stone wall – ページ 19 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

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”

160.Imori Castle Part2

This castle was covered with stone walls.

Features

Trail from Shijonawate Shrine

Now, the trails at the ruins of Imori Castle have become very popular for hiking. There are several trails to choose from when you visit the ruins. I will describe one of the trails from JR Shijonawate Station via Shijonawate Shrine. The shrine is dedicated to Masatsura Kusunoki, a warrior in the 14th Century during Northern and Southern dynasties. He was the son of Masasige Kusunoki. He supported the Southern dynasty and was beaten in the battle of Shijonawate in 1348 by the troop of the Ashikaga Shogunate. Ashikaga Shogunate supported the Northern dynasty which used their position at Imori-yama Mountain to defeat Masatsura.

The aerial photo around the castle

Northern Enclosures and Great Wide View

The trail behind the shrine is very long and steep. You need to climb nearly 300m up the mountain. All the trails are on the western side of the mountain, so you won’t see any of the stone walls until you get to the top of the mountain. At the top of the slope, you will reach the northern part of the castle. This part is narrow, and there are several small enclosures. You will suddenly see a great city-wide view of Kyoto and Osaka. You can also see some of the remaining stone walls on the eastern side of the mountain. However, you can’t go below the stone walls because the trails on that side are abandoned and dangerous. There is also the burial mound for Nagayoshi Miyoshi called Gotaizuka around there.

The remaining stone walls of the northern enclosures

Southern Enclosures – Main and Senjojiki Enclosures

As you go on the trail to the south, it is divided into two branches at the entrance of the southern part. The one on the right is for the Main Enclosure on the top of the mountain. There are several attractions for hikers on the top such as the observation platform, the statue of Masatsura, the ruins of the stand for hoisting the national flag before World War II, and the signpost of the castle. You can also see a great view again of Osaka Plain on the west. If you go on the other branch on the left, you can see a lot of stone walls on the eastern side of the Main Enclosure. New discoveries about the stone walls were recently found one after another.

The statue of Masatsura Kusunoki *(licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)*

The ruins of the stand for hoisting the national flag

A view of Osaka Plain from the Main Enclosure

The remaining stone walls at the eastern side of the Main Enclosure *(quoted from the Daito City Website)*

On the south of the Main Enclosure, there is the largest enclosure in the castle, called Senjojiki, which means a hall of 1,000 mats. It is thought that it had the Main Hall for Nagayoshi, and now has a transmitting tower. The enclosure was guarded by the narrow earthen bridge on the north and the entrance with stone walls on the south. You can see both of these ruins onsite.

The Senjojiki Enclosure with the transmitting tower

The earthen bridge in the north of the enclosure

The ruins of the entrance in the south of the enclosure

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

160.Imori Castle Part1

The first ruler, Nagayoshi Miyoshi’s castle

Location and History

Nagayoshi Miyoshi’s Home Base

Imori Castle was located on a 314m high mountain called “Imori-yama Mountain” in Kawachi Province (what is now eastern part of Osaka Prefecture). The mountain was also on the northwest branch of Ikoma Mountains which was the border between Kawachi and Yamato Province (now Nara Prefecture). Several routes ran at the foot of the mountain, and the area around the castle was accessible from Osaka Bay by ships through Fukonoike Pond near the castle in the past. It is uncertain when the castle was first built, but the Kizawa Clan developed the castle around 1530. The castle became the largest mountain castle in the province. Mountain castles were very popular at that time.

The location of Imori Castle and the range of Kawachi Province

Nagayoshi Miyoshi was a great warlord in the middle 16th Century whose power competed with the Shogun, Yoshiteru Ashikaga. He banished the shogun from Kyoto and started his own governance. That’s why he is currently regarded as the first ruler who governed the center of Japan. He did so without the authority of the shogunate. However, some people consider Nobunaga Oda as the first ruler. Nagayoshi was based at the Akutagagawa-san Castle in Settsu Province (now the northern part of Osaka Prefecture) before he defeated the Hatakeyama Clan who owned Kawachi Province and Imori Castle and moved to the castle in 1560.

*The portrait of Nagayoshi Miyoshi, owned by Juko-in of Daitokuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Stone Walls as Authority

The range of Imori Castle was about 700m from north to south and about 400m from east to west. The castle had a lot of enclosures which were divided into two groups, the northern and southern parts. The northern enclosures were on very narrow ridges and are thought to be used as defensive positions. On the other hand, the southern enclosures were relatively spacious, and it is said that they were used as residences. The slopes on the northern, eastern, and western sides were very steep. The southern slope was gentle, but the route to the castle on this side was very long.

*The miniature model of Imori Castle, owned by Daito City History and Folklore Museum*

Historians think that the Main Route to the castle was on the eastern side, as visitors could visit the castle through rivers and valleys on this side. There is another reason why the front of the castle faced the east. It was recently discovered that the eastern side of most of the enclosures was covered by stone walls. They were not for buildings, just for supporting the enclosures. This meant that the stone walls were probably used to show visitors the castle’s authority facing the front. It is said that Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle was the first case for using stone walls in earnest for a castle. However, the case of Imori Castle was nearly 20 years earlier than Azuchi Castle. This may be one more reason for Nagayoshi being called the first ruler.

The remaining stone walls on the eastern side of the mountain

Nobunaga Oda abolished Castle

Nagayoshi governed the Kinki Region and often battled his enemies. He sometimes held poetry parties and even hosted missionaries while he stayed in the castle for a few years. However, he suddenly died in 1564. The Miyoshi Clan still held the castle but had internal troubles. Nobunaga Oda took advantage of the situation and went to Kyoto in 1568. As Nobunaga proceeded with his unification of Japan, he ordered the destruction of the castle in 1575 before the castle was abandoned.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Imori Castle Part2”