Nobunaga ODA – ページ 2 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

158.Fukuchiyama Castle Part3

As long as looking at the stone wall base for the Main Tower of Fukuchiyama Castle, Mitsuhide Akechi seems to have followed a policy of Nobunaga Oda’s castle constructions. That means Mitsuhide was a follower of Nobunaga.

Features

Views from Restored Main Tower

The current Main Tower is actually a restored modern building which is used as a historical museum and an observation platform, where you can learn about Mitsuhide Akechi and the history of the castle. You can also enjoy a view of the city area around the castle from the top floor. For instance, you can see the Third Enclosure which is used as the City Hall on the right and the Hoki-maru Enclosure which has become a park on the left, over the residential area of the former Second Enclosure in the west.

The map around the castle

The Third Enclosure has become the City Hall

In the northern direction, you can see the Yuragawa River and the bank along it that Mitsuhide built, and it’s called Akechi-yabu or Akechi-bush. Mitsuhide planted bamboos along the river bank to make it durable.

Only remaining building of Castle

Akagane-mon Bansho or the Guardhouse for the Bronze Gate, which is located in the Main Enclosure, is the only remaining part of the building and is one of its attractions. It had been originally built in the Second Enclosure, but was moved to the current position because the said Second enclosure was removed. In addition, the building of the Bronze Gate was moved to Shogenji Temple in the city and is used as its front gate.

The map around the castle

The Guardhouse for the Bronze Gate in the Main Enclosure

The front gate of Shogenji Temple, quoted from the Fukuchiyama City Website

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Fukuchiyama Castle was abandoned and most of the castle buildings including the Main Tower were demolished or moved. It is said that the 20th Infantry Regiment of the Imperial Japanese Army destroyed the Second Enclosure for the convenient of the transit between their station and maneuvering ground. On the other hand, people in Fukuchiyama wanted to restore the Main Tower as a symbol of the city for a long time. The restoration launched since 1968 when the illustration of the castle in the Edo Period was found. It is once faced with a budget problem, but it was completed in 1986 with lot of donation from the citizens, which was more than a half of the final budget.

The Second Enclosure was removed and became the city area

My Impression

One of the popular assumptions of the reason for Mitsuhide’s rebellion has been the difference of Nobunaga and Mitsuhide’s characters. It is said that Nobunaga was radical while Mitsuhide was traditional. However, as long as looking at the stone wall base for the Main Tower of Fukuchiyama Castle, Mitsuhide seems to have followed a policy of Nobunaga’s castle constructions. It refers to using anything including Buddhism items to build their castles immediately. I honestly say that the stone walls using the tomb stones looks little strange. There is no telling how people at that time felt. I think Mitsuhide was definitely a follower of Nobunaga. A new assumption recently came that Mitsuhide’s position became weak during the discussion about how Nobunaga would invade the Shikoku Region. Mitsuhide’s opinion about it was rejected and his rival, Hideyoshi’s one was taken by Nobunaga. The Honnoji Incident occurred just before the invasion would be done. I’m wondering if the real reason for Mitsuhide’s decision will be uncovered.

The joint of the newer stones on the left and the older ones on the right for the stone wall base of Fukuchiyama Castle’s Main Tower

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

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about 3 kms away from Fukuchiyama IC on the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. There is a parking lot beside the castle hill.
By public transportation, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to get there from JR Fukuchiyama Station.
From Tokyo to Fukuchiyama Station: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Sanin Line at Kyoto Station.

The parking lot of the Fukuchiyama Castle Park

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Fukuchiyama Castle Part1”
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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

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)*

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 Part1

Kuroi Castle was the home base of Naomasa Ogino who was a strong warlord, called “the Red Devil in Tanba”. When Mitsuhide Akechi attacked the castle, its fall was at hand but…

Location and History

Tanba, Important Province to protect Kyoto

Kuroi Castle was located in the western part of Tanba Province which is now part of Hyogo Prefecture. Tanba Province is not popular for the present generation because the province was small and finally merged with Kyoto and Hyogo Prefectures. However, it was very important in the past because of its location just northwest of Kyoto, the capital of Japan. Especially, in unquiet times like the Sengoku Period, it was critical area for protecting or attacking Kyoto. In 1467 when the Onin War occurred in Kyoto, Sozen Yamana, the head of the West Squad went to Kyoto through the province. Since then, local lords in the province were involved in politics and battles over the central government.

The range of Tanba Province and the location of the castle

*A scene of the Onin War, from a picture scroll of the Origin of Shinnyo-do Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Home Base of Naomasa Ogino, called “Red Devil in Tanba”

The Akai Clan was one of them, which served great warlords in Kyoto, like the Hosokawa Clan, and improved its power and territory in Tanba Province. Naomasa Akai was born in 1529 and was adopted to the Ogino Clan during his childhood because the Akai wanted to take in the Ogino’s power to get their lager presence. Since then, Naomasa was renamed his family name to Akai, however, he united with his parents’ home during all his life. Kuroi Castle was originally the home base of the Ogino Clan and eventually belonged to Naomasa. In 1554, Naomasa killed his foster father, Akikiyo. It is said this was because Akikiyo tried to follow the rule of Nagayoshi Miyoshi, the ruler at that time, which Naomasa never allowed. After that, Naomasa called himself Aku-emon as his nickname (Aku means evil but strong). However, he built a temple for worshiping Akikiyo, which may have meant his action didn’t come from his desire for revenge.

The illustration of Naomasa, from the signboard at the site

Naomasa was not a political person, but an excellent general, who just wanted to maintain his clan’s independence by the alliance with other local lords, even though they sometimes needed to serve greater warlords outside their province. For example, he defeated Munekatsu Naito in 1565, who was the deputy military governor of Tanba Province and supported the Miyoshi Clan. In 1571, Suketoyo Yamana in Tajima Province, next to Tanba in the northwest, invaded Tanba. Naomasa repelled the invasion, counterattacked Tajima, and even captured Takeda Castle in the province instead in 1575. People often called him the Red Devil in Tanba, for his strength.

Group of small Forts

Kuroi Castle was built on Inokuchi Mountain (357m above the sea level). It was very large (around 8km perimeter) as the home base of the Ogino Clan, but was also one of mountain castles made of soil using natural terrain, which were usually seen throughout the whole country for warriors to live and protect themselves under the severe Sengoku Period. To cover its large range, Kuroi Castle worked as a group of small forts. The main portion of the castle including the Main Enclosure was on the top of the mountain to monitor the area around and all the branch forts so that the lord of the castle was able to instruct the defenders. Each fort had a distinct role, for example, the Sekito Tier and the Three-tiered Enclosure were built on the Main Route to protect the main portion, the Eastern Barbican Enclosure for defense of the eastern ridge, and the Western Enclosure for living on the mountain. That way, the defenders could prevent enemies from attacking the castle efficiently. The only weak point of the castle was that it didn’t have a good well because of the rocky terrain of the mountain.

The 3-D miniature model of Kuroi Castle Ruins, exhibited by the Kasuga Community Center

The relief map around the castle

Mitsuhide Akechi captures Castle after Naomasa’s Death

Naomasa’s strength may have actually also caused his crisis. Suketoyo Yamana, who was invaded by Naomasa, asked Nobunaga Oda who was the ruler then for help. Naomasa had once served but was against Nobunaga at that time. Nobunaga thought he would like to govern the important Tanba Province directly as well. Nobunaga sent his senior vassal, Mitsuhide Akechi to invade Tanba Province in 1575. At first, everything was going well for Mitsuhide, when Hideharu Hatano, another dominant local lord turned into Mitsuhide’s supporter. Mitsuhide next besieged Naomasa’s Kuroi Castle, waiting for the supplies and water to run out. However, after two months of the siege when the castle’s fall was at hand, Hideharu betrayed him. Mitsuhide was defeated instead and had to withdraw. This result was called the tactics of Akai’s attracting, which built Naomasa’s reputation much higher.

The castle was finally captured by Mitsuhide in 1579, just after Naomasa’s death by illness. Mitsuhide improved the castle by building great stone walls on the top. That fortified the castle and showed the authority of the new ruler to the people, which was one of the ways Nobunaga and his retainers often did that. Mitsuhide made his senior vassal, Toshimitsu Saito govern the castle. That’s why his daughter, who would later be Kasuga-no-tsubone or Lady Kasuga, the leader of the shogun’s inner palace, came from there. Mitsuhide and Toshimitsu rebelled and killed Nobunaga in the Honnoji Incident in 1582, but were soon defeated by Hideyoshi Hashiba, the next ruler. Kuroi Castle was followed by several of Hideyoshi’s retainers. However, the castle was eventually abandoned in the process of unification of Japan by Hideyoshi. Lords and warriors did not always need mountain castles to deal with the new periods.

The stone walls, built on the top of Kuroi Castle

The portrait of Lady Kasuga, owned by Rinshoin Temple *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

To be continued in “Kuroi Castle Part2”