Nobunaga ODA – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

162.Izushi Castle/Arikoyama Castle Part1

The Izushi area is known as its old castle town where many people visit to enjoy walking, eating and shopping around the area including the Izushi Castle Ruins at the foot of the mountain. If you look up at the mountain on a fine day, you will find stone walls on the top, which are other castle ruins in this area, called Arikoyama Castle which had been built before Izushi Castle.

Location and History

Two Castle Ruins in Izushi Area

Izushi Castle is located in modern day in the Izushi area of Toyooka City in the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture. The area is known as the old castle town where many people visit to enjoy walking, eating and shopping around the area including the Izushi Castle Ruins at the foot of the mountain. If you look up at the mountain on a fine day, you will find stone walls on the top, which are other castle ruins in this area, called Arikoyama Castle which had been built before Izushi Castle. These things make you understand the area has a very long history and rich culture.

The range of Toyooka City and the location of the castles

Izushi Castle Ruins in the front and Arikoyama Castle Ruins in the back

Yamana Clan, One of Greatest Lords during Middle Ages

Arikoyama Castle was first built by the Yamana Clan which is known as one of the greatest lords during the Middle Ages. The clan was a branch family of the Nitta Clan, which came from the Kanto Region in eastern Japan. When the Ashikaga Shogunate was established, Tokiuji Yamana, who was the lord of the clan at that time, greatly supported Takauji Ashikaga, the founder of the shogunate. That’s why Takauji sent Tokiuji to the Sanin area, the northern part of the Chugoku Region to govern, where their enemies were still active. Tokiuji and his descendants conquered their territories by force and finally became the governors of 11 out of 66 provinces in Japan, called Rokubun-no-ichi-dono (meaning the Lord of One Sixth of Japan).

The family crest of the Yamana Clan (licensed by Houunji 1642 via Wikimedia Commons)

The 11 provinces the Yamana Clan became governors (the colored ones) *(licensed by ja:User:味っ子 via Wikimedia Commons)*

However, Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the third Shogun, was afraid of the overwhelming power of the Yamana Clan and defeated it in 1391, known as the Meitoku Rebellion. The clan’s power once declined but Sozen Yamana came out in the 15th Century and revived it as they had been. He is known as the commander in chief of the Western Alliance against the Eastern Alliance led by Katsumoto Hosokawa during the Onin War between 1467 and 1477 which would start the Sengoku Period. The clan eventually had many provinces again and its home was in the current Izushi area of Tajima Province which is now known as northern Hyogo Prefecture. The lords of the clan were first based in Konosumi-yama Castle on a mountain, about 5km north of the later Arikoyama Castle. Sozen actually made a sally with about 26 thousand warriors from this castle to fight with the Eastern Alliance in Kyoto.

The portrait of Sozen Yamana, from “Honcho-Hyakushoden” *(licensed by Musuketeer.3 via Wikimedia Commons)*

The portrait of Katsumoto Hosokawa, owned by Ryoanji Temple *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Unlike the Hosokawa Clan which had a certain position in the central government, the Yamana Clan had to maintain its provinces by force. It got difficult for the clan to do it during the Sengoku Period when overthrowing their lords were often seen as overthrowing the whole country. The clan eventually lost its provinces one by one, being defeated in many battles against other warlords like the Akamatsu and Amago Clans. As a result, the Yamana’s authority decreased and some of its senior vassals tried to become independent. Suketoyo Yamana, the lord of the clan tried to somehow manage to maintain his last Tajima Province by building Takeda Castle near the border to other provinces, and asking greater warlords like the Oda and Mori Clans for help.

The range of Tajima Province and the location of the castles

Suketoyo Yamana moves his home to Arikoyama Castle

However, when the Oda Clan attacked the Tajima Province in 1569, Suketomo’s home Konosumi-yama Castle was captured and he had to escape from the place. This might have been caused by the secret agreement between the Oda and Mori Clans that the Tajima Province would belong to the Oda. Suketoyo somehow returned to his territory in 1570 after he had met with Nobunaga Oda (the lord of the clan) while paying lots of money from mining in the province. Then, he moved to his home to Arikoyama Castle, located on a much higher and steeper mountain than Konosumi-yama Castle, and improved it so that the fall of his castle would never happen again. Suketomo usually lived in the residence at the foot of the mountain, which would be the origin of Izushi Castle and its castle town.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The relief map around the castles

In the 1570’s, the Oda and Mori Clans began to oppose each other. Suketomo was debating on the face on which side he would support. The Oda Clan attacked the Tajima Province again in 1580 by sending Hidenaga Hashiba who was the little brother of Hideyoshi, the later ruler of Japan. It is said that one of the reasons for the invasion was that they wanted to own the mines in the province, such as the Ikuno Silver Mine. Hidenaga’s troops surrounded Arikoyama Castle and Suketomo finally had to surrender perhaps because they had no hope for reinforcements.

The portrait of Hidenaga Hashiba, owned by Shungakuin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Hidenaga Hashiba improves Castle

After that, Hidenaga lived in and improved the castle as the home base of the Tajima Province. The castle had been made of soil so far but its main portion on the top was fortified by building stone walls. It is said that Takatora Todo, who was a senior vassal of Hidenaga and would later become a master of castle constructions, built them. Senjoshiki (meaning the 1,000 mat enclosure), next to the main portion, was developed to accommodate many soldiers and supplies even when other lords in the province gathered for help.

*The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The imaginary drawing of Arikoyama Castle, exhibited by Karo Yashiki Residence

Yoshihide Koide builds Izushi Castle

The castle was followed by the Koide Clan, a relative of Hideyoshi Toyotomi after he became the ruler of Japan. The clan somehow survived when the ruler was changed from the Toyotomi Clan to the Tokugawa Shogunate. In 1604, Yoshihide Koide renovated the foot residence and renamed it Izushi Castle perhaps due to the convenience for the government. He also abandoned Arikoyama Castle on the mountain instead. The new castle and its castle town prospered during the Edo Period as the Izushi Domain, which was finally followed by the Sengoku Clan until the end of the period.

*The imaginary drawing of Izushi Castle, exhibited by Karo Yashiki Residence*

To be continued in “Izushi Castle/Arikoyama Castle Part2”

153.Kitabatake Clan Hall Part1

The lord of the Kitabatake Clan reigned at the clan’s hall, called the Taki Palace. The hall had a great Japanese garden which still remains. The group eventually became a great warlord clan in the early 16th Century.

Location and History

Southern Court Noble family becomes Warlord

Kitabatake Clan Hall was the home base of the Kitabatake Clan which governed Ise Province which is the modern day Mie Prefecture between the 14th and the 16th Centuries. The clan was a unique lord’s family who was originally a noble but finally became a warlord until they were taken over by Nobunaga Oda. Kitabatake Clan Hall was also uniquely located in the Taki area which was inconvenient but defensive so that clan was able to survive for a long time.

The range of Ise Province and the location of the castle

In the Period of Northern and Southern Courts during the 14th Century, Emperor Godaigo of the Southern Court sent his trusted vassal, Chikafusa Kitabatake to eastern Japan to govern the region. Chikafusa and his son, Akiie fought against the lords of the Northern Court, as a general. As a result, their relatives in the Tohoku Region remained as a noble birth lord family, called Namioka Palace, which lived in Namioka Castle until the late 16th Century. Similarly, Akiie’s little brother, Akiyoshi was sent to Ise Province and he was assigned as its Governor in 1338. Ise Province consisted of the eastern part facing the sea and having Ise Grand Shrine, one of the most important shrines for the Imperial family, and the western part of mountain areas having the routes to Yoshino in Yamato Province (now Nara Pref.), the home of the Southern Court.

The portrait of Emperor Godaigo, owned by Shojokoji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The statue of Akiie Kitabatake in Kitabatake Shrine

The Kitabatake Clan in Ise Province also battled the Northern Court and eventually chose their home at a place in the defensive western part, which would be the Taki area. The area was on the way to the Ise Main Road connecting Ise Grand Shrine and Yamato Province, which was considered important. However, it was a small basin along the Yatemata River, surrounded by mountains. There were 7 entrances to the area, which were all on steep mountain passes or deep valleys. That meant the area itself was very defensive.

The relief map of the Taki area with its 7 entrances

The sitting statue of Akiyoshi Kitabatake, exhibited by Misugi Home Museum *(licensed via Wikimedia Commons)*

Unfortunately, the Southern Court eventually declined and the Ashikaga Shogunate supporting the Northern Court was established. The Kitabatake Clan somehow managed to survive, however, they sometimes opposed the shogunate about how to treat the descendants of the Southern Court. The clan first built their hall in a land surrounded by the Yatemata and the other two rivers in three directions and mountains in the west. The land was leveled to three tiers, the upper one was about 3m above the middle one and surrounded by long stone walls, so it seemed that the Main Hall was built on the upper tier. These stone walls are thought as one of the earliest ones built for warriors’ halls or residences. They were piled vertically using natural oval-shaped river stones, unlike typical stone walls for castles later, piled with a slant, using processed stones.

The excavated stone walls of the upper tier

Castles are built to protest Hall

The shogunate troops sometimes attacked the territory of the Kitabatake Clan from the west. As a result, the clan started to build new castles in that direction to protect their hall. They first built the final castle for emergencies on a mountain about 80m above the hall. It had a simple main enclosure on the top and belt enclosures around with passes. The western edge of the mountain was cut by a deep ditch where only the narrow earthen bridge could be used.

The relief map around the castle

The layout of the final castle, from the signboard at the site, adding the red English letter

The clan also built a larger castle over the pass towards the west, called Kiriyama Castle. The castle was located on another mountain about 160m above the final castle, which was much harder to access for enemies as well as defenders. Therefore, the castle seemed to be used as a lookout usually and for being besieged in cases of emergency. As a result, the clan was able to prevent the enemies from invading the Kitabatake’s territory.

Prosperity and Destruction of Kitabatake Clan

After that, the clan and the shogunate made peace with each other, which made the government of the clan in Ise Province stable. Their several branch clans, such as the Kozukuri Clan, were sent to various places of the province and the lord of the Kitabatake Clan reigned at the clan’s hall, called the Taki Palace. The hall was also expanded to have a great Japanese garden which still remains. The group eventually became a great warlord clan in the early 16th Century and its influence reached the peak in the middle of the century when the 7th lord, Tomonori Kitabatake was the lord.

The remaining Kitabatake Clan Hall Ruins Garden

The portrait of Tomonori Kitabatake, owned by Iseyoshida Library (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

However, a new threat came from Owari Province, north of Ise. Nobunaga Oda, who would later be the ruler of Japan, started to invade Ise Province in 1568. Moreover, the relative Kozukuri Clan turned supporting Nobunaga. Tomonori had to move to his home from the hall to Okochi Castle near the battle fields. The Kitabatake and Oda Clans made peace in 1569 under the terms of Nobunaga’s son, Nobukatsu being adopted as the Kitabatake Clan’s successor. This was actually the starting point of taking the Kitabatake Clan over by the Oda Clan. Tomonori was finally killed by Nobukatsu in 1576. The castles in Ise Province, including Kitabatake Clan Hall, were captured by the Oda’s troops at the same time.

The portrait of Nobukatsu Oda, owned by Sokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Kitabatake Clan Hall Part2”

56.Takeda Castle Part1

Masahiro Saimura, who completed Takeda Castle, only earned 22 thousand koku of rice, which meant he could not afford to build great stone walls at the castle. It is considered that the construction of castle was backed up by Hideyoshi.

Location and History

Famous for Castle in Sky

Takeda Castle was located on Torafusu-yama or the Sitting-Tiger Mountain (at 354m above the sea level) in Tajima Province which is now the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture. The ruins of Takeda Castle recently became very popular among not only history fans but also general tourists as a Castle in the Sky. The ruins don’t have any buildings but their great stone walls remain on the high mountain, which look like they are floating on a sea of clouds when there are certain weather conditions in the morning in autumn to winter. It is also called the Machu Picchu in Japan. The Castle in the Sky is an attraction in the present time and you need to go further away from the castle ruins to see it. However, the nickname also came from the castle’s history and location.

A photo of Takeda Castle in the Sky, from the signboard at the site

Yamana Clan first builds Castle

Tajima Province is not popular among the present generation because the province was small and finally merged to become Hyogo Prefecture. However, it was very important in the past because of its location. In many years of the Middle Ages, the Yamana Clan owned several provinces in the northern part of the Chugoku Region or also called the Sanin Area. Tajima Province was the eastern edge of Yamana’s territory and had borders with Harima and Tanba Provinces. That’s why the Yamana Clan first built Takeda Castle around the 15th Century as a base of offence and defense. At that time, building castles on a high mountain was popular for lords to protect themselves. These castles including Takeda Castle were all made of soil, at that time, they didn’t use stone walls.

The range of Tajima province and the location of the castle

The situation became more complex in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period when many battles happened. The power of the Yamana Clan decreased while other lords outside Tajima Province wanted to get more territory. For example, in 1571, Suketoyo Yamana, the lord of the clan invaded Tanba Province, however, it was counterattacked and Takeda Castle was temporarily captured by Naomasa Ogino from Kuroi Castle of Tanba in 1575. Suketomo thought he would also ask for help from the strongest warlord, such as Nobunaga Oda and the Mori Clan depending on the situation to maintain his territory. However, when Nobunaga sent troops led by Hidenaga (Toyotomi) Hashiba who was the little brother of Hideyoshi Hashiba, the later ruler of Japan, to Tajima Province in 1577, Nobunaga gained control of Takeda Castle (it is uncertain if it was caused by a battle or a surrender). After Nobunaga died in 1582, when Hideyoshi became the ruler, he ordered Hidenaga to stay and improved Takeda Castle. It could be because Ikuno Silver Mine was there, which made the owner very rich, near the castle. It is thought that building the stone walls on the top started then. The improvement was followed by Masahiro Saimura, another retainer of Hideyoshi, when Hidenaga moved to Wakayama Castle in 1585.

*The illustration of Naomasa, from the signboard at the site* of Kuroi Castle Ruins

*The portrait of Hidenaga Toyotomi, owned by Shungakuin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Masahiro Saimaura completes Castle

Masahiro was originally called Hirohide Akamatsu, a local lord in Tatsuno Castle, Harima Province. He surrendered to Hideyoshi when Hideyoshi invaded Harima Province in 1577, however, Hideyoshi took away his castle so that he had to become Hideyoshi’s retainer. Masahiro worked hard for Hideyoshi to get his original territory back some day. As a result, Hideyoshi gave Masahiro a territory, not in Tatsuno, but with Takeda Castle. Masahiro’s territory only earned 22 thousand koku of rice, which meant he could not afford to build great stone walls at Takeda Castle. It is considered that the construction of castle was backed up by Hideyoshi. Masahiro continued to contribute to Hideyoshi, such as joining the invasion of Korea, ordered by Hideyoshi. It is said that some gate structures of Takeda Castle were reflected by those of Japanese Castles in Korea, built for the invasion.

The family crest of the Akamatsu Clan *(licensed by KfskzsuRPkwt via Wikimedia Commons)*

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The great stone walls of Takeda Castle on the mountain

Takeda Castle was built on the mountain with three ridges; long ones in the north and the south, and a short one in the southwest. The Main Enclosure was on the top and had the Main Tower, but its details are unknown. Each ridge had several enclosures including a large one which could accommodate soldiers and supplies. The edge of the ridges was open to the outside, but was also protected strictly by a defensive gate. They were all surrounded by great stone walls, piled using natural or roughly processed stones in a method called Nozura-zumi. A professional stone-piling guild was called in to do this. One of the advanced things of this castle’s layout was that it included bypass routes between the three ridges. The defenders could move from one to another smoothly so that they were able to respond to enemies’ attacks flexibly.

The aerial photo around the castle

The stone wall base for the Main Tower of Takeda Castle

Abrupt ending of Masahiro and Castle

Masahiro usually lived in his Main Hall at the foot while developing the castle town. He was also interested in Chinese studies and communicated with domestic Confucians and a high-class Korean official. It is said that he also built a shrine to Confucianism in the castle on the mountain. However, the lives of he and his castle suddenly ended. In the crucial battle between the East Squad led by Ieyasu Tokugawa and the West Squad led by Mitsunari Ishida which happened in 1600, Masahiro joined the West Squad. When Masahiro heard about Mitsunari being defeated by Ieyasu at Sekigahara field, he switched to support the East Squad. He burned the castle town around Tottori Castle where another lord supporting the West Squad lived, to show his loyalty to Ieyasu. However, Ieyasu’s decision was to force Masahiro to kill himself by performing Harakiri to put the responsibility of the burning on him. This was an incomprehensible conclusion, but some historians speculate that Ieyasu and his Tokugawa Shogunate also wanted to secure Ikuno Silver Mine by removing possible rebels like Masahiro.

The ruins of Akamatsu Hachiman Shine at Tottori, where Masahiro was worshiped

To be continued in “Takeda Castle Part2”