タグ: southern second enclosure

56.Takeda Castle Part3

I can’t believe the stone walls of Takeda Castle have been left intact for over 400 years since the it was abandoned. Although they have been often repaired and maintained. I still can’t understand why they have been intact for so long.

Features

From Center of Castle to Southern Ridge

The western ridge from the center, called Hanayashiki or the Flower Residence Enclosure, does not usually not allow visitors to enter because of its preservation and the safety of visitors. The enclosure is built on the steeper ridge than the others, which is said to be built to protect the back route of the castle.

The map around the castle

The Flower Residence Enclosure
You can not enter the enclosure

Therefore, you will go on the route to the southern ridge which has the narrow Southern Second Enclosure and the large Minami-Senjo or the Southern 1,000 mat Enclosure, similar to the northern ridge. If you look back to the center of the castle, you can see many great stone walls covering the top of the mountain. The view of the area around the mountain is magnificent.

Going to the southern ridge
The Southern Second Enclosure
A view of the center from the Southern Second Enclosure
Going out to the Minami-senjo Enclosure
The Minami-senjo Enclosure
A view from the Minami-senjo Enclosure

The return path goes from the edge of the ridge, which might have been the other entrance of the castle. You will finally return to the paved path which you have passed.

The exit from the Minami-senjo Enclosure
A view of the same place above from the outside
The return path
You have returned to the paved path which you had passed.

Later History

Takeda Castle was abandoned and all the castle buildings were demolished in the early Edo Period. However, the stone walls of the castle were left as there were, for some reasons. In other cases of abolished castles, their stone walls were also destroyed. The remaining stone walls of Takeda Castle may have been a miracle. The castle ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1943. Since then the ruins were sometimes used as the locations of historical movies that feature the intact stone walls of the castle. In 2007, a photographer, posted his photo of the Takeda Castle in the Sky, which won an award. This made the castle famous and the number of the visitors skyrocketed.

Intentionally broken stone walls of Iwakuni Castle on the mountain
The stone walls of Hizen-Nagoya Castle being destroyed like a V letter
The ruins of Suzume-mon Gate of Uda-Matsuyama Castle, after its stone walls were completely destroyed

My Impression

Three things surprised me about the great stone walls of Takeda Castle three times. First, I was simply impressed to see the stone walls on the high mountain. I was wondering how and why the builders built them on such a steep place. I learned that the value of Takeda Castle for the rulers and what the builder, Masahiro Saimura did in the castle are parts of the answer. Secondly, I heard that local people make great efforts on maintaining the stone walls to preserve them and make sure visitors visit them safely. I also think the original layout of the castle even now helps visitors walk smoothly in the castle ruins. Finally, I can’t believe the stone walls have been left intact for over 400 years since the castle was abandoned. As far as I know, there is no other example of stone walls which are the same or similar to Takeda Castle. Although the stone walls have been often repaired and maintained. I still can’t understand why they have been intact for so long.

Unlike the Three castles which were abandoned in the seme period, the stone walls of Takeda Castle remain intact

How to get There

If you want to get there by car, it is about 10 minutes from Wadayama IC on the Kitakinki-Toyooka Expressway. There is a parking lot at the tourist facility halfway up the mountain.
By public transportation, you can take the Tenku-bus from JR Takeda Station and get off at the final bus stop, Takeda-jo. The stop is over 1km away from the entrance of the castle ruins. Or it takes about 40 minutes on foot from the station to the entrance.
From Tokyo or Osaka to Takeda Station: take the Sanyo Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Bantan Line at Himeji Station.

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

119.Sugiyama Castle Part2

Let us simulate attacking the castle.

Features

Simulation of Attack from Main Entrance to Main Enclosure

Today, the ruins of Sugiyama Castle are well-developed and maintained for visitors as a historic site. The ruins were once covered with a lot of trees and bushes, but most of them were removed. That means you can see the soil-made layout of the castle clearly. Let us simulate attacking the castle as an enemy.

The entrance of the castle ruins
The location map at the site

For example, if you approach the castle ruins from the south, you will first stand at the Main Entrance or Oteguchi as the starting point. In fact, you will need to pass through five enclosures to reach the Main Enclosure.

The Main Entrance
The enclosures between the Main Entrance and the Main Enclosure with numbering, from the location map adding the red colored letters

From Outer Entrance to Umadashi and Southern Third Enclosures

To enter the first enclosure called the Outer Enclosure, you will have to turn left in front of its entrance. Defenders could make a flanking attack on your left side before you turn.

Turn left to enter the Outer Enclosure
The route to entrance seen from the Outer Enclosure
The route to the Outer Enclosure (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the enclosure (the blue arrow)

After entering the Outer Enclosure, the second one is the Umadashi Enclosure. You will need to go over the dry moat to get to the Umadashi Enclosure. A wooden bridge might have been built on it, but it would have been fallen if a battle occurred. When you cross the dry moat, you would be attacked on your right side from the L-shaped earthen walls of the Southern Third Enclosure.

The dry moat in front of the Umadashi Enclosure
The L-shaped earthen walls of the Southern Third Enclosure
The Southern Third Enclosure seen from the dry moat
The dry moat seen from the Southern Third Enclosure
The route to the Umadashi Enclosure (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the Southern Third Enclosure (the blue arrow)

The Umadashi Enclosure is a small sticking out space from the entrance of the Southern Third Enclosure. The other L-shaped earthen walls of the Southern Third Enclosure also make it possible to defeat the enemy in this area of the castle.

The Umadashi Enclosure
The Umadashi Enclosure and the L-shaped earthen walls seen from the Southern Third Enclosure
The L-shaped earthen walls are nearby on the left if you stand at the entrance of the Southern Third Enclosure
The route to the Southern Third Enclosure (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the Enclosure (the blue arrow)

Strong Defense of Main Enclosure

After that, if you somehow reach the Southern Second Enclosure after the Southern Third Enclosure, you will see the high earthen walls of the Main Enclosure. However, there is no direct route to the Main Enclosure, so you will have to move to the Well Enclosure on the left. (Its enclosure is guarded in a similar way to other enclosures.)

The Southern Third Enclosure
The high earthen walls of the Mani Enclosure seen from the Southern Second Enclosure
The dry moat between the Main Enclosure and the Southern Second Enclosure seen from the Well Enclosure
The Well Enclosure
The routes to the Southern Second and Well Enclosures (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the Enclosures (the blue arrow)

The Well Enclosure leads to the Main Enclosure, which was connected by the wooden bridge over the dry moat. However, you could be counterattacked from the front and from your left side from the Main Enclosure above. The earthen walls of the Main Enclosure are shaped to surround the attacker. Overall, you could suffer damages from the frank attacks as many as the number of the enclosures.

The wooden bridge was built over the dry moat
he L-shaped earthen walls of the Main Enclosure to make a flanking attack enemies in the Well Enclosure
The Well Enclosure seen from the Main Enclosure
The route to the Main Enclosure (the red arrow) and the counterattack from the Enclosure (the blue arrow)

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