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

178.Noshima Castle Part3

If you have enough time to go there, it may be better to use a bike. This is because the ruins are near the cycling route on Shimanami Ocean Road.

Features

Walking around Second Enclosure

The second enclosure is elevated from the third enclosure and surrounds the main enclosure like passages. It was thought that it was used for residence and lookout point. You can walk around it and see other attractions below. For example, you will see the Funadamari beach which you saw from the boat off the beach. You can sea an artificial ditch which divides the shore and the passage on the beach.

The map around the castle

The Funadamari beach, seen from the second enclosure

You will also see the enclosure on the northeastern cape, called Yabitsu (directly means “arrow chest”). it was said that the navy soldiers practiced shooting arrows towards Ushima Island from across the sea.

The Yabitsu Enclosure, *seen from the Kareiyama Mountain*

Main Enclosure, Enjoyable place both Now and in Past

You will finally arrive at the main enclosure on the top, where you can see an amazing 360degree view! The past soldiers also must have been able to monitor everything that happened in the strait. According to the excavations, there were lookout towers and lots of earthenware dishes called Kawarake. Kawarake dishes were disposable ones which were used for parties or ceremonies. That meant the navy members enjoyed their parties on the top with such beautiful scenery.

Going up to the main enclosure on the right

The view from the north side of the enclosure (the Seto Inland Sea)

*The view from the east side of the enclosure (the Ushima Island)*

*The view from the south side of the enclosure (the Taizaki Island)*

*The view from the west side of the enclosure (the Oshima Island)*

*The main enclosure, seen from the Kareiyama Mountain*

In addition, the island has mysterious large holes (about 1m in diameter and 2m in depth) at its seaside. Historians speculate they might have been water tanks. However, my guide said it was interesting if they were used as baths.

The replica of the large hole, exhibited by Murakami KAIZOKU Museum

Later History

The island was used as fields during the Edo Period after the navies withdrew, but it eventually became deserted as mentioned above. In 1931, the officials started to plant cherry trees on the island. Since then, it became a popular spot for cherry blossoms where other boat tours for the locals were held every spring. However, the trees were all cut down recently because their roots had destroyed the castle ruins. Only their remaining stumps are now used as benches there. On the other hand, the ruins have been designated as a National Historic Site since 1953. In addition, they have been getting popular more and more throughout the country as a castle of the Murakami Navies.

My Impression

I had a special experience by visiting Noshima Castle Ruins because I have not visited any castles by boats. The boat tour made me understand how the castle was used and protected carefully. The experience also taught me that there were people who lived in very different ways from others through the history of Japan. Maybe there are also similar people even in the present time. Someday, I hope there will be regularly scheduled ships that tourists can use to visit the castle ruins, if it gets more and more popular.

Murakami KAIZOKU Museum is another attraction before or after visiting the castle ruins

How to get There

Basically, I recommend using a car to get there. For people from the mainland, it takes about 5 minutes from Kita-Oshima IC on the Nishi-Seto Expressway. For people from Shikoku Island, it takes about 15 minutes from Minami-Oshima IC on the Nishi-Seto Expressway. The parking lots at the Miyakubo fishing port or the Murakami KAIZOKU Museum are available.

If you have enough time to go there, it may be better to use a bike. This is because the ruins are near the cycling route on Shimanami Ocean Road. For example, if you are in Imabari City on Shikoku Island, you can rent a bike at Imabari Station and ride it on the road right away.

The cycling route on the Imabari city area

Go across Kurushima Kaikyo Bridges over the Kurushima Strait and go further on the Oshima Island for a while.

The Kurushima Kaikyo Bridges over the Kurushima Strait

The port is located at the northern edge of the island, which is about 22km from the station.

That’s all. Thank you.
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178.Noshima Castle Part2

Noshima has become a deserted island. You can’t go there by yourself because of the state of the island. If you want to go there, you need to book a boat tour from Miyakubo fishing port on the weekends.

Features

Island looking like Unsinkable Warship

Today, Noshima unfortunately has become a deserted island. If you see Noshima from other places such as the seaside of Oshima Island and Mt. Kareiyama observation park on the island, Noshima looks like an unsinkable warship. This is partially because Noshima Island has been developed by the officials to maintain its original conditions of its castle ruins as they are a National Historic Site. That’s why the ruins don’t have trees and bushes, so that you can see the shapes of its enclosures vividly.

The observation platform of Kareiyama Mountain

Going to Castle Ruins by attending Boat Tour

Despite the development, you can’t go there by yourself because of the state of the island. If you want to go there, you need to book a boat tour from Miyakubo fishing port on the weekends. (However, the tour could be canceled due to the lack of participants, if it’s less than 10.) If you board on the boat, the captain will operate it smoothly like a sailor of the Murakami Navies.

The boat will approach around the island in a few minutes. There is another smaller island called Taizaki-jima, like a satellite island of Noshima. It was said that both islands were once connected by a suspension bridge. Taizaki Island still has a small shrine on it, but visitors usually can’t go there because there is no bridge today. In addition, the sea between them is very dangerous because it is too shallow for any ships to pass during low tide.

The aerial photo around the castle

Wild Tides around Island

Your boat will not reach Noshima Island so easily because the tides around it are usually wild. For example, the tide around its northeastern cape usually swirls, which causes ships to turn without professional operations.

Your boat will go around north of the island seeing its northern beach called Funadamari (meaning the boat pool). The beach has terraced design with a passage, so It was thought that the Navy members unloaded cargo there. There are also lots of postholes around the shore, called “Gansho(reef) Pit”, which were said to be used for mooring. However, it is still uncertain how the Navies used them because there are over 400 holes around the island including dangerous spots. You may see only a few of the holes as they were buried again for preservation or are covered from the tide.

Going to Third Enclosure after landing

Your boat will eventually come alongside the pier at the southwestern beach, one of the few safe spots of the island. There are shore protections with restored stone mounds and the ruins of a repair shop nearby. That’s why this place was thought to be used as a maintenance yard.

The beach is guarded by the shore protections

The tour guide will introduce you to the attractions of the castle ruins on the island after landing. The tour course is safe and well developed with paths and wooden steps for visitors though there are no castle buildings.

The castle ruins have several enclosures; the main enclosure on the top, surrounded by the second enclosure, the lower third enclosure, and the others on the island’s capes. The tour group will first go to the third enclosure from the beach. Stone foundations were found by the excavation team, which were thought to be used as houses or warehouses. Earthenware jars and valuable chinaware were excavated there, so they might have been stored as a type of fee from travelers’ ships or by the navies’ tradings.

Looking towards the main enclosure from the main enclosure

The third enclosure, seen from the *Kareiyama Mountain*

To be continued in “Noshima Castle Part3”
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173.Nitakayama Castle Part3

After Nitakayama Castle was abandoned, its ruins were used as a place for the practices of the mountain priests. That’s why there are stone buddha statues and monuments they built on the top of the mountain.

Features

Unique Final Enclosure

Tsume-no-maru (meaning the final enclosure) is next to the main enclosure to the southeast. It is also the top of the mountain, where you can enjoy great views of the surrounding area, such as Takayama Castle Ruins, Nuta River, and even Seto Inland Sea. It is also a more interesting place than only the top area. It is the rockiest and steepest area of this mountain. Furthermore, it has lots of stone buddha statues and monuments which mountain priests built. That’s why this site has become unique.

The map around the castle

A view of the Nuta River towards the Seto Inland Sea from the top

Well Enclosure, Lifeline of Castle

Tsurii-no-dan (meaning the well enclosure) is next to the main enclosure to the north. You can go there from the back gate of the main enclosure by walking down another Masugata system. This Masugata is different. It is called the inter type which is highly improved than that of the main gate (the outer type). It also still has clearly remaining earthen walls which form its square shape.

The ruins of the back gate of the main enclosure

The Masugata system of the back gate, seen from its side

Tsurii-no-dan Enclosure is lower than others, like a valley, which still has six large well ruins. It was very important for the castle not only to be besieged for a long time, but also to be able to live in.

One of the six well ruins in the enclosure

Later History

After Nitakayama Castle was abandoned, its ruins were used as a place for the practices of the mountain priests. That’s why you saw the stone buddha statues and monuments on the top they built. They also built chain fields on the steepest route to the top which experienced climbers still use today. However, general visitors shouldn’t use it. As for the castle ruins, they were designated as National Historic Sites with Mihara and Takayama Castles in 1957.

The top area of Nitakayama Mountain, looking very steep

My Impression

Mihara Castle was the final castle of Takakage Kobayakawa. However, I’m not quite sure what the castle looked like when he lived there because it was greatly improved by Fukushima and Asano Clans after Takakage died. Therefore, we can’t find how and where the huge stones from Nitakayama Castle were used in Mihara Castle. That means the ruins of Nitakayama Castle are valuable to see the legacies of Takakage’s period. As for myself, I would like to visit the ruins of Takayama Castle next to Nitakayama Castle someday.

A picture of Mihara Castle, drawn on the wall of Mihara Station

*The part of the Main Tower base of Mihara Castle, which was built by Takakage Kobayakawa*

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about a 4km drive away from Hongo IC on the Sanyo Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors near the entrance of the hiking course.

By public transportation, it takes about 25 minutes on foot from JR Hongo Station.
After you get out of the station, turn right and go along the street in front of the station. Then, turn left at the first intersection, and the street leads to a bridge over the Nuta River while it follows a winding road. It may be better for you to walk the sidewalk on the left because the next intersection has a crosswalk only on this side.

Go along the street in front of the station

Walk the sidewalk on the left after turning left

If you walk across it, you will go on the bridge seeing a good view of Nitakayama and Takayama Mountains on the right. After that, turn right, go across another crosswalk and go on a path on the bank beside the river towards the mountains. This path will split into two, but eventually they will meet in front of a shrine. You will eventually arrive at the entrance of the hiking course.

Nitakayama Mountain on the left and Takayama Mountain on the right, seen from the bridge

Arriving at the starting point to the castle ruins

From Tokyo or Osaka to the station: get Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train and transfer to the Sanyo Line at Mihara Station.

That’s all. Thank you.
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