158.Fukuchiyama Castle Part2

The southwestern side of the stone wall base of the Main Tower is covered with many diverted stones and some of them are used for its corners. Why did Mitsuhide use them for the important part of the tower?

Features

Main Enclosure as Fukuchiyama Castle Park

Today, the current Fukuchiyama Castle remains as a historical park. The original castle includes the Main, Second and Third Enclosures in a line on a hill. However, the park has only the Main enclosure at the edge of the hill because the Second Enclosure’s part was cut down and turned into residential areas. Therefore, the Fukuchiyama Castle park looks like a castle on a small mountain, which stands out in the city.

The map around the castle

The park has been well developed for visitors so that they can easily walk up on the paved slopes to the top of the hill. You will climb the slope along the remaining stone walls and the restored stone one’s of the Main Enclosure where you can see a diverted stone being used as fillings for the gaps on the wall.

Fukuchiyama Castle Park
The paved path on the slope
The diverted stone that fills the gap

You can access the Main Enclosure by entering the restored Tsurigane-mon or the Hanging Bell Gate after climbing the stone steps or by going on the slope. There is a large well called Toyoiwa-no-i, which is 50m deep and still has 37m deep water.

The slope on the left and the stone steps to the Hanging Bell Gate on the right
The restored Hanging Bell Gate
The Toyoiwa-no-i Well

Main Tower Base uses lots of Diverted Stones

The restored Main Tower is on the original stone wall base which has a complex shape in a plane view because the original tower was extended several times. The entrance of the tower is at the eastern side which has a newer part of the original base.

The aerial photo around the Main Enclosure, there are lots of deverted stones at the lower left of the red lines

The restored Main Tower of Fukuchiyama Castle
The entrance at the eastern side of the Main Tower

If you walk around the base to the southern side, you will find the base uses a lot of diverted stones. Diverted stones refer to the stones which had originally been processed and used for other purposes, such as tombstones, stone statues, and stone mills, but were collected and used for rapid castle constructions. Other examples of using them can be seen in castles like Yamato-Koriyama, Matsusaka and Himeji Castles.

The southern side a lot of diverted stones
A diverted stone used in Yamato-Koriyama Castle (little above the middle)
A diverted stone used in Matsusaka Castle

You may be surprised to see that the southwestern side of the stone wall base is covered with more diverted stones. The view of the restored Main Tower is good, but you should also check out how the stones are used. The stone wall base was mainly piled using natural stones in a method called Nozura-zumi. The diverted stones in other sides are used to fill gaps between these natural stones. However, the diverted stones at the southwestern side are used to form the corners of the base, the most important part of it. Basically, the corners of stone wall bases must support most of the weight of the tower, even in a case of emergency, such as an earthquake.

A view of the Main Tower of Fukuchiyama Castle from the southwest
So many diverted stones
The diverted stones used in a corner

What is Mitsuhide’s intention?

For example, in 2016 many earthquakes happened in Kumamoto, the Iidamaru-five-level Turret of Kumamoto Castle was once supported by only one corner stone even though other stones around had collapsed. Around the southern part of the Fukuchiyama Castle’s Main Tower was said to be the oldest, so Mitsuhide Akechi probably built it. Why did he use so many diverted stones and installed them into the important part of the tower?

Iidamaru-five-level-turret and the miracle lone stone walls in July,2016, quoted from the Sankei Photo

One possible reason is purely technical. The diverted stones in the corner are cuboid ones which look like tombs or carved Buddha status. Collecting them might have been useful for Mitsuhide to build the castle efficiently and rapidly. On the other hand, a local tradition says that Mitsuhide’s troops destroyed the temples which were against his orders and took the tomb stones away from them to build the castle. If it is true, using the stones might have meant the new lord showing the conquest and the authority to people. Other historian argued that it must have symbolized the contribution of people to the castle’s construction or taking Buddha’s power in the castle. Overall, only Mitsuhide can answer this question.

Why did Mitsuhide use these diverted stones for the important part of the tower?

So far, about 500 diverted stones were found in the stone walls of the castle or excavated in other places. The excavated ones lie down in vacant spaces in the Main Enclosure.

The diverted stones lying down in the Main Enclosure

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

158.Fukuchiyama Castle Part1

Mitsuhide Akechi spent 5 years to get Tanba Province back. What he did after the conquer of the province was to build Fukuchiyama Castle.

Location and History

Mysterious younger age of Mitsuhide Akechi

Fukuchiyama Castle was located in the northern part of Tanba Province which is modern day part of Kyoto Prefecture. Tanba Province is not popular for the present generation because the province was not large and finally merged to Kyoto and Hyogo Prefectures. However, it was very important in the past because of its location just behind north of Kyoto, the capital of Japan. Especially, in unquiet times like the Sengoku Period, it was a critical area for Kyoto. That’s why the shoguns and rulers of Kyoto always tried to have the province governed by them directly or by their senior vassals. Nobunaga Oda, the ruler during the 1570’s to the 1580’s, did the same way as others by sending his senior vassal, Mitsuhide Akechi, who built Fukuchiyama Castle.

The range of Tanba Province and the location of the castle

The Portrait of Mitsuhide Akechi, owned by Hontokuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Mitsuhide is a mysterious person to many history fans. It is still uncertain where he came from though his family name, “Akechi” is said a member of the Toki Clan, one of the noble Minamoto families. One of the few certain things about his younger age was that he was a relative of Nohime, Nobunaga’s legal wife. He became a vassal of a prospective shogun, Yoshiaki Ashikaga, when they met in Ichijodani of Echizen Province. It was a turn of fate that Mitsuhide introduced Yoshiaki and Nobunaga to each other before they went to Kyoto in 1568 to become the Shogun and the Ruler. He was not only a well-connected person, but also an excellent politician and an intelligent general so he eventually joined Nobunaga, an avatar of the merit system.

The sttue of Nohime at Kiyosu Park in Kiyosu City
The statue of Nobunaga Oda at Kiyosu Park
The gate of the Ichijodani Asakura Clan Hall Ruins
The seated statue of Yoshiaki Ashikaga, owned by Tojiin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Mitsuhide builds Fukuchiyama Castle after Invasion of Tanba Province

Mitsuhide was ordered by Nobunaga to invade Tanba Province in 1575, which was divided by many local lords such as the Naito Clan in Yagi Castle, the Hatano Clan in Yagami Castle, and the Akai Clan in Kuroi Castle. Moreover, they had been against Nobunaga since he banished Yoshiaki from Kyoto in 1573. At first, everything was going good so far, where Hideharu Hatano became Mitsuhide’s supporter. However, when he began to siege Kuroi Castle, wherein a strong general, Naomasa Akai stayed, Hideharu switched side. Mitsuhide was defeated and had to withdraw. As a result, he spent 5 years to get the province back by building new castles like Kameyama Castle, hence making the Hatano Clan surrender again – waiting for Naomasa’s death and captured Kuroi Castle in the end. What Mitsuhide did after the conquer of Tanba Province was to build Fukuchiyama Castle in 1579.

The portrait of Hideharu Hatano, from the database of Historiographical Institute, the University of Tokyo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Yagami Castle Ruins seen from Sasayama Castle Ruins
The illustration of Naomasa, from the signboard at Kuroi Castle Ruins
Kuroi Castle Ruins

The castle was originally called Yokoyama Castle, which a local Lord built and was located on the edge of the hill in the Fukuchiyama Basin where the Lord was able to overlook the area around. It was also surrounded by rivers, which meant it was defensive. Mitsuhide renovated the castle by introducing current advanced techniques of castle construction like high stone walls and building the Main Tower to show Nobunaga’s authority. Other than that, Mitsuhide governed the area well for the people’s lives by providing tax exemptions and building banks beside the rivers to avoid flood. People in Fukuchiyama City still remember them. Mitsuhide placed his son-in-law -Hidemitsu- at the castle while he stayed in the Kameyama Castle near Kyoto.

The miniature model of Fukuchiyama Castle, exhibited by the current Main Tower of the castle
The restored Main Tower of Fukuchiyama Castle
The old photo of the Main Tower of Kamayama Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle becomes Homebase of Fukuchiyama Domain after Honnoji Incident

The most mysterious thing about Mitsuhide is why he killed Nobunaga who is staying in Kyoto in the Honnoji Incident on the 2nd of June by the lunar calendar of 1582. Mitsuhide with about 13 thousand soldiers, which was ordered by Nobunaga to help Hideyoshi Hashiba, another senior vassal, who invaded the Chugoku Region, made a surprise attack on Nobunaga who was staying in Honnoji Temple with few attendants. That meant Nobunaga had fully relied on Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide was also beaten by Hideyoshi who made an incredible quick return from the Chugoku Region, only 11 days after the incident. No colleagues helped Mitsuhide. That also meant his action had not been planned. It is one of the biggest mysteries in Japanese history, seeking the reason for his rebellion as he did without giving any reasons.

The picture of the Honnoji Incident, attributed to Nobukazu Yousai, in 1896 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
~The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Fukuchiyama Castle was ruled by several relatives of Hideyoshi who became the next ruler and changed his family name to Toyotomi. After the Tokugawa Shogunate got the power in the 17th Century, several family-lineage feudal lords such as the Arima and Kuchiki Clans governed the castle and the area around as the Fukuchiyama Domain. This meant that the Fukuchiyama area was still important for the Rulers and Shoguns. The Arima Clan completed the castle in the beginning of the 17th Century and the Kuchiki Clan owned the castle from the late 17th Century to the end of the Edo Period.

The illustration of Fukuchiyama Castle in Tanba Province, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

To be continued in “Fukushiyama Castle Part2”

163.Kuroi Castle Part3

Kuroi Castle is a local hero, Naomasa Ogino’s castle. On the other hand, it is known for the activity of the nationwide hero, Mitsuhide Akechi as well.

Features

Arriving at Top

You will reach the top of the mountain with a little more climbing. After you pass the second wire gate, you will see a different appearance of the castle ruins from what you have seen so far. The enclosures on the top are all surrounded by stone walls which you can see from the foot as well. The difference came from the period each part was finally built. The part above the gate was completed by Mitsuhide Akechi or the later lords, while the part below the gate was left as it was after Naomasa Ogino built it. The gate was installed probably in order to protect the stone walls from being destroyed by animal invasion.

Arriving at the top soon
The second wire gate
The Eastern Enclosure in the front and the Third Enclosure in the back

Three Enclosures on Top with Great Views

The layout of the top area is connected by three enclosures, the front Third, the central Second, and back Main Enclosures. They are surrounded by plain other enclosures, such as the Eastern Enclosure, and each has its own altered gate on their side. The stone walls use natural stones which were collected from neighboring places. Historians point out these features can be seen in other castles Nobunaga or his retainers built. They also say the stone walls of Kuroi Castle were built to show authority to the people.

The map arond the main portion of the castle

The Third Enclosure in the front and the Second Enclosure in the back
The entrance of the Second Enclosure
Looking at the Third Enclosure from the Second Enclosure
Looking at the Main Enclosure from the Second Enclosure
The entrance of the Main Enclosure
The inside of the Main Enclosure

Finally, please enjoy a great panoramic view of the area around from the top. It’s worthwhile to climb over 200m from the foot of the mountain.

A view from the Third Enclosure
A view from the Main Enclosure

Later History

The ruins of Kuroi Castle were designated as a National Historic Site in 1989 while they have long been part of hiking courses on Inokuchi Mountain. Therefore, it needs to be established both how to preserve the ruins and how to use the courses. Tanba City made the basic plan for the development of the Kuroi Castle Ruins in 2018. It installed an aluminum stairways into the stone wall gates on the top to preserve it based on the plan. However, some hikers argued that the stairways spoiled the scenery. As a result, the city painted the stairways brown in response. The controversial discussion will continue.

The brown-painted stairway at the Second Enclosure

My Impression

I met a person who said he climbs the mountain to the castle ruins on the top every day, wearing a T-shirt of Naomasa Akai (Ogino). I thought that Kuroi Castle is his local hero, Naomasa’s castle. On the other hand, officials also feature Mitsuhide Akechi who took the castle away from Nomasa’s successor and probably built its stone walls. The castle is known for the activity of the nationwide hero as well. The appearance of the castle ruins actually indicate the two periods, which is a great legacy of the Japanese history. I would like to visit other forts Naomasa built next time, which I didn’t visit on my first visit.

The illustration of Naomasa Ogino on the left and Mitsuhide Akechi on the right, exhibited by the rest house at the foot of the mountain

How to get There

That’s all. Thank you.
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