rebuilt main tower – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

74.Iwakuni Castle Part2

Let us try to look into more of the castle.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, the residence at the foot of the mountain was turned into the Kikko Park in 1885. Kintaikyo Bridge survived for 277 years, however it was flown out because of the flood caused by Kezia Typhoon in 1950. People in Iwakuni City restored the bridge in the original method in 1953. It was rebuilt again in 2004 due to deterioration. That’s why it still looks new. It has been designated as a National Scenic Spot since 1922.

As for Iwakuni Castle, the Main Tower on the mountain was rebuilt in 1963, but its position was moved by about 50m from the original in ordered to be more well seen from the foot with the bridge. The cable car between the foot and the top also opened in 1964 which has been boosting tourism.

The present Main Tower of Iwakuni Castle which can be seen from the foot

Features

From Kintaikyo Bridge to Rebuilt Main Tower

For visitors who visit the area around Iwakuni Castle site today, the castle itself might not be popular for them. They probably want to see and walk across Kintaikyo Bridge first. They can also ride a cable car to the top of the mountain to enjoy the great view of the area including the bridge. Visiting the rebuilt Main Tower may be their third option because they can get a better view of the bridge from the foot. However, if you try to look into more of the castle, you can find new perspectives of it.

A view of Kintaikyo bridge from the top of the mountain

After arriving at the platform of the cable car, you will find the guide plate of the two routes to the castle. The guide plate recommends taking the left road, but I suggest taking the right road. This is because the path on the right leads you the front side of the castle. You will see the edge of the remaining stone walls with triangular stones on the right side of the trail. You can also see the great stone walls of the Second Enclosure on the left. As you go further, the Barbican Enclosure overhangs in front of you. It has a defensive square space called Masugata inside which was the Main Gate of the castle. The inside of the Gate Ruins is the Second Enclosure which is used as a modern rock garden, modified in the present time.

The map around the castle

The guide plate recommends the left wide road

The stone walls below the Second Enclosure

The stone walls of the Barbican Enclosure overhangs

Rebuilt Main Tower and Original Main Tower Base

The Main Enclosure is next to the Second Enclosure in the north. The restored Main Tower stands out in front of you. The tower probably has a similar appearance to the original one because its designer used the cross section drawing which was said to come from the original. It has four levels with the third one of which hanging out. This type of Main Towers was rare, called Nanban-zukuri or the Western Style. The tower is actually a modern building which is used as a historical museum and an observation platform. The original stone wall base for the Main Tower was also restored in the original position according to the excavation.

The Main Enclosure including the rebuilt Main Tower seen from the Second Enclosure

The explanation about the cross section drawing of the Main Tower, exhibited by Iwakuni Castle

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

47.Iga-Ueno Castle Part3

The castle came back in the Showa Era.

Features

Looking up High Stone Walls

You can also look up these great stone walls by walking the street along the Western Inner Moat, outside the park. The length of the stone walls is nearly 250m.

The map around the castle

The high stone walls are coming into view.

The line of them is bent elaborately in several points so that defenders could make a side counterattack against enemies if they attack the castle.

The line of the stone walls is bent elaborately.

The corners of the walls are piled using processed rectangular stones alternated in a method called Sangi-zumi. Overall, these stone walls look durable and beautiful.

The corner piled in the Sangi-zumi method looks great.

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Iga-Ueno Castle was abandoned and the castle buildings were demolished. The center of the castle was turned into a park. In 1935, a native politician, Katsu Kawasaki donated the third wooden Main Tower on the stone wall base for the second Main Tower which Takatora Todo tried to build. Since then, people still call this site Iga-Ueno Castle probably because the Main Tower is intact. As for the original castle ruins, they were designated as a National Historic Site in 1967.

A picture of Katsu Kawasaki (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

My Impression

I was surprised to see many castles Takatora built or gave design advice on in western Japan, including the rebuilt Osaka Castle. He was involved in the creation of the No.1 and No.2 highest. The stone walls of Iga-Ueno Castle are still some of the highest ones in Japan and a great place to see. However, let me say again that you must be careful not to step off of the top of the high stone walls.

How to get There

If you want to visit the castle by car, it is about a 10-minute drive away from Nakase IC or Ueno IC on the Meihan Expressway. There is a parking lot for visitors in the park.
If you want to use public transportation, It takes about 10 minutes on foot from Ueno-shi Station on Iga Railway to get there. The station nicknames itself Ninja City Station and you can get the unique painted train called the Ninja Train.
To get to Ueno-shi Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen super express, transfer to the Kintetsu-Nagoya Line on Kintetsu Railway at Nagoya Station, transfer to the Kintetsu-Osaka Line at Ise-Nakagawa Station, and transfer to the Iga Line on Iga Railway at Iga-Kanbe Station.

Links and References

・Iga Ueno Castle, Iga Cultural Industry Association

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Iga-Ueno Castle Part1”
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47.Iga-Ueno Castle Part2

You may tremble when you stand by the top of the high stone walls.

Features

Fron City Area to Official Residence Ruins

Today, Iga-Ueno Castle is part of Ueno Park, which is located in roughly the Main Enclosure. Other enclosures including the Second Enclosure were turned into a suburban area. If you visit the castle from Ueno-shi Station nearby, the area around the station is the former Second Enclosure. For example, you can only see the signpost of the Eastern Main Gate near the station.

The map around the castle

The route straight from the station to the park was the former Eastern Inner Moat of the castle. Then, you can enter the eastern part of the park where Sadatsugu Tsutsui originally built the castle. However, only the signpost for the first Main Tower remains from Tsutsui’s rule. There are mainly the ruins of the official residence surrounded by stone walls from the Edo Period.

The road which was the Eastern Inner Moat

The eastern part of the park or the Main Enclosure

The Main Tower Ruins from Tsutsui’s rule (licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)

The stone walls surrounding the residence

Rebuilt Main Tower with lots of Exhibitions

You can see the Rebult Main Tower on the remaining stone wall base for the second Main Tower in the western part of the park. The Rebuilt Tower is not original to the castle, and much smaller for the base probably because of budget limitations. However, it was made of wood in 1935 of the Showa Era, and has a traditional Japanese style. It exhibits lots of items about the castle and Takatora Todo, who improved it. You will even see a figure of a Ninja sticking to beams under the ceiling of the building.

The figure of a Ninja sticking to the beams

One of Greatest High Stone Walls in Japan

The highlight of this castle is definitely the remaining high stone walls with the Western Inner Moat at the western side of the park. These stone walls, which are 29.5m high, were said to be the highest single ones in all the castles of Japan. However, when researchers measured them, it was found that the highest stone walls are the ones of the Osaka Castle Main Enclosure’s eastern side, which are 32m high. (The stone walls of Osaka Castle were rebuilt by the Tokugawa Shogunate after those of Iga-Ueno Castle were built and the shogunate beat the Toyotomi Clan). People didn’t know about this because 6m of the lower part is below the surface of the water in the moat. By contrast, the 29.5m of Iga-Ueno Castle’s wall is all above the water’s surface. This may be the reason why people thought it was the highest, but it is still the highest based on appearance.

The high stone walls of the Osaka Castle Main Enclosure’s eastern side (taken by kimtoru from photoAC)

You can get close to the top of the stone walls to look down on them. However, make sure you watch your step very much because there are no guardrails. There are only some signposts that say “Danger” or “Caution” in Japanese, cones, and ropes.

The signpost which says “Danger” in Japanese

*The signpost which says* “Caution” in Japanese

It is dangerous to walk over the corns and ropes

If you stand on the edge of the stone walls carefully and look down, you may tremble, but will see how tall and well-built they are. In fact, the 29.5m is the length from the bottom to the top of the leaning stone walls. Their vertical height is 20.6m, but it’s more than high enough to be impressed by Takatora’s great work.

Getting closer to the edge of the stone walls

Looking down the stone walls from the edge

You may feel weak at the knees looking down the walls

To be continued in “Iga-Ueno Castle Part3”
Back to “Iga-Ueno Castle Part1”