Odawara Caslte – ページ 4 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

125.Kozukue Castle Part1

The castle in the center of the popular Kozukue Territory

Location and History

Castle along one of Kamakura Roads

Kozukue Castle was located in what is now the northern hilly area in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. In the present Japan, Tokyo is the center of Japan including the Kanto Region. For that reason, many major roads gather in or spread from Tokyo. Some of them also go through the eastern seaside area of Yokohama City. However, before the Edo Period which started in the 17th Century, the center of the Kanto Region was Kamakura, called the Warriors’ Capital. Many major roads, called the Kamakura Roads, at that time also gathered in or spread from Kamakura. Kozukue Castle was near one of the Kamakura Roads and alongside Tsurumi-gawa River, which was an important spot for transportation.

The location of the castle

The present road network of the Kanto Region going to and from Tokyo (Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

The past road network of the Kanto Region going to and from Kamakura (Source: Tama City, adding the positions of Kozukue Castle and Kamakura)

“Kozukue Territory” and “Kozukue Group”

It is uncertain when Kozukue Castle was first built. The first appearance of the castle was after the Rebellion of Kageharu Nagao, who was against his master, the Uesugi Clan in 1478. The Toshima Clan who supported Kageharu used the castle, and Dokan Ota, a senior vassal of the Uesugi Clan beat them. After a while, the Hojo Clan, a great warlord used the castle again as a bridgehead for invading the Kanto Region in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. Even after the Hojo Clan was succeeded, they still considered the area around the castle as one of their important territories. They called the area “Kozukue Territory” like we call the area today, Yokohama City. They also called the group of the warriors who lived in the area “Kozukue Group”. Kozukue Castle was the center of the area and the group, and one of Hojo’s branch castles, which must have been more popular than we assume.

The portrait of Dokan Ota, owned by Daijiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Ujitsuna Hojo, the lord of the clan when they invaded the Kanto Region, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle has Simple Layout

Kozukue Castle was built on the edge of a hill sticking out from the south towards Tsurumi-gawa River to the north. The layout of the castle was simple, having the large Western and Eastern Enclosures, divided by the slender Connecting Enclosure. They were all made of soil. However, these enclosures were surrounded by large deep dry moats. What kinds of buildings stood on the enclosures is still uncertain, but it is thought that some turrets were built on the earthen bases. In addition, some barbicans were built along the hill around the main portion.

The relief map around the castle

The imaginary drawing of Kozukue Castle (from the signboard at the site, adding comments)

Development and Abolition of Castle

In 1590, when the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi invaded Hojo’s territory for his unification of Japan, Hojo ordered their branch castles to gather the warriors to their home base, Odawara Castle. That meant the branch castles including Kozukue Castle had to protect themselves with fewer defenders. The lord of Kozukue Castle decided to draft farmers to protect it. It is thought that the dry moats of the castle were also developed making them larger and deeper to protect the castle with fewer warriors and untrained defenders. This is what we can now see as the ruins of the castle. However, no battles happened then. The castle was open and finally abandoned after Hojo surrendered to Hideyoshi.

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

To be continued in “Kozukue Castle Part2”

22.Hachioji Castle Part1

A completed version of a mountain castle in Japan

Location and History

One of main Branch Castles of Hojo Clan

Hachioji Castle was a large mountain castle located in what is now Hachioji City, the western part of Tokyo Metropolitan, the Kanto Region. In the late 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, the Hojo Clan owned most of the region. The clan was based in Odawara Castle located at the southwest corner of the region, while they built the network of branch castles in the region to maintain their territory. Hachioji Castle was one of the main branch castles for the clan.

The location of the castle

The castle was first built by Ujiteru Hojo at latest in 1584, replacing Takiyama Castle located about 10km northeast of Hachioji Castle. There were several reasons for the replacement, one of which was that the Hojo Clan wanted to have a much stronger castle. The tension between Hojo and the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi was increasing at that time, so Hojo hurried to improve the castle. They put as much of their power and technology as they could into this castle.

Three Parts

Hachioji Castle consisted of three parts. The first one is called the Nekoya Area which was used for residences of retainers and craftsmen around the entrance of the castle. This area is alongside the Shiroyama River in a valley terrain.

The second part is called the Residence on the Foot Area where the Main Hall for the lord of the castle was built. This area is also alongside the river and the back of the Nekoya Area but was strictly protected. Visitors had to go across the river to enter the Main Gate, go the Main Route, and go across the river again over the Movable Bridge in front of the Main Hall. The bridge would be removed when a battle happened. The entrance of the hall was zigzagged, and its foundation was covered with terraced stone walls. The hall was made up of several buildings including the formal ones called “Shuden” or the Palace, and “Kaisho” or the Club. It also had a pond garden to host visitors. A lot of items such as utensils, weapons, and imported porcelains were found by the excavation.

The restored or developed Residence on the Foot Area

The last part is the Fortress on the Mountain Area which would be used when a battle happened. The Main Enclosure is on the 445m high top of the mountain (about 200m higher than the foot, which itself is a 200m above ground). Many other enclosures were built around the Main Enclosure and the ridges are used for the trails between the top and the foot of the mountain. In particular, lots of stone walls covered these enclosures and trails. In addition, not only the front of the Main Enclosure, but also the back of it was also protected strictly by small forts and ridges covered with stone walls. Such structures for a mountain castle were very rare, so the castle can be seen a completed version of mountain castles in Japan.

The ruins of the Fortress on the Mountain Area

Captured by Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s troop in One day

However, the castle was taken over by Hideyoshi’s troops in one day. On June 23, 1590, at least 35,000 soldiers attacked the castle, while the number of the defenders was only 3,000 including farmers and women. The lord, Ujiteru wasn’t there because he was at Odawara Castle. In addition, Hideyoshi ordered his troops to charge and capture the castle. The castle was too large for the 3,000 people to prevent from the bare-knuckled attack. There has been a sad story that many women threw themselves into the waterfall basin of the river before the castle fell.

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

The waterfall of Go-Shuden *(licensed by じゃんもどき via Wikimedia Commons)*

To be continued in “Hachioji Castle Part2”

40.Yamanaka Castle Part1

The castle for the western defense of the Hojo Clan

Location and History

Western Defense for Hojo Clan

Yamanaka Castle was located on the west of Hakone Barrier, the western gateway of Kanto Region, now in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture. The castle was first built in the middle 16th Century during the Sengoku Period by the Hojo Clan, who owned Kanto Region. The clan aimed to protect their home base, Odawara Castle on the eastern side of Hakone Barrier, by building Yamanaka Castle. This castle was also improved before the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attacked the Hojo Clan in 1590.

The location of the castle

Yamanaka Castle was built surrounding the Tokaido Road, one of the major roads in Japan. During that time, if someone walked up the slope on the road from the west, it would require passing through the castle. The road was actually on the Third Enclosures of the castle, and beside the Main Enclosure. The Third Enclosure also had water moats on the west to prevent enemies’ attacks and was for the water reservoir.
On the south of the Third Enclosure, a long defense strongpoint called “Taizaki-demaru” spread with the road parallelly. On the west of the Third Enclosure, the Second Enclosure, the West Enclosure, and the West Turret were added towards that direction. These enclosures were able to work closely to prevent attacks from enemy forces.

The location map of the ruins of Yamanaka Castle (from the signboard at the site)

Hojo’s Unique Methods for building Castle

The techniques used in the castle were unique to the Hojo Clan. All the enclosures were made of earthworks, using natural terrain such as ridges and valleys. They were mainly connected by wooden bridges which could fall down when a battle happened. They were also divided by deep dry moats whose bottoms were left parallel or as latticed ridges. The method for building the moats is called “Une-bori” for the parallel ridges and “Shoji-bori” for the latticed ridges. These dry moat building methods are considered features of the Hojo’s castles. Once soldiers fell into the moat, they couldn’t move from there at all. The area of the castle reached about 200,000 square meters. Hojo thought the castle could make Hideyoshi stuck for a while.

Fall in Battle of Yamanaka Castle

However, the castle was captured by Hideyoshi in just half a day. In the early morning, March 29, 1590, nearly 70,000 soldiers of Hideyoshi’s troop started to attack the castle, while the number of the defenders was only about 4,000. The attackers first charged both the West Turret and the Taizaki-Demaru defense strongpoint, but they suffered a significant number of casualties by the counterattack of Hojo’s guns. If it was a local battle, the attacker might have paused the charge to prevent more damages. However, the commanders forcibly continued to charge, otherwise, they might have been fired by the ruler. That resulted in the success of capturing the castle for Hideyoshi in exchange for a lot of dead soldiers including one of the Hideyoshi’s commander, Naosue Hitotsuyanagi.

This battle lasted for a few hours. It is said that another reason for the short battle was that Hojo’s soldiers were confused because their head, Ujikatsu Hojo, escaped from the castle. Others point out that the Taizaki-Demaru defense strongpoint was unfinished in construction before Hideyoshi’s attack. Anyway, even such a strong castle couldn’t survive without enough soldiers and the right instructions.

To be continued in “Yamanaka Castle Part2”