タグ: outer moat

57.Sasayama Castle Part3

This castle was built practically.

Features

Looking up to Stone Walls from Third Enclosure

The flat square Third Enclosure is outside of the Inner Moat and inside of the Outer Moat. If you walk around it, you will see the great stone walls of the main portion. In particular, the stone wall base for the Main Tower looks so nice, which is about 18m high, built using natural and rough processed stones, instructed by Ano-shu Group, a special stone guild at that time.

The map around the castle

The Third Enclosure
The high stone walls of the main portion seen from the Third Enclosure
The outside view of the stone wall base for the Main Tower

Two individual Umadashi systems

You can also visit the two other entrance ruins of the Eastern and Southern Gates through the enclosure. It is unfortunate that both ruins have lost their Masugata systems, however, their Umadashi systems are still intact. The system for the Eastern Gate remains as a square park, over the narrow straight path among the Inner Moat. It is surrounded by stone walls and another moat in the front and the sides, so you can easily imagine how the system worked in the past.

Going the eastern Umadashi system
The system became the Eastern Umadashi Park
The outside view of the Umadashi system

The other one for the Southern Gate also has a square space and is surrounded by earthen walls, not by stone walls. This is actually the only remaining example of the Umadashi system build only using earthen walls.

The ruins of the Southern Gate
Going to the southern Umadashi system through a narrow path
The inside of the Umadashi system
The earthen walls of the Umadashi system form the square space

If you have time, I recommend walking along the street of Okachimachi warriors’ residences with several remaining their houses which are open to the public, in the west of the castle ruins.

“The Anma Clan’s samurai residence historical museum” is one of the open warriors’ houses

My Impression

I think Sasayama Castle was quite practical for its purpose of construction. That’s why its Main Tower was actually not built. This castle was not so large as other major castles like Osaka, Nagoya and Himeji Castles, but was designed to be able to protect itself by few defenders. My first impression for the castle was that it could be a supply base. I imagine Sasayama Castle could have worked flexibly either when the Tokugawa Shogunate side would be offense or defense.

I think this Third Enclosure was able to accommodate some amount of soldiers and supplies

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about 10 minutes from Tannan-Sasayamaguchi IC on the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. There are several parking lots in and around the castle ruins.
By public transportation, you can take the Sinki Green bus bound for Sasayama-eigyosho from JR Sasayamaguchi Station and get off at the Nikaimachi bus stop. It takes about 5 minutes on foot to get there.
From Tokyo to Sasayamaguchi Station: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the Kyoto Line at Shin-Osaka Station and transfer to the Takarazuka Line at Osaka Station.

The parking lot in the Third Enclosure
The parking lot in front of the Main Gate Ruins

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Sasayama Castle Part1”
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57.Sasayama Castle Part2

Visiting the main portion of the castle

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Sasayama Castle was abandoned and all the castle buildings, except for O-shoin or the Large Study Hall out of the Main Hall, were demolished. The hall was used as a school and a community center for a while, however, it was unfortunately burned down by an accidental fire in 1944. After World War II, the Inner Moat out of the double water moats was filled to became a normal park. However, since the castle ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1956, the trend changed. Tanba-Sasayama City has been developing the ruins as a historical site such as the hall being restored in 2000 and the moat being dug up again.

The photo of the Large Study Hall, in 1943, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The Large Study Hall which was restored in 2000
The Inner Moat which was dug up again

Features

From Main Gate Ruins to Main Portion

Today, the ruins of Sasayama Castle have been developed by Tanba-Sasayama City with the remaining warriors’ houses and the castle town atmosphere. Visitors usually first visit the Main Gate Ruins in the north in front of the Outer Moat. Unfortunately, the gate and its Umadashi system were destroyed, so only their traces remain now.

The ruins of Umadashi system on the Main Route

The aerial photo around the castle

If you walk the path to the center of the ruins passing the Outer and Inner Moats, you will reach the ruins of the Front Gate and Kurogane-mon or the Iron Gate, the entrance of the main portion. These ruins are still surrounded by stone walls of double Masugata system, which you can imagine the main gate had a similar system to it.

The Onter Moat at the northern side
The path over the Outer Moat
The area around the former Main Gate
The earthen bridge over the inner Moat
The ruins of the Front Gate, which has the first Masugata system behind
Going to the second Masugata system
The ruins of the Iron Gate

Restored Large Study Hall in Second Enclosure

The main portion has the Second Enclosure in the front and the Main Enclosure in the back. You can enter the restored Large Study Hall with the historical museum. You will first get in the museum where you can learn the history of the castle

The entrance of the historical museum
One of the exhibitions in the museum

Then, go in the hall where you can experience what it looked like in the past. The Large Study Hall was used for public ceremonies which has an impressive large hip-and-gable roof above the front entrance. Visitors enter it not from the front but from the side and walk around the corridors surrounding the rooms. There are eight rooms inside such as Honored Guest Room, Dark Room for storing, and Tiger Room for waiting.

The front side of the Large Study Hall
Visitors enter the hall form the right side
The Tiger Room
Here is the inside of the front entrance
The Honored Guest Room

There are also the flat exhibitions of the residential area for the lord and the ruins of Uzume-mon or the Small Back Gate behind the hall.

The flat exhibitions of the residential area in the Second Enclosure
The ruins of the Small Back Gate

Stone Wall Base for Main Tower with Viewing Spot

The Main Enclosure is the highest point of the castle. The inside of it looked to be a square during the Edo Period, but the Aoyama Shrine, which worships the Aoyama Clan, the last lord family of the castle, has been there since its launch in 1882.

The Second Enclosure in the front, the Main Enclosure in the back
The Aoyama Shrine in the Main Enclosure

The large stone wall base for the Main Tower is at a corner of the enclosure, which is a good viewing spot of the city area. You can also see a triangle-shaped Takashiroyama-Mountain in the distance, where the ruins of Yagami Castle, which was active in the Sengoku Period, is. The stone wall base had a very small single turret for its scale at the edge during the Edo Period.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower
The top of the base
The ruins of Ygami Castle
The appearance of the Main Enclosure during the Edo Period, exhibited by the historical museum in the Large Study Hall of Sasayama Castle

To be continued in “Sasayama Castle Part3”
Back to “Sasayama Castle Part1”

3.Matsumae Castle Part3

Will the Main Tower be rebuilt or repaired?

Features

Northern and Western parts of Castle

If you have time, you should consider walking around the other sides of the castle ruins. The temple district is beside the Outer Moat Ruins at the northern side of the castle. It had originally been built for the defense of this side when the site had only the hall. However, this side eventually became the weakest point compared with the other sides of the castle. That’s why the former Shogunate Army was able to attack it. You can now enjoy a relaxing walk there seeing some of the temple buildings which were designated as Important Cultural Properties.

The map around the castle

The Outer Moat Ruins at the northern side of the castle
The main gate of Hogenji Temple as an Important Cultural Property
Ryuunin Temple as an Important Cultural Property

The western side is a promenade on the bottom of the former Outer Moat. You can walk on it by looking up at the Main Enclosure. This side is supposed to be more defensive than the northern side.

The promenade on the bottom of the former Outer Moat
You can see how tall the Main Enclosure is
Looking up at the Main Enclosure

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Matsumae Castle was abandoned and only the Main Tower and the gate in the Main Enclosure remained as the ruins. However, the tower was unfortunately burned down by an accidental fire in 1949. It was externally restored in 1961, but since it’s been 60 years, its concrete building looks old. So, Matsumae Town is considering whether the tower should be rebuilt in the original way or repaired including safety measures such anti-earthquake systems. In addition, the castle ruins have been designated as a National Historic Site since 1935.

The Main Tower of Matsumae Castle before being burned down, taken in 1935  (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The restored Main Tower
The Main Tower building looks aging when you see its interior

My Impression

I think Matsumae Castle is a very unique one which has a mix of the traditional Japanese style and a newer advanced style which matches the current situation. As a result, it may have been not enough as the castle was defeated twice. However, it must also be preserved as a record of history. In my opinion, the best season for visiting it should be spring with cherry blossoms, but be aware that there will be a huge crowd as well. Cherry Blossom season is a popular time for locals as well as tourists, so expect more people than usual.

The Man Enclosure Gate in the front and the Main Tower in the back
The Man Enclosure Gate on the left and the Main Tower on the right
hydrangea blooming is also good

How to get There

I recommend using a car when you visit the castle ruins because there are only a few buses available.
It is about a 2-hour drive away from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station or the center of Hakodate City. From Hakodate Airport, it takes about 2.5 hours to get there. There is a parking lot in the castle ruins. It may be a good idea to rent a car at the station or the airport.
To get to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokkaido Shinkansen super express at Tokyo Station.

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