You can walk to the hall ruins from Hakodate Airport.
Later History
Shinori Tate site was owned by a school or the Japanese Army in the Meiji Era. However, when it got private-owned, some local schoolteachers were worried about the future of the ruins. That’s why they suggested the owner to donate the land of the ruins to the public. As a result, they were succeeded and built the remaining monuments in the ruins in the Taisho Era. That also resulted in the ruins being designated as a National Historic Site in 1934.
The signpost of Shinori-Tate Ruins
My Impression
Maybe Shinori Tate was not strong to fight against the Ainu people because it was captured by them twice. However, it was enough if the “Japanese” and Ainu people lived together peacefully in Shinori. I like the Shinori Tate Ruins very much because I can always enjoy relaxing at the site and access there very easily from Hakodate Airport like I will mention in the next section.
Shinori-Tate Ruins in the front and a view of Hakodate Mountain in the back
How to get There
Let me tell you how to access the ruins of Shinori Tate by walk (or car) from Hakodate Airport.
The map around Hakodate Airport, the red broken line is the route to Shinori-Tate
When you exit the airport, turn right and walk along the taxi stand.
Going to the exit of the airportWalking along the taxi stand
Then, you will reach the edge of the motor pool with the signpost of Hakodate Airport standing. Turn right on the road in front of the airport and turn right again at the first intersection.
Turn right at the signpost of Hakodate AirportTurn right at the first intersection
Go along the road with seeing the airport on the right, then you will see the tunnel under the runway of the airport. The tunnel road has the sideway for walkers but be careful when you drive as it has only single lane for cars.
You can see the runway of the airportThe entrance of the tunnel under the runwayThe sideway of the tunnel
After exiting tunnel, turn left at the next intersection. You will see the ruins on the right, so turn right at the next intersection, and you will soon arrive at the ruins.
Turn left after exiting the tunnelGetting close to the hall ruinsYou can see the hall ruins on the rightTurn right at this intersectionArriving at the ruins soon
It takes about 20 minutes on foot to get there. If you drive, turn to the left at the last intersection as the ruins have no parking area. You can use a parking lot at a park nearby.
The parking lot at the park nearby
If you want to use a bus, take the Hakodate Bus on No.91 line from Hakodate Station and get off at the Shinori bus stop. It takes few minutes from the bus stop to get there.
After the Meiji Restoration, The buildings at the foot of the mountain were demolished or burned by accidental fires. The Japanese Army used the area including the Second and Third Enclosures at the foot. After the World War II, the area was used as public facilities such as the civic hall, an NHK broadband station, a museum, a library, a hospital, a school, and playgrounds. The Second Enclosure was finally developed as Ninomaru Historical Garden in 1992 after the hospital and school moving to others. It looks like the original Main Hall with repaired stone walls and restored walls when you look it from the outside. The Third Enclosure has been developing as a public park with a large square which can be used for events. Excavation has also been done to find out the castle’s history after the playgrounds had been moved.
The aerial photo around the castle in the 1970’s
The perimeter of the restored Second EnclosureThe inside of the Second Enclosure has become a gardenThe former site of a playground at the Third EnclosureThe Third Enclosure has become a square
On the other hand, many buildings on the mountain including the Main Tower remained. There were 44 buildings in the beginning of 1933. However, they were reduced by an arson in the same year to 35, by an air raid in 1945 to 24, and finally by another arson in 1949 to 21. Matsuyama City designated the 21 buildings as Important Cultural Properties in 1950 and started to restore other buildings in 1958. So far, 31 buildings were restored by 1992 in the original method, mostly using wooden materials. That means the number of the buildings became larger than 1933. In addition, the whole range of the castle, called the Shiroyama Park, has been designated as a National Historic Site since 1952.
The remaining or restored buildings of Matsuyama Castle on the mountain
Features
Going on Kuromon Route to Top
Today, visitors can choose four routes to visit Matsuyama Castle on the mountain. The most popular one is the Shinonome Route where visitors can use a cable car or lift and get around the top easily. However, if you are a history fan, I recommend visiting it by walking on the Kuromon Route which was the Main Route to the castle.
The location map of the mountain, from the signboard at the site, adding the red English letters
The route starts from the back of the Third Enclosure and passes by the Second Enclosure where the Main Hall was. There are no buildings remaining on the route, but it is still surrounded by great stone walls. First of all, you need to turn five times to go through the three gate ruins of Kuromon or The Black Gate, Tsuga-mon or the Hemlock Gate, and Keyaki-mon or the Zelkova Gate. Then you will enter the zigzagging trail partly with original stone steps to the top.
The map around the Kuromon RouteBlack Gate
The ruins of the Black Gate, the starting point of the routeThe ruins of the Hemlock GateThe route goes by the Second Enclosure on the rightThe ruins of the Zelkova GateThe trail to the top
Strong Defense system around Main Gate
You will eventually reach the Main Gate Ruins near the top. You will also see the great high stone walls surrounding the Main Enclosure and many other visitors who used a cable car or lift. This is the meeting point with the Shinonome Route.
The map around the Main Enclosure
Arriving at the ruins of the Main GateThe high stone walls of the Main Enclosure
Next, you will go on the path towards the direction where you can see the Main Tower, but it is a dead end and a trap for enemies, you have to turn at 180 degrees to enter the Main Enclosure (the dead end is not allowed to enter). Next comes the remaining Tonashi-mon or the Doorless Gate, which was probably built to lure enemies. Enemies would be confused around there.
You can see the Main Tower aheadThe path towards the tower is a dead endYou have to turn at 180 degrees to the nextThe Doorless Gate
Then, you will see the restored Tsutui-mon Gate which looks like a single gate. In fact, there is also the remaining Kakure-mon or the Hidden Gate next to it, so the defenders would counterattack the enemies from the gate.
Tsutui-mon GateThe Hidden GateThe back side of Tsutui-mon Gate (on the right) and the Hidden Gate (on the left)
Great views from Main Enclosure
After that, you will finally arrive at the Main Enclosure going through the restored Taiko-mon or the Drum Gate. The center of the enclosure looks a square, and there are the restored well, Tatsumi-Yagura or the Southeast Turret and Bagu-Yagura or the Harness Turret around. This is definitely a good view spot for the Main Tower and the area around including Matsuyama City and Seto Inland Sea.
The Drum GateThe wellThe inside of the Main EnclosureA view of the Main TowerA view of Matsuyama city area from the Main Enclosure
You can realize the Mori Clan’s long history by walking along the tour route.
Later History
After Yoshida-Koriyama Castle was abandoned, the Asano Clan managed to own its area during the Edo Period. This was because the Mori Clan’s territory had been reduced due to the their lost in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. The Asano Clan destroyed the stone walls of the castle after the Shimabara Rebellion in 1637. The Tokugawa Shogunate ordered the lords in western Japan to do it so that even abandoned castles would not be reused by other rebels.
The destroyed stone walls of the Third Enclosure
By contrast, the grave of Motonari Mori, which was built at part of the castle by his grandchild, Terumoto Mori, has been maintained. The Asano Clan allowed the lord and warriors of the Choshu Domain by the Mori Clan to pay a visit to the grave. As a result, warriors of other domains also visited it as the holy spot for a great warlord. After the Meiji Restoration, the grave was developed further, gathering the graves of other ancestors of the Mori Clan probably because the Choshu Domain was one of the victorious clans of the restoration. The castle ruins have been designated as a National Historic Site since 1940.
The grave of Motonari Mori in the castle
Features
Going to Entrance of Castle Ruins
Today, if you drive to the area around the ruins of Yoshida-Koriyama Castle, you will find some names of the local area like Katsura and Fukuhara. They are the origins of the Mori Clan’s senior vassals until the end of the Edo Period. History fans might be excited to just see them.
The map around Yoshida Town, Akitakada City
There is the tour route which is recommended by officials. Its starting point is the shrine gateway of Motonari’s grave, beside the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. If you walk along the approach towards the grave for a while, you will reach it. This may be the most developed place in the castle ruins as the holy spot. There is also Toshunji Temple Ruins which was established by Terumoto there and eventually moved to Hiroshima, Hagi and Yamaguchi with the lords of the Mori Clan.
The map around the castle
The shrine gateway of Motonari’s graveThe approach towards the graveThe grave of MotonariToshunji Temple Ruins
Trail on Ridge of Mountain
You can climb the trail to the top of the mountain from there, on one of its six ridges. It is basically a long trek which takes about 30 minutes to reach the top. You may find some ditches dividing the enclosures or wild animals like deer. Be careful not to provoke them.
The starting point of the trailThe trail goes on the ridgeA ditch dividing the enclosuresMeeting with a deer
Enclosures on Top of Mountain
You will eventually arrive at the ruins of Okurayashiki or the Storehouses below the top. The top consists of three tiered enclosures of the Main, Second and Third. The six ridges spread from the top which also have so many enclosures.
The ruins of the StorehousesThe topographical map of the mountain top, from the signboard at the site, adding the red letters
You will find countless stones collapsed which lie around the Storehouses Ruins. It is thought that this was caused by the Asano Clan following the shogunate’s instruction after the Shimabara Rebellion. These stones have been left there for nearly 400 years. However, if you walk around the wall of the Third Enclosure, you will notice some stone walls remaining as they were.
The collapsed stones lying around the Storehouses RuinsSome remaining stone walls of the Third Enclosure
You can also walk around some enclosures on the six ridges such as Tsurii or the Deep Well, Umaya or the Stable, and Kamaya or the Kitchen. There will be a sign warning visitors not to enter that unstable area. Please make you don’t enter that area since it’s very unstable and could cause the land to collapse. Watch your steps as they are reclaiming to nature.
The Deep Well EnclosureThe Stable EnclosureThe ridge over the Stable EnclosureThe Kitchen EnclosureSone ridges are not allowed to enter as of October 2022
