Masugata – ページ 8 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

79.Imabari Castle Part2

A great appearance of a sea castle

Features

Entering Castle over Inner Moat using Sea Water

Today, Imabari Castle, which is now also called the Fukiage Park, has only its main portion surrounded by the Inner Moat, but still looks so great. The contrast of the high stone walls and Inner Moat is very impressive and may also be artistic. Some buildings were rebuilt that include the Main Tower on the stone walls to make it more attractive. It is still near the Imabari Port and uses the sea water for the Inner Moat, and maintains the sea castle atmosphere.

The aerial photo around the castle

The remaining main portion of Imabari Castle as a park

Visitors usually enter the castle from the main entrance which was one of the square Masugata spaces in front of the Inner Moat. You can go across the earthen bridge over the moat towards the main gate called Kurogane-gomon or the Iron Gate like the past visitors used to do. The gate is still surrounded by great stone walls, forming a Masugata space. It was actually restored in 2007 based on the Imabari Domain’s records and the excavation results, including some of the walls.

The earthen bridge seen from the main entrance

The stone walls use some huge ornament stones and one of which is the largest one in the castle. It is called Kanbe Stone, which was named after Kanbe Watanabe who was responsible for the castle construction under Takatora Todo. In fact, the gate space had another Korai-mon style building in the front, and in the past some visitors could be completely locked up in the gate. That was a way to protect the castle.

Kanbe Stone, the largest stone in the castle

The original structure of the Masugata system, from the signboard at the site

Several Turrets are restored in Second Enclosure

Inside the gate is the Second Enclosure, which is rectangular shaped. It had the Main Hall for the lord, and now has the statue of Takatora Todo riding a horse.

The front square is the Second Enclosure

The three turrets at each corner were also restored in the present time, which were used for exhibitions. (the other corner of it is shared with the Main Enclosure.) Part of the Hall Turrets called Tamon-Yagura connecting the turrets above were also restored on the stone walls.

Olane-Yagura Turret, one of the restored turrets in the Second Enclosure

Imitation Main Tower is built in Main Enclosure

The Main Enclosure is next to the Second Enclosure, which is quadrate and around half the size of it. It now has the Fukiage Shine inside, but both enclosures look the one because there is no partition between them. In the past, there were mud walls between them, so visitors going to the Main Enclosure had to pass another Masugata space as well.

There were also four turrets at each corner, but only their stone wall bases are remaining except for the northern corner. This is where you can see the Imitation Main Tower. This tower was built in 1980 when it was still uncertain where the original Main Tower had been. It also doesn’t resemble the Multi-story type Main Tower Takatora created because the current one looks like a Look-out tower. This is probably due to the designer considering the popular design of the some towers at that time.

No turrets were restored in the Main Enclosure except for the one corner

The Imitation Main Tower was built on the northern corner of the Main Enclosure

You can enter the tower passing the former Masugata space which is surrounded by the stone walls. It is actually a modern building which is used as a historical museum and an observation platform.

The entrance of the Imitation Main Tower

A view of Imabari Port from the Imitation Main Tower

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

79.Imabari Castle Part1

The monumental castle-building techniques of Takatoro Todo

Location and History

Takatora Todo builds Castle as his ideal Home Base

Imabari Castle is located in Imabari City in the northern part of Ehime Prefecture which was called Iyo Province in the past. The castle was built in 1604 by Takatora Todo who was a well-known master of castle construction. So far, he built several castles, for example, Wakayama and Akagi Castles when he was a retainer, Uwajima and Ozu Castles after he became a feudal lord of some parts of Iyo Province. However, Imabari Castle was his first home base which was built form the ground up independently. That means he was able to throw all his ideas and experiences in building the castle. That resulted in the castle becoming the monumental work of his castle construction.

*The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The range of Iyo Province and the location of the castle

Before the construction, Takatora joined the invasion of Korea in 1597 as the leader of the Japanese Navy. From the experience, he thought his new castle would need a good location for naval support and water transportation. That’s why the castle was built facing the Seto Inland Sea, as a sea and plain castle. Such a location could had been difficult and dangerous because the seaside ground was too soft to build a castle and enemies could attack the plain land easily. To prevent them from happening, berms called Inubasiri were first built for the base of the stone walls. The berms would also be used for standing fences when enemies would attack the castle. The castle was also surrounded by water moats tripled, to which the sea supplied water.

The stone walls of Imabari Castle were built on the berms

Simple but Defensive Layout

Other than the specific conditions for Imabari area, Takatora introduced new common and easy ways of building castles to Imabari Castle but it was strongly protected from sudden attacks. The main portion of the castle, which combined the Main and Second Enclosures, was simply square shaped, which was easy to construct and accommodate large troops. While it may be weak for defense, the portion was surrounded by the wide Inner Moat, high stone walls, and many turrets on the walls. The gates of the portion were strongly guarded with a square defensive space called Masugata. Moreover, to enter the Main Gate, visitors had to pass other small enclosure called Demaru or the Barbican in front of the Inner Moat, which had another Masugata, and go across the earthen bridge over the moat. Such structures can be seen in other castles which Takatora would later be involved in, such as Nagoya, Nijo, and Sasayama.

The illustration of Imabari Castle in Iyo Province, exhibited by Cultural Heritage Online

The miniature model of Sasayama Castle, exhibited by the Large Study Hall of Sasayama Castle

Takatora creates Multi-storied type Main Towers?

Another Takatora’s invention of building castles is a new type of Main Towers, called multi-storied type or “Soto-shiki”. The Main Towers had usually been built in a method, called look-tower type or “Boro shiki”, which had many decorations such as gables or “Hafu” and bell-shaped windows or “Kato-mado”. The new method had simply square floors diminished towards the top with minimal roofing. That made the Main Towers more efficient and also made the tower easier to protect. The Main Tower of Imabari Castle is said to be the first multi-storied type with five levels, which was built in the Main Enclosure.

The Main Tower of Shimabara Castle, a typical multi-storied type one

The Main Tower of Inuyama Castle, a typical look-tower type one

In fact, it is not scientifically proven by excavation whether or not the Main Tower was really built in Imabari Castle. This is because the tower was demolished to be moved to another place when Takatora was transferred to Iga-Ueno Castle in 1608 after his short stay in Imabari Castle. Takatora once thought the tower should be used for his Iga-Ueno Castle, but he finally presented it to the Tokugawa Shogunate for the construction of Kameyama Castle which was ordered by the shogunate. According to the old photo of the castle’s Main Tower, it is certainly a five-level multi-storied type tower. This story was recorded only in Takatora’s biography or his clan’s annuals. There has been no evidence for the tower found in Imabari Castle such as the trace of its stone wall base. Some historians speculate that the Main Tower of Imabari Castle might have been built directly on the ground, not using any stone wall base.

The old photo of the Main Tower of Kamayama Castle *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The castle itself was followed by Takatora’s relative, Takayoshi Todo until 1635 and finally the Hisamatsu-Matsudaira Clan. The clan had been originally called just Hisamatsu, then it was allowed to use the family name Matsudaira which meant the shogun’s relatives after its lord accepted Ieyasu Tokugawa’s mother as the later wife. The clan governed the castle and the area, called the Imabari Domain, until the end of the Edo Period.

To be continued in “Imabari Castle Part2”

74.Iwakuni Castle Part2

Let us try to look into more of the castle.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, the residence at the foot of the mountain was turned into the Kikko Park in 1885. Kintaikyo Bridge survived for 277 years, however it was flown out because of the flood caused by Kezia Typhoon in 1950. People in Iwakuni City restored the bridge in the original method in 1953. It was rebuilt again in 2004 due to deterioration. That’s why it still looks new. It has been designated as a National Scenic Spot since 1922.

As for Iwakuni Castle, the Main Tower on the mountain was rebuilt in 1963, but its position was moved by about 50m from the original in ordered to be more well seen from the foot with the bridge. The cable car between the foot and the top also opened in 1964 which has been boosting tourism.

The present Main Tower of Iwakuni Castle which can be seen from the foot

Features

From Kintaikyo Bridge to Rebuilt Main Tower

For visitors who visit the area around Iwakuni Castle site today, the castle itself might not be popular for them. They probably want to see and walk across Kintaikyo Bridge first. They can also ride a cable car to the top of the mountain to enjoy the great view of the area including the bridge. Visiting the rebuilt Main Tower may be their third option because they can get a better view of the bridge from the foot. However, if you try to look into more of the castle, you can find new perspectives of it.

A view of Kintaikyo bridge from the top of the mountain

After arriving at the platform of the cable car, you will find the guide plate of the two routes to the castle. The guide plate recommends taking the left road, but I suggest taking the right road. This is because the path on the right leads you the front side of the castle. You will see the edge of the remaining stone walls with triangular stones on the right side of the trail. You can also see the great stone walls of the Second Enclosure on the left. As you go further, the Barbican Enclosure overhangs in front of you. It has a defensive square space called Masugata inside which was the Main Gate of the castle. The inside of the Gate Ruins is the Second Enclosure which is used as a modern rock garden, modified in the present time.

The map around the castle

The guide plate recommends the left wide road

The stone walls below the Second Enclosure

The stone walls of the Barbican Enclosure overhangs

Rebuilt Main Tower and Original Main Tower Base

The Main Enclosure is next to the Second Enclosure in the north. The restored Main Tower stands out in front of you. The tower probably has a similar appearance to the original one because its designer used the cross section drawing which was said to come from the original. It has four levels with the third one of which hanging out. This type of Main Towers was rare, called Nanban-zukuri or the Western Style. The tower is actually a modern building which is used as a historical museum and an observation platform. The original stone wall base for the Main Tower was also restored in the original position according to the excavation.

The Main Enclosure including the rebuilt Main Tower seen from the Second Enclosure

The explanation about the cross section drawing of the Main Tower, exhibited by Iwakuni Castle

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