps (you can stamp a piece of paper to commemorate your experience) of the encampments you visited there; However, you will need to show the pictures to the counter staff as evidence.

The Gifu Sekigahara Battlefield Memorial Museum

The two types of instant noodles for eastern and western Japan, The left is the “western type” while the one on the right is the “eastern type”.

The Goshuin stamps for three encampments, The left is the grave of Otani, the center represents Matsuoyama Mountain, and finally the one the right is Sasaoyama

That’s all. Thank you.

Back to “Matsuoyama Castle Part1”

23.Odawara Castle Part3

I introduced the histories and features of Odawara Castle until the Sengoku Period in the previous articles. In this article, I will talk about the histories and features of the castle starting from the Edo Period to the present time. The catchphrase of this article will be “Disaster Recoveries”.

Location and History

Period of Okubo Clan

After the Battle of Odawara Castle in 1590, Ieyasu Tokugawa who captured the Kanto Region chose Edo, not Odawara, as his home. However, he assigned his senior vassal, Tadayo Okubo to Odawara Castle instead as the founder of the Odawara Domain. That meant the castle was still important in order to protect the region from enemies at the western edge of the region. Tadayo lived in the castle while maintaining its stone walls. He used the main hall that the Hojo Clan built, and the Main Tower the clan may have built also. This was because the style of the tower was different from those of the castle later on, but there is no certain evidence of this. Ieyasu often stayed in Odawara Castle when he went hunting or looked around his territories. Despite the close relationship, Tadayo’s successor, Tadachika Okubo was fired by Ieyasu due to a minor violation in 1614. It was actually said that it was caused by the conflicts between the Okubo Clan and the Honda Clan that was another senior vassal family.

The portrait of Tadayo Okubo, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Masanobu Honda, owned by Kaga-Maeda Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The image of the first main tower, from the signboard at the site

Period of Inaba Clan

The Odawara Domain was revived in 1632 when Masakatsu Inaba, who was a close vassal of the shogun, became the lord of the castle. He was also a son of Lady Kasuga who was the foster mother of the shogun. Masakatsu was expected to guard the barrier of Hakone near Odawara, which would be the defensive line of the Kanto Region. However, in the following year, Kanei Great Earthquakes happened and it destroyed most of the castle and the castle town. The Tokugawa Shogunate, which planned the shogun’s visit to Kyoto after staying in Odawara in 1634, rapidly launched the reconstructions of the castle. That concluded the basic style of Odawara Castle during the Edo Period. For example, the main tower was rebuilt like the current one, but not the same one. The main portion of the castle was all surrounded by stone walls. The main hall in the main enclosure was built only for the shogun. Therefore, the lord of the castle stayed in his hall in the second enclosure, which was called “Oyakata”.

The portrait of Masakatsu Inaba, owned by Yogenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The imaginary drawing of Odawara Castle during the Edo Period, from the signboard at the site

The image of the second main tower, from the signboard at the site

The castle town was also developed as a transportation hub of Tokaido Road, one of the main roads in Japan. On the other hand, the range of the castle was reduced to only on the plain land, compared to that during the Sengoku Period. There were exemptions that some of the So-gamae structure were used as borders of the domain or the town. For instance, the eastern gate of the town to Edo, called “Edoguchi-mitsuke” used the So-gamae earthen walls. In the Yamanokami Ditch on the hill, guards monitored the border of the domain at the gate which was built there.

Period of Okubo Clan again

The Okubo Clan became the lord of the Odawara Domain (Odawara Castle) after the Inaba Clan moved to the Takada Domain in 1686. Tadatomo Okubo who was the lord of the clan supported the current shogun as a member of shogun’s council of elders. Few years later, the Genroku Earthquake occurred in 1703 which destroyed the castle and its town again. Mt. Fuji also erupted four years later, which was called “Hoei Eruption”, and its volcanic ash caused serious crop failure to the farms. The castle lost all its main tower and halls, but the shogunate didn’t help the domain in this case. As a result, it took as long as 18 years to restore them except for the main hall for the shogun which was not needed any more. The reconstruction of the main tower was a third generation, which survived until the end of the Edo Period. When the costal defensive system against possible invasions was needed, three batteries were built along the remaining earthen walls of the So-gamae structure beside the sea. However, they were unfortunately demolished until now.

The image of the third main tower, from the signboard at the site

Odawara Castle until Now

After the Meiji Restoration, Odawara Castle was abandoned and most of the castle buildings were scraped. Meanwhile, the stone walls of the main portion were still used as the base of an imperial villa. However, the Great Kanto Earthquakes, which happened on the 1st of September in 1923, destroyed the villa, the stone walls and the only remaining castle building, was the one-level turret of the second enclosure. This disaster had mostly erased the scenery of the remaining castle. The villa was eventually turned into Odawara Castle Park.
People in Odawara started to restore the castle in 1934 by rebuilding the stone walls and the turret of the second enclosure. The 4th main tower and its stone wall base was rebuilt in 1960. Since then, Tokiwagi-mon Gate in 1970, Akagane-mon Gate in 1997, and Umadashi-mon Gate in 2009 were restored to recreate their scenery during the Edo Period. They could be considered one of the disaster recoveries which the castle experienced again and again.

Some of the stone walls of the main enclosure, which collapsed in the Great Kanto Earthquakes

Features

From Third Enclosure to Second Enclosure

Past visitors to the castle would usually enter the castle from the main gate while current visitors would start from Ohoribata Steet beside the moat of the second enclosure. (Ohoribata means “beside the moat”) However, how about if we take another route instead? This route starts from the entrance to the ruins of Kodamon-guchi Gate beside the Odawara post office. It goes on the few remaining earthen walls of the third enclosure to the Ohoribata Street via the gate ruins. This gate had originally been the main gate of the castle during the Sengoku Period. It was said that Kenshin Uesugi attacked the gate first and followed by Shingen Takeda later on.

The ruins of the main gate in the third enclosure, which is used as a bell tower

The moat of the second enclosure was originally a pond surrounding the castle, called “Large Pond” or “Lotus Pond”. The stone walls and the single-level turret over the moat were restored after the Great Kanto Earthquakes. The original stone walls, which were destroyed by the earthquakes, were much higher than the current ones.

The restored stone walls and the single-level turret in the second enclosure

If you enter the front entrance of the Odawara Castle Park, you will enter the Umadashi-mon Gate through the earthen bridge over the moat. This gate was the latest restored gate in the castle, using wooden materials. It has a square space, called Masugata, inside, which makes it tough for enemies to penetrate.

If you pass the gate and walk around the moat again, you will eventually reach the Akagane-mon Gate, which is the front entrance of the second enclosure. You will need to walk across the wooden bridge to go over the moat again, which comes from the castle’s defensive layout. The gate was also restored to its original conditions with the help of old photos, records, and the results of the excavations. This Masugata System looks stronger than The Umadashi-mon Gate, which is surrounded by stone walls and mud walls.

The inside of the second enclosure is mostly an empty space but had the main hall for the lord (during the Edo Period) and the imperial villa (during the Meiji and Taisho Eras).

The space of the second enclosure and the main enclosure just above the hill

Arriving at Main Enclosure

We will eventually reach the main enclosure from the second enclosure through Tokiwagi-bashi Bridge. There used to be the eastern moat surrounding the main enclosure under the bridge, however, it has been converted into an iris garden which you can enjoy if you walk down to the former bottom of the moat. You can also see many hydrangeas planted on the slopes of the enclosure during the summer season.

After crossing the bridge, you will finally enter the last gate, called Tokiwagi-mon. It was restored using concrete instead of wood. The original gate had the Masugata system as well, however, the final restoration lacks one side of the walls probably to make it more accessible for visitors.

There is the reconstructed main tower in the main enclosure. It is very large for a three-level tower which is 27.2m tall and about 39m tall (including the tower base). The tower has four floors inside. It is the seventh tallest main tower among the existing ones in Japan. It is the fourth generation of the main towers of this castle, which was built emulating the miniature model and records of the third generation. However, the fourth generation has the observation platform for visitors on top, which is different from the design of the third generation tower. For this reason, the current tower is regarded not as “restored” but rather “reconstructed”. The inside of the tower is used as a historical museum, which was renovated are reinforced with earthquake-proof technology back in 2016.

The current main tower (the fourth generation)

You can see views of Odawara in all directions from the platform, including where you’ve already visited.

A view from the tower (Hachiman-yama old enclosure)

A view from the tower (the main and second enclosures)

A view from the tower facing west (including Sagami Bay)

Hopes for the Future and Lessons of the Past

If you get out of the main enclosure through the northern exit, you will reach Goyomai Enclosure. (Goyomai means “official stored rice”) Unfortunately, you can not enter it because of the excavations. Instead, you can see the panels around, which showcases what were found there so far. For example, the ruins of a stone pawed garden, including beautiful cut stones, during the Sengoku Period were discovered. The site was turned into warehouses for rice during the Edo Period, which originated the name of the enclosure. I’m looking forward to seeing this site again after it becomes more developed.

The explanation about the stone pawed garden

The explanation about the Tokugawa Shogunate roof tiles

If you go to the southern slopes of the main enclosure, you can see a lot of large stones at the foot which collapsed during the Great Kanto Earthquakes. In fact, the stones were used for the stone walls which covered the top of the enclosure. Some of the stones are still connected to each other forming a curve. That means they slid down from the top to the foot keeping the form when the earthquakes happened. It must have been caused by the enormous strength of the earthquakes. The exhibitions made me realize how important being prepared for disasters is.

The curved stone walls lie down at the foot of the enclosure

Other stone walls which collapsed during the earthquakes

Finally, It may be a good idea to visit the southern moat nearby. It is also known as “lotus moat” which uses the same name during the Sengoku Period. You may be seeing the same scenery as people at that time, which shows the castle has a long history.

My Impression

There are a lot of attractions about Odawara Castle from the Sengoku Period to the present time. Maybe you will need more than one day to see all of them. The lords of the castle achieved many things. For instance, they constructed one of the greatest castles and rebuilt the main towers three times. These works were passed down from one lord to the next. It may look simple, but it is difficult to maintain. I speculate that if another disaster happens in the future to Odawara, people there will survive along with Odawara Castle. They could be a role model for other people under similar situations in the future.

That’s all. Thank you.

Back to “Odawara Castle Part1”
Back to “Odawara Castle Part2”

53.Nijo Castle Part2

The eastern main gate is the only gate which visitors can use. It looks strict outside, however, if you enter inside, there will be an open space with the remaining guardhouse alongside. This is probably because this gate was the front gate of the castle, which was mainly used when ceremonies were held.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Nijo Castle was used as a villa of the imperial family. For example, a party for the enthronement ceremony of the emperor Taisho was held there. The castle has become a historical site since 1934, named Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo Castle. The site also became a World Heritage in 1994, as one of Cultural assets of the ancient capital of Kyoto.

The picture of the enthronement ceremony of the emperor Taisho (licensed by Ninijo via Wikimedia Commons)

The eastern main gate with the signpost of the historical site

Features

Gorgeous Second Enclosure

The eastern main gate is the only gate available to visitors. It looks strong on the outside, however, if you enter inside, there will be an open space with the remaining guardhouse alongside. This is probably because this gate was the front gate of the castle, which was mainly used when ceremonies were held.

The aerial photo of Nijo Castle, the eastern main gate is located at the lower right of the map (Google Map)

The inside of the gate, the guardhouse is in the back

If you turn right at the first corner of the tour course, you will see the Kara-mon Gate (which means Chinese-style gate). It was built with the high sophistication, as the front gate of the second enclosure main hall. It also has lots of golden decorations, which attracts many tourists, particularly those from overseas.

The route from the eastern main gate to the main hall through the Kara-mon Gate has been the official one since the beginning. The main hall has been intact since it was renovated for the Kanei Royal Visit in 1626. That’s why it was designated as a National Treasure in 1952, with its gorgeous pictures on its movable sliding doors inside.

Unfortunately, we can not take pictures inside the hall. Therefore, let me explain to you about each hall while looking at the aerial pictures of the six halls. The hall basically consists of 6 buildings. The first one is the largest one (located on the bottom right of the picture), called “To-zamurai” (which means gate guardians). It was used as the entrance and the waiting rooms, including the special room for the imperial envoys in the back. The hall next to it is called “Shikidai” (which means retainers’ rooms). It was the place for the agency service between the visitors and the shogun. The service was done by Roju (the members of the shogun’s council of elders) who had their rooms in the back.

The aerial photo of the main hall (Google Map)

The third hall is O-hiroma (which means large hall), where the visitors officially met the shogun. In fact, The Returning of the Power to the Emperor was officially announced there in 1867. The three buildings above were like the government office. The others in the back were like the shogun’s residences.
The fourth hall, called “Sotetsu-no-ma” (which means cycad room), was the connecting hall to them. The name originates from the cycad trees, presented from the Saga Domain. They were planted outside near it. Surprisingly, the trees are still alive there today.

The “Sotetsu-no-ma” hall in the left, the “O-hiroma” hall in the right, and the cycad trees are in the front

The fifth one is called Kuro-shoin (which means black library), where the shogun worked and met people in private. The famous picture of The Returning of the Power to the Emperor demonstrates the event in this room. The shogun (Yoshinobu Tokugawa) told the internal retainers about his decision in the picture.

The picture of the announcement of Returning the Power to the Emperor, owned by the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The last one is called Haku-shoin (which means white library). It was used as the shogun’s private room.

Is the Main Enclosure a Castle-like Place?

The main enclosure may be more likely a castle than the second enclosure. You can go there by crossing the bridge over the inner moat. The bridge used to have the second floor with roof overhead for the Kanei Royal Visit. The floor was demolished, but it is kept in a storage room, in case they want to restore in the future. If you go over the bridge, you will enter the remaining turret gate of the enclosure.

The bridge used to have the second floor with roof overhead

The inside of the gate is still surrounded by stone walls, which looks stronger than that of the second enclosure. The square inside the walls is one of the castle’s defense systems, called Masugata.

If you go to the center of the enclosure, the atmosphere around it will feel elegant. This is due to the place being developed as a garden for the former imperial villa. The remaining main hall of the enclosure is not the original of the castle but it came from the residence of the Katsura-no-miya imperial family in the Meiji Era. The emperor Taisho often stayed there when he was the prince.

The current main hall of the main enclosure

You can climb the main tower base, which had the real tower in the past. The emperor climbed the tower twice during the Kanei Royal Visit. The experts of the advisory panel for the site are now discussing how to restore the tower in the distant future.

The tour course will eventually guide you to the exit of the enclosure through the western entrance which is the opposite side of the turret gate. This entrance also looks impenetrable with a square space even through it doesn’t have buildings there anymore.

There are other defensive systems around the main enclosure. For example, the passage in front of the bridge and the gate, you first passed through, is separated by two gates, one in the north, one in the south.

In addition to the two gates mentioned above, there are two additional gates, which were built on the northern edge of the inner moat and on the southern edge of it. These gates were used to protect the castles from enemies’ attacks and to monitor regular visitors.

Furthermore, there are also two remaining storehouses on the western side of the enclosure. They were used to stock rice in preparation for a long siege. Three of the ten storehouses still remain in the castle today.

One of the remaining storehouses (in the northern side)

Another remaining storehouse (in the southern side)

If you have time, I recommend you visit the southwestern side of the enclosure. You may enjoy seeing beautiful flowers such as plum blossoms in the spring, hydrangea flowers in the summer, etc.

Let’s walk around Nijo Castle!

Many tourists may see only the inside of Nijo Castle. However, this article will guide you to other perspectives of the site. Let us walk around the perimeter of Nijo Castle, which is about 1.9 km long. Let’s start from the eastern side of it, where many tourists gather, finishing to the northern side.

The eastern side is always crowded with tourists

If you walk along the northern side, you will see the northern main gate, another highly sophisticated one, following the eastern main gate. It was probably used to communicate with the shogunate government office of Kyoto, which was located across the road. In fact, it is uncertain when it was built, that means it might be the oldest building in the castle.

If you go further, the smaller square is attached the larger square by a protrusion shown in the picture below.

The protrusion between the small square and the large square

You can also walk on the special pathway, which was partially developed on this side, to see the stone walls and moats of the castle more closely.

If you go to the western side, you will see the ruins of the western gate. It was the side entrance of the castle, which people usually used, but you cannot use it now because there is no bridge over the moat. It looks smaller and more defensive than the other highly sophisticated gates of the castle. Unfortunately, you cannot get close to the gate ruins even from the inside When Yoshinobu Tokugawa, who was the last shogun, escaped from this castle, he used this same gate, not the front gate, in order to avoid confrontations.

You will eventually see the other remaining “southwestern corner turret” at the corner between the western and eastern sides. It has quiet environment, compared to the southeastern corner turret.

You will also see water flowing out from the moat of the eastern side. This water comes from a natural spring of this site. In fact, this site had been an ancient pond, called “Shinsenen”, before the castle was built. The current Shinsenen was downsized and is next to the castle. The castle benefits from nature of Kyoto.

Where are the Old Nijo Castle Sites?

After walking around the current Nijo Castle, let us now go to the ruins of the old Nijo Castles. However, there are only a few of them remaining because they were all demolished. Basically, there is the only stone monument at each site.

Yoshiteru’s Nijo Castle, marked by the red box, Yoshiaki’s Nijo Castle, marked by the blue box, Nobunaga’s Nijo Castle, marked by the green box, and Hideyoshi’s Myokenji Castle, marked by the brown box (Google Map)

Yoshiaki’s Nijo Castle Ruins have a few other things. Some of the stone walls were excavated when the subway constructions were done. They are now exhibited on three sites. One is near Sawaragi-guchi entrance of Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, and another is in the current Nijo Castle.

The stone walls, exhibited near Sawaragi-guchi entrance of Kyoto Gyoen National Garden

The stone walls, exhibited in the current Nijo Castle (*licensed by Tomomarusan via Wikipedia Commons)*

The other one is exhibited, about 10km away to the west of Nijo Castle, in Kyoto Bamboo Park. These stone walls have a distinct feature, which came from stone Buddha statues, collected by Nobunaga Oda.

The stone Buddha statues, which were used as the stone walls, are now exhibited in the Kyoto Bamboo Park

According to a Portugal missionary, Luis Frois, who was in Japan at that time, wrote that Nobunaga ordered his servants to carry these statues using ropes which made them look like prisoners. People in Kyoto were very afraid to see this because the people worshiped the Buddha statues. Some of the statues, which are exhibited in the park, were actually destroyed intentionally.

Some of the statues were actually destroyed intentionally

Even current Japanese people would be relieved to see that these statues survived despite the harsh treatment they were given.

My Impression

Looking at the histories of all the different Nijo Castles, there were some cases where the castles fell or their masters abandoned them. That may mean that Kyoto is easy to attack but difficult to protect. On the other hand, Kyoto must also have been an attractive place to stay for the masters. I think that the world was not built in a day and therefore, Nijo Castle was not built by one castle.

The garden of the second enclosure in the left and the Kuro-shoin hall in the right

That’s all. Thank you.

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