Yoshimi Clan builds Castle to prepare for Mongol Invasions
Tsuwano Town is located in an intermount basin of Shimane Prefecture, the Chugoku Region. It has an old town atmosphere, sometimes called a little Kyoto in Sanin Area (northern Chugoku Region). In addition, Tsuwano Castle Ruins which is on the mountain, beside the town makes it more impressive. In fact, the town originally came from its castle town.
The old town atmosphere of Tsuwano Tsuwano Castle Ruins seen from the town area
The castle was first built in 1295 by the Yoshimi Clan, which was sent by the Kamakura Shogunate to protect the area from the possible Mongol Invasions. The invasions historically ended in 1281, but warriors in Japan still expected the Mongolian army might have attacked Japan again. That’s why the clan built the castle on a steep mountain which was just off the Japan Sea. The clan eventually lived in the castle as a local lord for over 300 years. In 1554 of the Sengoku Period, the castle experienced a 110 day siege against the Sue Clan, but did not fall before the truce. The castle was strong enough though it had been all made of soil using natural terrain. After that, the Yoshimi Clan finally followed the Mori Clan, the leader of the Chugoku Region. However, the Yoshimi Clan had to leave the castle with the Mori Clan’s lost of the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.
A scene of the Mongol Invasions from “The picture scrolls of the Mongol invasion attempts against Japan” (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The location of the castle
Success and Declining of Naomori Sakazaki
Ieyasu Tokugawa won the battle and sent Naomori Sakazaki to the castle as the founder of the Tsuwano Domain. Naomori who came from the Ukita clan who was the enemy of Ieyasu decided to support Tokugawa because he had a tiff with his own clan. Thus he changed his family name. He modernized and more fortified the castle by building high stone walls, some turrets and the Main Tower in the main portion on the steep mountain. Some other lords at that time often built or renovated their castles on a plain land for the convenience of their government. The reason for Naomori’s decision was said to prepare for possible battles against the neighbor Mori Clan or there was no space for a new castle in the basin. He also developed the castle town, for example, by building waterways to prevent fire and growing carps in them to reduce mosquitos. He also brought paper mulberry trees to the area, which would later create a new industry known as Sekishu Japanese writing paper.
The portrait of Naomori Sakazaki, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)Part of the illustration of Tsuwano Castle in Iwami Province, exhibited by the National Archives of JapanThe remaining stone walls on the mountain
On the other hand, Naomori was an impulsive and monomaniac person. For example, he pursued a relative for 8 years to avenge the death of a person and he didn’t stop until that person got punished. He even sued the Tomita Clan who accommodated that person in the Shogunate Court and was finally fired by the shogunate. However, in the end he brought his own misfortune. In 1615 when the summer campaign of siege of Osaka where the shogunate defeated Hideyori Toyotomi, Naomori joined the Tokugawa shogunate’s side. Hedeyori’s wife, Senhime, who was the shogun’s daughter, was rescued and brought to the shogun by Naomori himself. The next year, a very mysterious incident occurred. Naomori had planned to kidnap Senhime a night before her wedding to one of Tokugawa Shogunate’s senior vassals. The shogunate’s troops surrounded his house but he committed harakiri.
The portrait of Senhime, owned by Gugyoji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The portrait of Hidetada Tokugawa who was Senhime’s father, owned by Saifuku-ji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
It is quite uncertain why he tried such a foolish action. Some say this was because the founder of the shogunate and Senhime’s grandfather, Ieyasu Tokugawa had promised to marry Senhime with the person who rescued her, but they didn’t do what they have initially promised. Another speculation is that Naomori was asked to find a husband for Senhime because he himself was much older than her. But nothing happened according to his wishes and so eventually he lost everything because of his egoistic tendencies.
The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Kamei Clan follows Tsuwano Domain and Castle
The Tsuwano Domain was followed by the Kamei Clan, which governed the domain until the end of the Edo Period. Like many other domains, they built the Main Hall at the foot of the mountain for living and the government. They also kept the castle on the mountain, but it was actually very tough. In 1685, the Main Tower and some other turrets were burned down by a lightning fire. Unfortunately, the tower was not restored. The stone walls on the mountain sometimes collapsed due to earthquakes or natural cause because of the steep terrain. As a result, most of the stone walls were repaired or re-plied during the period, but some of them were left that way. In addition, the domain established the domain school called Yorokan to educate the retainers. Many pioneers to modernize Japan in the Meiji Rra came from this school such as Ogai Mori (a novelist) and Amane Nishi (a Philosopher).
The illustration of Tsuwano Castle (showing its state of the early Meiji Era), in 1874, from the signboard at the siteThe interior of the restored domain schoolThe photo of Ogai Mori, in 1916 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The photo of Amane Nishi, published in 1931 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
この城に天守はあったのでしょうか？
Did the castle have a Main Tower or not ?
立地と歴史～Location and History
古代から重要な地～Important place from Ancient times
城の位置と筑前国の範囲～The location of the castle and the range of Chikuzen Province
福岡城は元々、現在の福岡市にあたる、赤坂山とその脇にあった草ヶ江入り江周辺の地域にありました。古代には、ここには鴻臚館という中国や朝鮮からの人々をもてなす迎賓館がありました。中世の鎌倉時代に、武士たちが元の襲来を撃退したとき、ここで戦いがありました。１６００年黒田氏は、筑前国福岡藩５２万３千石の石高を、徳川幕府により与えられました。彼らは当時福崎と呼ばれていたこの場所に新しい城を作ることにしました。 Fukuoka Castle was originally an area around a mountain called Akasaka-yama and an arm of the sea called Kusagae beside the mountain, in what is now Fukuoka City. In ancient times, there was a guest house called Kouro-kan to used to host people from China and Korea. In the Kamakura Era of the Middle Ages, when the warriors repelled the Mongol Invasion, they battled the enemy there. In 1600, the Kuroda clan was granted the Fukuoka Domain of Chikuzen Province with an earning of 523,000 koku in rice by the Tokugawa Shogunate. They decided to build a new castle in this area called Fukuzaki then.
鴻臚館の遺跡～Thr ruins of Kouro-kan赤坂の戦い、「蒙古襲来絵詞」より～Battle of Akasaka from “The picture scrolls of the Mongol invasion attempts against Japan”（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）福岡藩初代藩主、黒田長政肖像画、福岡市博物館蔵～The Portrait of Nagamasa Kuroda, the first lord of Fukuoka Domain, owned by Fukuoka City Museum（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）
山と入り江を大改造～They reformed Mountain and Arm of Sea
彼らは山の形を整え、谷を埋め、本丸、二の丸、三の丸といった曲輪を南から北に向かって配置しました。また、山の部分を囲む内堀を、西側は草ヶ江入り江を利用することで、他の方角は掘削することで作り出し、城の東側にある那珂川と接続させました。 They reshaped the mountain and filled valleys, and set the Main Enclosure or “Honnmaru”, the Second Enclosure or “Ninomaru”, and the Third Enclosure or “Sannomaru” from south to north. They also created the inner water moat surrounding the mountain part by using the Kusagae arm of the sea as the western part, digging other direction parts, and connecting to the Naka River, the east of the castle.
福岡城下絵図～Part of an illustration of Fukuoka Castle（現地説明板より、from a sign board at the site）
結果的にこの地域は、広大な要塞となりました。これが福岡城です。城の正面は北の方角の海に向いており、「下ノ橋大手門」「上ノ橋大手門」「赤坂門」という３つの大きな門がありました。本丸がある城の後方には「追廻橋」という裏門が１つあるだけでした。本丸だけでも２０もの櫓が高く屈曲した石垣にそびえていました。 As a result, the area became a huge scale fortress called Fukuoka Castle. The front of the castle faced the sea in the north with three large gates called “Shimonohashi-Ote-mon”, “Kaminohashi-Ote-mon”, and “Akasaka-mon”. The back of the castle, where Honmaru was located, had only one back gate called “Oimawashi-bashi” bridge. Honmaru itself had as many as twenty turrets on high and curved stone walls.
福岡城の模型～A miniature model of Fukuoka Castle(福岡城むかし探訪館～Fukuoka Castle Ruins Visitor Center)
天守の謎～Mystery of Main Tower
この城に関して興味深いことは、天守があったかどうかです。石垣の天守台は確かにありました。しかし、遺物、文献、図面といった天守の証拠となるものは見つかっていません。ところが、歴史家の中には、天守はあったはずと言う人もいます。江戸時代初期のある大名の手紙に、黒田候は幕府がどう思うか心配なので、天守を壊すことにしたと書いてあるのです。実に興味をそそる記述です。 An interesting question regarding the castle is if it had a Main Tower (“Tenshu”) or not. It had the stone wall base for Tenshu, but there are no evidence of Tenshu such as relics, documents, and drawings. However, some historians say that the castle must have had Tenshu, as a letter in the early Edo Period written by another lord says Kuroda would destroy their Tenshu because they were afraid of what Tokugawa Shogunate might think. It’s very intriguing.
上記の模型の天守部分は無色になっています～The part of the Main Tower is made uncolored in the model
特徴～Features
城周辺の航空写真～The aerial photo of around the castle
二つの公園～Two Parks
現在、福岡城跡は２つの公園に別れています。１つは舞鶴公園で、城の主要部分に当たります。もう１つは大濠公園で、もともとは草ヶ江入り江だったものが、大濠と呼ばれた城の内堀となった所です。ただ、大きな池のようにも見えます。それは、大昔は海の一部だったからなのです。 Now, the ruins of Fukuoka Castle are divided into two parks. One of them is Maiduru Park which was the primary part of the castle. The other one is Ohori Park which was originally Kusagae arm of the sea, then became an inner moat of the castle, called Large Moat or “Ohori”. Ohori Park still has the large moat, but it looks like a large pond. You can see that`s because it was part of the sea a long time ago.
大濠公園～Ohori Park
舞鶴公園は、更に広々としています。多くの遺跡が散らばっています。城の北部にあった三の丸の３つの門のうち、下ノ橋大手門だけが現存しています。２階建ての櫓門であり、ほぼ元あった通りの姿となっています。この門は明治時代に一旦単層に改造されました。２０００年に一部が火災に遭った後、現在あるように復元されました。 Maiduru Park is even more spacey, so a lot of ruins are disseminated. Only the Shimonohashi-Ote-mon Gate remains out of the three front gates at Sannomaru, the north part of the castle. It is a two-story turret gate which looks nearly like the original one. It was once modified to a one-story gate in the Meiji Era. After the gate partly burned in 2000, it was restored as it is today.
下ノ橋大手門（遠景）～Shimonohashi-Ote-mon Gate, A distant view下ノ橋大手門（近景）～Shimonohashi-Ote-mon Gate, A close-range view
三の丸地区～Area of Third Enclosure
上ノ橋大手門跡の方から公園に入ると、大きな空き地があります。江戸時代、ここには三の丸の多くの居住や統治のための屋敷がありました。その後は、平和台球場のような近代施設が建設されました。１９９９年に球場が撤去された後発掘が行われ、城があった遥か前には迎賓館である鴻臚館があったことがわかりました。鴻臚館跡展示館では、発見された遺物が展示されています。また、福岡城むかし探訪館では福岡城の歴史を学ぶことができます。 If you enter in the park through the ruins of Kaminohashi-Ote-mon Gate, you can see a large vacant area. There were many halls for living and governance at Sannomau in the Edo Period. After that, modern facilities were built there, such as the Heiwadai Stadium. After the stadium was demolished in 1999, the Excavation team found out that there was an ancient guest house called Kouro-kan long before the castle. You can see the findings of the excavation in Kourokan Ruins Exhibition Hall, as well as the history of the castle in Fukuoka Castle Ruins Visitor Center.
上ノ橋大手門跡～The ruins of Kaminohashi-Ote-mon Gate現在の三の丸～The present Third Enclosure平和台球場の記念碑～The monument of the Heiwadai Stadium鴻臚館跡展示館～Kourokan Ruins Exhibition Hall鴻臚館の遺物～Some of the findings of the excavation in Korokan Ruins Exhibition Hall
二の丸、本丸へ～To Second and Main Enclosures
城周辺の地図～The map around the castle
二の丸と本丸へは、三の丸から登っていきます。二の丸は本丸を囲んでいます。二の丸に関しては、２階建てで５０ｍの長さがある多門櫓が現存しています。この櫓は城の裏口にあり、現在も堅く守っているように見えます。１９７１年には重要文化財にも指定されました。 You can climb from Sannomaru to Ninomaru and Honmaru. Ninomaru is surrounding Honmaru. Regarding to Ninomaru, there is a two-story and over 50m long turret called “Tamon-Yagura” that remains in its original state. It was located at back entrance of the castle, so even now it looks very defensive. It was also designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1971.
三の丸から見た二の丸～The Second Enclosure from the Third Enclosure現存する多門櫓～The remaining Tamon-Yagura Turret
本丸は城のもっとも高い位置にあります。巨大な天守台に石垣が際立っています。前述した通り、研究者はこの石垣の上に天守があったのかどうか考察しています。ここからは福岡市一帯を見渡すことができます。祈念櫓は本丸で唯一残っている建物です。この櫓は一旦他の場所に移されましたが、１９８３年に元の場所に戻されました。 Honmaru was at the highest point of the castle. The large stone wall base for Tenshu is outstanding. Researchers wonder if the Tenshu was on the base, as I mentioned above. You can observe the whole area of Fukuoka City from there. Kinen Turret is the only remaining building at Honmaru. It was once moved to another, but returned to its original position in 1983.
天守台（外側）～The base for the Main Tower, the outside天守台（内側）～The base for the Main Tower, the inside天守台からの眺め～A view from the base for the Main Tower祈念櫓～Kinen Turret
その後～Later History
黒田氏は、現在は福岡市として知られている城とその城下町を江戸時代末期まで統治しました。明治維新後、城のほとんどの建物は撤去されるか、近代施設に置き換えられました。第二次世界大戦前は軍の基地、戦後は平和台球場といった具合です。城跡は舞鶴公園と大濠公園となっています。最近、福岡市はこの２つの公園を合わせたセントラルパーク構想を発表しました。また、残っている文書を基に福岡城のいくつかの櫓を、発掘の成果を基に鴻臚館の建物を復元するとのことです。それには長い期間がかかります。 The Kuroda clan continued to govern Fukuoka Castle and the castle town, that are now known as Fukuoka city, until the end of the Edo Period. After the Meiji Restoration, most of the buildings in the castle were demolished or replaced with modern facilities like the Army base before World War II, or the Heiwadai Stadium after the war. The ruins of the castle have been turned into Maiduru Park and Ohori Park. Recently, Fukuoka City has announced that it will develop the Central Park, including the two existing parks. The city will also restore some of Fukuoka Castle’s turrets, based on the documents that remain as well as the buildings of Kouro-kan, based on the excavation’s findings. They expect the restoration will take a long time.
１９９０年頃の城周辺の航空写真～The aerial photo of around the castle around 1990
私の感想～My Impression
私は、福岡城には一時完成したか、建設中の天守があったのではないか、ただし幕府の権威を憚って計画的に自ら解体したのではないかと思っています。それが天守があった証拠が見つからない理由でしょう。また、最近の人たちはあまり福岡城跡を歴史公園として見てこなかったように思います。レジャー、運動、そしてオフィスビルとしての用途のためです。しかしながら、この城跡はまだまだ史跡として大きな潜在能力を持っています。今後城の建物が充実してきたら、また訪れてみようと思います。 I guess that Fukuoka Castle once sported a completed or under construction Main Tower, but Kuroda had to destroy it systematically by themselves considering the Shogunate’s authority. That’s why there is no evidence of the Main Tower. I also think that recent people have not been interested in the ruins of Fukuoka Castle as a historical park. They think the parks are for leisure, exercise, or officials buildings. However, the ruins still have a great potential for a historic site. I will be waiting for some buildings to be renovated so I can visit them again.
裏御門跡～The ruins of the Back Gate
ここに行くには～How to get There
福岡市地下鉄空港線の赤坂駅または大濠公園駅から徒歩で１０分以内です。 車の場合：都市高速の天神北または西公園ランプから約３ｋｍのところです。舞鶴公園に駐車場があります。 It takes less than 10 minutes From Akasaka or Ohori-Koen station on Kuko line, Fukuoka City Subway to get there on foot. If you want to go there by car: It is about 3 km away from the Tenjin-kita or Nishi-koen Ramp on Urban Expressway. Maiduru park offers a parking lot.
