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

Location and History

Twisted Life by his uncle, Ruler Hideyoshi

Hachimanyama Castle was located beside Lake Biwa in Omi Province which is now Shiga Prefecture. The castle was built by Hidetsugu Toyotomi, the tragic Kanpaku ( the chief adviser to the Emperor). He was a nephew of Hideyoshi Toyotomi who was the ruler of Japan in the late 15th Century. His mother was Hideyoshi’s older sister called Tomo. He was twisted around Hideyoshi’s little finger throughout his life, but left this castle and its castle town which is now Omi-Hachiman City.

The location of the castle

Hidetsugu was born in 1568 during the Sengoku Period when his uncle, Hideyoshi worked under a great warlord, Nobunaga Oda. In 1572 when he was 4 years old, he was adopted by Hideyoshi to the Miyabe Clan in Omi Province, which Hideyoshi wanted to gain over to Nobunaga’s side. It was common for warriors at that time to ally with others, but in the case of Hideyoshi, he had to send his nephew because he had no children. After that, Hidetsugu was adopted again to the Miyoshi Clan in Shikoku Island where Nobunaga and Hideyoshi aimed to invade. However, the situation changed after Nobunaga died in the Honnoji Incident in 1582. Hideyoshi intended to be the ruler, so he wanted Hidetsugu to be one of his commanding officer. Hidetsugu fought hard for his uncle in many battles although he failed in one of them called the Battle of Nagakute in 1584. In 1585 when Hideyoshi was appointed Kanpaku as the ruler, Hidetsuku was given a large territory in Omi Province. Hidetsugu built a new castle as his home base with instructions from Hideyoshi, called Hachimanyama Castle.

The portrait of Hidetsugu Toyotomi, owned by Zuisenji Temple (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)

He develops new Castle, Castle Town, and Waterways

The mountain, which the castle was built, had originally been often called Hachimanyama or Hachiman Mountain, because the Himure-Hachimangu Shrine had been on the top of the mountain. The first thing to do for building the castle was to move the shrine to the foot. The mountain was 294m high and 180m above from the foot. Its slopes were very steep, which was good for protecting the castle. The Main Enclosure was built on the top where it is said the Main Tower and Main Hall were built. The Second, the Northern and the Western Enclosures were also built on the ridges spread from the top. These enclosures were all surrounded by stone walls. The Barbican Enclosure was also built below the Western Enclosure. In addition, the luxury residence for Hidetsugu was built at the foot because the top was not convenient for living. The long and straight Main Route like Azuchi Castle was also built in front of it.

The imaginary drawing of Hachimanyama Castle, from the signboard at the site, adding the red letters in English

Hidetsugu also developed the castle town beside the mountain by moving the merchants in the castle town of the abandoned Azuchi Castle to the new developed area. The city area was built in a grid pattern like modern cities to improve business and living. Hidetsugu built the Hachiman-bori Moat, connected to Lake Biwa, between the castle and town. The moat was basically for defense, but it was also used for water transportation to boost commerce. The town has been prospering even after the castle was abandoned.

The illustration of Hachimanyama Castle and Town, exhibited by Omi Hachiman City Archives Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Short Glory before his Harakiri Incident

Hidetsugu moved to a much larger territory and finally became Kanpaku as the successor of Hideyoshi in 1590 . This was because Hideyoshi’s real or adopted male children all died young. Hidetsugu communicated well with many nobles and lords to be the next ruler after Hideyoshi. However, the situation changed again when Hideyoshi had his last son, Hideyori in 1583. In 1585, Hidetsugu was suddenly summoned by Hideyoshi’s officers due to the suspicion of his rebellion against Hideyoshi. He was sent to Mt. Koyasan, without any meeting with Hideyoshi, and He was forced to commit Harakiri. (ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword.). Hideyoshi also ordered to execute almost all of Hidetsugu’s wives and children as offenders. Many relative nobles and lords were also punished. Hidetsugu’s mother, Tomo who was Hideyoshi’s sister felt deep sorrow, then established the Zuiryuji Temple alone in Kyoto to pray for Hidetsugu and his family.

The picture of Hidetsugu Toyotomi at Mt. Koyasan, attributed to Yoshitoshi Tsukioka (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The present Zuiryuji Temple at Hachimanyama Castle Ruins

However, no evidence for Hidetsugu’s rebellion was found. Some people said the incident happened for that he was called the Killer Kanpaku, which meant he liked killing, but it was also quite uncertain. After all, it seemed that Hidetaugu was a victim of Hideyoshi who finally became a crazy dictator and initiated a conflict between officers and lords. Hideyoshi even ordered to destroy Hachimanyama Castle followed by the Kyogoku Clan after Hidetsugu. The clan had to move to another castle, called Otsu Castle. There is an interesting story about Hikone Castle, whose Main Tower was moved from Otsu Castle. Toyotomi-style roof tiles covered with golden leaf were found at Hikone Castle which the Tokugawa Shogunate built. Some people think it was impossible as because they were against each other. Some historians speculate that the Main Tower or other buildings Hidetsugu built might have been moved or used to build Otsu Castle by Kyogoku Clan and finally brought to Hikone Castle.

The Main Tower of Hikone Castle, which was originally moved from Otsu Castle

To be continued in “Hachimanyama Castle Part2”

Features

Entering Sawayama Route

Today, Hikone Castle site has well been developed for visitors inside the Middle Moat (the second moat from the Inner Moat). There are three routes over the moat same as the past (Sawa-guchi, Kyobashi-guchi and Funamachi-guchi). Out of them, the Sawaguchi Route is the most popular as it is close from Hikone Station and to the front entrance of the castle. If you choose the route, you will first see the remaining the Sawaguchi-Tamon Turret on the left with a distant view of the Main Tower. The entrance to the castle consists of this turret and the other restored turret on the right. After entering, you will also see the remaining Stable which in the only remaining case in castles in Japan.

The aerial photo around the castle

The Sawaguchi-Tamon Turret on the left with a distant view of the Main Tower

Lots of Exhibition of Hikone Castle Museum

You can go across the bridge over the Inner Moat to enter the Front Gate Ruins as the front entrance of the castle. Inside the ruins, there is the Hikone Castle Museum which looks like the past Main Hall for the lord at the same place. The museum stores over 90,000 items about the Ii Clan and Hikone Domain and exhibits about 100 items of them.

You can see the items such as the unique Ii Clan’s Red Armor, swords, tee things, Noh masks and the remaining Noh stage. In the back of the museum, you should check out the restored part of the lord’s private quarters and Japanese Garden. They were restored in traditional methods using wooden materials based on the records and excavations.

The Red Armor which was said to be used by Naomasa Ii, exhibited by the *Hikone Castle Museum*

A tea jar called “Setotetsuyu-Shijiko” or “The Seto iron glaze jar with four handles”, exhibited by the Hikone Castle Museum

The remaining Noh stage, exhibited by the Hikone Castle Museum

the restored chamber of the lord’s private quarters, exhibited by the Hikone Castle Museum

The Japanese Garden, exhibited by the Hikone Castle Museum

Strong Line of Defense around Large Ditch

Let us next climb up the mountain to the center of the castle. After walking the long, wide stone steps, you will see a huge scale deep ditch with a bridge over it. You will need to go to the Taiko-maru Enclosure on the right side of the ditch to the center. However, you will first have to go on the bottom of the ditch, turn left to the other Kanenomaru Enclosure on the left, and go across the bridge to reach the enclosure. If you were an enemy, you would be counterattacked from both sides of the ditch, and the bridge would be fallen. The remaining Tenbin-Yagura or the Balance Turret also stands behind the bridge to protect the enclosure. It is said that this turret was built by moving the Main Gate of Nagahama Castle.

The stone steps to the center of the castle

The Large Ditch in front of the Balance Turret

The area around the Large Ditch drawn in the signboard at the site, with the additional red arrow which indicates the route

Turning left to the Kanenomaru Enclosure

Crossing the bridge to the Balance Turret

Looking down the bottom of the ditch from the bridge

Looking down the bridge from *the Balance Turret*

Contrasting Exterior and Interior of Main Tower

After passing the Taiko-maru Enclosure, you will reach the remaining Taiko-mon Yagura or the Drum Gate Turret, as the entrance of the Main Enclosure. There is only the Main Tower in the enclosure, but it looks very elegant.

The remaining Main Tower in the Main Enclosure

This is because this three-level tower has a lot of decorations such as Chinese styled gables with gold work, hip-and-gables, gable ends, bell-shaped windows and the decorated veranda.

Bell-shaped windows and the decorated veranda

You can enter the tower to look around from the first to the top which is the third floor. The interior of the tower is practical in contrast with its exterior. You can find many hidden loopholes for guns which would be used by breaking the outside walls. The holes have been left hidden because no battles occurred. It was also found that the tower was built by moving the four-level Main Tower of Otsu Castle and reducing to three levels.