Mito castle – ページ 2 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

14.Mito Castle Part1

Mito Castle was located in the modern day Mito City which is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture. The castle became the home base of the Mito-Tokugawa Clan, one of the three branches of the Tokugawa Shogun family. However, the castle looked very different from those of the other branches the shogun.

Location and History

Castle is built using Natural Hazzard

The range of Mito City and the location of the castle

It was said that the castle was first built by a local lord, the Baba Clan sometime in the early Middle Ages. It was built on a diluvium plateau sandwiched between Nakagawa River in the north and Senba Lake in the south. Its original location was defensive due to the natural hazard, so it could be easy for the lord to build the castle on it. However, it was thought that the early stage of the castle was still small probably with only the lord’s residence on the eastern edge of the plateau.

The relief map around the castle

As time passed by, the castle was followed by greater lords, the Edo and Satake Clans, and was developed larger and larger. The Satake Clan was one of the greatest warlords in the Kanto Region during the 16th Century in the Sengoku Period. The clan completed the basic structures of the castle, establishing the Main, Second and Third Enclosures in a straight line from the east to the west on the plateau. These enclosures were made of soil and divided by deep dry moats, which were typical methods for building castles at that time in eastern Japan. However, the clan was transferred to the Tohoku Region (they would build Kubota Castle there) in 1602 by Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, since they didn’t support Ieyasu in the decisive battle in 1600.

Home Base of one of Three Tokugawa Branches

Ieyasu sent his sons to Mito Castle as it would be an important northern strongpoint to defend Edo Castle, the home base of the shogun. His youngest son, Yorifusa finally became the lord of the castle as the founder of the Mito Domain in 1609. Since then, the domain governed the castle and the area around it until the end of the Edo Period as one of the three branches of the Tokugawa Shogun family. The castle was also developed further, for example, the Main and the Second Enclosures were combined to make a new Main Enclosure, the Third Enclosure was renamed the new Second Enclosure, and the new Third Enclosure was built outside the others in the west.

*The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons*)

*The Portrait of Yorifusa Tokugawa, owned by The Tokugawa Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The relief map around the castle

However, unlike Nagoya, Wakayama and Edo Castles other Tokugawa relatives built using advanced items, such as Main Towers and high stone walls, Mito Castle was still made of soil using conventional technologies from eastern Japan. The reason for it could be that the lords of the Mito Domain usually lived in the Main Hall near the shogun in Edo, or there was no need to improve it more after the government of the shogunate became more stable. However, the most likely reason is that Mito Castle was strong enough without stone walls.

Mito Domain creates Imperialism and Exclusionism

The second lord, Mitsukuni Tokugawa, known as Mito-Komon in several historical plays, promoted arts and started to edit Dainihonshi or the History of Great Japan at the Shokokan institute in Edo, which would later be moved to the Second Enclosure of Mito Castle. This activity uniquely resulted in the idea of Imperialism although the domain was a relative of the shogunate which had taken the power from the Imperial Court.

*The Portrait of Mitsukuni Tokugawa, attributed to Tsunenobu Kano, owned by The Tokugawa Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The ruins of the Shokokan institute in the Second Enclosure of Mito Castle

Some copies of the History of Great Japan, exhibited by the Second Enclosure Museum

The ninth lord, Nariaki Tokugawa, during the end of the Edo Period, established the domain school called Kodokan in the Third Enclosure of the castle in order to educate the retainers and open Kairakuen Garden to all the people. While the Western foreign ships were often seen around Japan, he opposed the policy of the shogunate to open the country to foreigners. As a result, the Imperialism of the Mito Domain led many other domains’ retainers to the movement for Imperialism and Exclusionism over the country, which finally caused overthrowing the shogunate, which was later called the Meiji Restoration. However, in the domain, the retainers were divided into Tengu Party (believing the movement) and Shosei Party (supporting the shogunate), which would bring into a serious tragedy.

*The Portrait of Nariaki Tokugawa, owned by Kyoto University Library (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Sad Killing each other by Mito Domain at Mito Castle

The final version of Mito Castle was like that the largest Second Enclosure became the center of the castle. It had the Main Gate, the Main Hall (also used as the government office), the Shokokan institute, the Corner Turret, and the Three-level Turret. In particular, the Three-level Turret was built as a substitute for a Main Tower. It was about 22m tall, which was too high for a three-story building, in fact, it had five floors inside.

The miniature model of Mito Castle, exhibited by the Second Enclosure Museum (the Third Enclosure Museum on the left, the Second Enclosure in the center, and the Main Enclosure on the right)

The old photo of the Three-level Turret *(licensed under Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)*

The Tengu Party started a rebellion to ask the shogunate to stop trading with foreigners and to exclude them in 1864. In this war, the Tengu Party attacked Mito Castle the Shosei Party resided in, but failed. They eventually went west to ask Yoshinobu Hitotsubashi in Kyoto, who was a son of Nariaki and would become the last shogun, for what they wanted. However, they were arrested by Yoshinobu’s instructions and many of them were executed. The Shosei party also killed or persecuted the families in Mito of the Tengu Party. After that, the situation dramatically changed that the New Government was established and the shogunate was defeated in 1868. The survivors of the Tengu Party returned to Mito Castle and avenged against the Shosei Party. Some of the Shosei Party, who were on the run, attacked the castle the Tengu Party were resided in this time, but failed again. The strength of the castle was ironically proven by the tragedy between the retainers of the owner domain. Records say the number of the retainers was reduced from 3,449 to 892 during the internal conflict, which meant competent personnel from the domain ran out to modernize Japan.

The rebellion of the Tengu Party drawn on an Ukiyoe painting, attributed to Kuniteru Utagawa *(licensed under Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)*

*The photo of Yoshinobu Hitotsubashi, by 1867 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

To be continued in “Mito Castle Part2”

9.久保田城～Kubota Castle

佐竹氏による土造りの城
The castle made of earth by the Satake Clan

立地と歴史～Location and History

佐竹氏が新しく作った城～New Castle Satake Clan built

佐竹氏は古代の終わり頃から常陸国（現在の茨城県）を拠点としてきました。１６世紀後半、彼らは水戸城に住み、その領土は５４万８千石もの石高に相当しました（その当時の日本で８番目の大大名）。ところが、１６０２年に徳川幕府により東北地方の秋田に移されてしまいます。１６００年に起こった関ヶ原の戦いにおいて、幕府をはっきりとは支持しなかったからです。その領土は２０万石まで削減されましたが、新しい土地で新しい城を築くことを決心しました。それが久保田城でした。
The Satake Clan had been based in Hitachi Province (what is now Ibaraki Prefecture) since around the end of the Ancient times. In the late 16th century, they lived in Mito Castle and their territory was worth as much as an earning of 548 thousand Koku in rice (the 8th largest lord in Japan at that time). However, they were transferred to Akita in Tohoku Region by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1602, as they didn`t firmly support the Shogunate when Battle of Sekigahara happened in 1600. The size of their territory was reduced (to 200 thousand Koku in rice), but they decided to build their new castle in the new land. This was Kubota Castle.

城の位置～The location of the castle

お家芸だった土の城～Building Castles of earth was their Specialty

久保田城は、旭川沿いの標高４０ｍの神明山の上に築かれました。この城には天守はなく、ほとんどが土造りによるものでした。その理由としては、佐竹氏には石垣や天守を作る技術がなかったからとか、幕府の権威を恐れたためと言われてきました。佐竹氏が秋田に移った当時は、他の大名たちにとっては、石垣と天守がある城を作るのが普通でした。しかしながら、土造りの城を作ることは佐竹氏のお家芸だったのです。その証拠として、水戸城も挙げられます。佐竹氏はそこで技術を進化させ、佐竹氏の後の徳川氏はその土造りの城を最後まで使い続けました。佐竹氏は土造りだけで強力な城を作ることができたのです。
Kubota Castle was built on a 40m high mountain called Shinmei-yama alongside Asahigawa River. The castle was almost all made of earthworks with no Main Tower. It has been said that the reason for it is that Satake had no ability and techniques for building stone walls and a Main Tower, or they feared the Shogunate`s authority. In the same period as Satake moved to Akita, it was usual for other lords to build a castle with stone walls and a Main Tower. However, building a castle of earthworks was the specialty of the Satake Clan. There is evidence also with Mito Castle, Satake Clan improved this technique, and it was used by the Tokugawa Clan following Satake as a castle of earthworks till the end. That meant Satake could build a strong castle using only earthworks.

自然地形を生かした巧みな配置～Clever Arrangement using Natural Terrain

城の中心部は、内堀に囲まれ、二段になっていました。上段は「本丸」であり、下段は「二の丸」になっていました。中心部の周りは「三の丸」となっていて、外堀に囲まれていました。更には、三の丸の外側且つ川の内側には「西曲輪」「北の丸」が設置されていました。本丸には御殿があり、領主が住んでいました。本丸には５つの門がありましたが、外部からは二の丸を通らなけらば行けないようになっていました。佐竹氏は、自然の地形を生かしながら巧みな配置を行い、２０年以上の工事の後、城を完成させました。
The center of the castle had two tiers, surrounded by the inner moat. The upper tier was called “Honmaru” or the Main Enclosure, and the lower tier was called “Ninomaru” or the Second Enclosure. Around the center, there was “Sannnomaru” or the Third Enclosure, surrounded by the outer moat. In addition, “Nishikuruwa” or the Western Enclosure and “Kitanomaru” or the Northern Enclosure were placed outside the Third Enclosure inside the river. The Main Enclosure had the Main Hall where the lord lived, and four turrets instead of the Main Tower. It also had five gates, but anyone from the outside the castle had to go through the Second Enclosure to reach it. Satake complete the castle with clever arrangement and using natural terrain after over 20 year construction.

*出羽国秋田郡久保田城画図部分、江戸時代～Part of the illustration of Kubota Castle in Akita District, Dewa Province, the Edo Period（出典：国立公文書館）*

佐竹氏は江戸時代の期間中、久保田藩を統治しましたが、その支配は安定しませんでした。秋田は強風地帯であり、藩の民衆は風害による飢饉や、洪水や風雨による被害に苦しみました。これらにより一揆が頻発し、藩は予算不足に陥りました。久保田城も度々火災に見舞われますが、その都度再建されました。
Satake governed their Kubota Domain all through the Edo Period, but their governance was not stable. Akita was a very windy area, so the people of the Domain suffered several famines from dry winds, flood and water damage. It often caused riots, as a result, the Domain lacked resources. Kubota Castle also suffered fires, but was repaired and restored each time.

最後の藩主、佐竹義堯の銅像、千秋公園～The statue of Yoshitaka Satake, the last lord of Kubota Domain

特徴～Features

城周辺の航空写真～The aerial photo of around the castle

城跡の千秋公園へ～To Senshu Park as Castle Ruins

現在、久保田城跡は千秋公園となっています。観光客は通常南から中土橋を通って現存する外堀を渡って三の丸や二の丸に向かいます。過去は東側にある黒門が城の正門でした。二の丸には広い敷地があり、かつては官庁や倉庫などの建物がありました。佐竹史料館では、久保田藩や佐竹氏に関する展示を行っています。
Now, the ruins of Kubota Castle has become Senshu Park. Visitors usually go across the remaining Outer Moat through Nakadobashi Bridge on the south to the Third and Second Enclosures. In the past, Kuro-mon Gate on the east was the front entrance of the castle. The Second Enclosure has a large space where buildings such as offices and warehouses were built. Satake Historical Museum exhibits the histories of Kubota Domain and the Satake Clan.

本丸への長い坂～Long Slope to Main Enclosure

本丸へは、「長坂」と呼ばれる長く曲がりくねった階段を通って登っていきます。この場所はとても重要だったため、一部石垣が使われています。「長坂門」という門がちょうど曲がっている箇所に立っていました。階段を登り切った所には、本丸の正門である表門が復元されています。門の傍らには「御物頭御番所」という警護所が城で唯一の現存建物として残っています。
You can walk up to the Main Enclosure through a long and curved stairways called “Nagasaka” or the Long Slope. Stone walls have been partly used, as this spot was very important. A gate called “Nagasaka-mon” stood at the curved part. At the end of the stairways, Omote-mon Gate, the front gate of the Main Enclosure has been restored. There is the guardhouse called “Omono-gashira Gobansho” which is the only remaining building in the castle beside the gate.

土造りの本丸～Main Enclosure made with Earthworks

本丸の中心には神社と最後の領主の銅像があります。城のようには見えないかもしれませんが、本丸を歩き回ってみれば、城の基礎は土だけですが、とても頑丈にできていることがわかると思います。櫓の一つ、御隅櫓が曲輪の北西角に再建されています。見晴らしをよくするために、元あったものより高く作られています。本丸にはいくつか出入口があるので、登ったり降りたりしてみると、この城がいかに自然の地形をうまく生かしているかが見て取れるでしょう。
The center of the Main Enclosure has a shrine and the statue of the lord of the castle. It may not look like a castle, however if you walk around the Enclosure, you can find the foundation of the castle is made of only earth, but strongly. One of the turrets, Osumi-yagura Turret has been rebuilt at the northwest corner of the Enclosure. It is built much higher than the original one for viewing. The Enclosure has several entrances such as the Back Gate, so you can also walk up and down enjoying how the castle uses natural terrain cleverly.

再建された御隅櫓～The rebuilt Osumi-Yagura Turret

本丸の土塁～The earthen walls of the Main Enclosure

その後～Later History

明治維新後、久保田城は１８７２年に秋田県庁舎となりました。この城はまた、秋田県と秋田市の始まりともなったのです。ところが、１８８０年にほとんどの城の建物は燃えてしまいます。１８９０年になって以前の領主、佐竹氏が城跡を買い上げ、秋田市に土地を公園として貸し出し、千秋公園と名付けられました。久保田藩の元藩士たちは１８９２年に公園に桜の苗を寄付しました。そのため、公園は桜の花でも有名になっています。
After the Meiji Restoration, Kubota Castle became the Akita prefectural office in 1872. That meant the castle also was the origin of Akita Prefecture and Akita City. However, most of the castle buildings were burned down in 1880. In 1890, the former lord, Satake Clan bought the castle ruins and lent the land to Akita City as a park named Senshu Park. Former warriors of the Kubota Domain donated cherry plants for the park in 1892, so that’s why the park has also become famous for its cherry blossoms.

御隅櫓と桜～Osumi-Yagura Turret with cherry blossoms（licensed by アラツク via Wikimedia Commons）

私の感想～My Impression

久保田城跡は、かつて近代公園として整備されたため、単なる公園としてしか見えないかもしれません。城跡の基礎部分をよく見れば、本当は土でできた城だとも気付いていただけると思います。この城と、これも佐竹氏が築いた水戸城とを比べてみるのもいいでしょう。秋田県は今、かつては苦しめられた風が強い気候を生かし、風力発電を推進しています。一方、現職（２０２１年３月現在）の秋田県知事は佐竹氏の子孫の方です。秋田は、伝統と革新の両方を重んじているようです。
You may find the ruins of Kubota Castle just like a park, because they were once developed as a modern park. You can also find the ruins was really a castle made of earth if you look at the foundation of the ruins carefully. It may be a good idea to compare this castle with Mito Castle that the Satake Clan built as well. Akita Prefecture is now developing lots of wind farms using the windy climate that they suffered from in the past. On the other hand, the governor of Akita Prefecture right now (Mar2021) is a descendant of the Satake Clan. I think Akita is trying to take good care of both tradition and innovation.

秋田県の風力発電所～A wind farm in Akita Prefecture（licensed by 8-Forest via Wikimedia Commons）

ここに行くには～How to get There

城跡までは、ＪＲ秋田駅西口から歩いて約１０分です。
東京から秋田駅まで：秋田新幹線に乗ってください。
車で行く場合：秋田自動車道の秋田中央ICから約２０分です。千秋公園に駐車場があります。
It takes about 10 minutes from the west entrance of JR Akita station to the castle ruins on foot.
From Tokyo to Akita st.: Take the Akita Shinkansen super express.
If you want to go there by car: It takes about 20 minutes from the Akita-Chuo IC on Akita Expressway. Senshu Park offers a parking lot

リンク、参考情報～Links and References

・久保田城、秋田市公式サイト（Akita City Official Website）
・「よみがえる日本の城９」学研（Japanese Book）
・「日本の城改訂版第６０号」デアゴスティーニジャパン（Japanese Book）