Why the ruins are so great even though they only existed for a short time?
Later History
After Takaoka Castle was officially abandoned, Takaoka City prospered with trading. The Kaga Domain banned people entering the ruins of Takaoka Castle to preserve it. However, after the Meiji Restoration, the ruins were sold to private section. They were turned into residential or office area. . On the other hand, many people were worried about it and started to make the ruins a park at the same time. They established Takaoka Castle Ruins Park in 1875, developed it and completely removed the residences and offices in 1909. Since then, many public facilities were built on the park. There was even a baseball ground in the Main Enclosure once after World War II. Finally, the ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 2015.
The old photo of the park in the late Meiji Ara, exhibited by the Takaoka City Museum“The current map of Takaoka Map” between 1948 and 1950, exhibited by the Takaoka City MuseumThe monument of the ruins of Takaoka Castle as a National Historic Site
My Impression
When I visited the ruins of Takaoka Castle, I was wondering why the ruins still have so large enclosures and water moats even though the castle only existed for a short time. In the cases of other castles being abandoned at the same time as Takaoka Castle, they were often destroyed or left alone. After visiting, I learned that the foundation and the water moats of the castle may have been built for a long time. I also learned that the Kaga Domain and local people made great efforts to maintain the ruins as well. That’s why the ruins remain very well and a very popular attraction in this area.
The remaining enclosure and water moat in the castle ruinsThere is even a waterfall in the castle ruinsA view of Takaoka City from the castle ruins
How to get There
If you want to visit there by car: It is about 15 minutes away from Takaoka IC on the Noetsu Expressway. There are some parking lots in the park. if you go there by train, it’s about 15 minutes walk from Takaoka Station. To get to Takaoka Station from Tokyo: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen super express and transfer at Toyama Station to the Ainokaze Toyama Railway.
Today, the ruins of Takaoka Castle has become the Takaoka Old Castle Park which is open to the public. The park looks like part of the water moats rather than being surrounded of them. This is because almost all of the foundation and the water moats for the castle remained until now. In fact, the water moats occupy about one thirds of the park. It is really a natural park now as you can try going on a boat tour on the moat.
The remaining water moat at the castle ruinsA banner for the boat tour
There are five enclosures such as the Main Enclosure among the moats. Each enclosure is independent and they are connected each other by only earthen walls or bridges. In particular, the Main Enclosure was accessible only through other enclosures, can not be accessible directly from the outside in the past.
The miniature model of the five enclosures, exhibited by the Takaoka City Museum
The aerial photo around the castle
Main Enclosure like Hill
The Main Enclosure is the largest one and like a hill, so you have to climb up to the center of it. The enclosure has the Imizu Shrine and a square with the statue of Toshinaga Maeda standing beside it.
The slope to the Main EnclosureThe Imizu ShrineThe square of the Main EnclosureThe statue of Toshinaga Maeda
It was found through the excavation that the Main Hall for Toshinaga was built in the enclosure. It is uncertain about other buildings in the castle because the castle was abandoned before their completion. Only the stone walls remained at the one side of the enclosure, which may be the only castle-looking item.
The ruins of the Main Hall of the Main Enclosure by the excavation, exhibited by the Takaoka City MuseumThe remaining stone walls at the Main Enclosure
Other Enclosures for Modern facilities
Other enclosures are also used for modern facilities, the Second Enclosure for the Civic Hall, the Kaji-maru Enclosure for the City Museum, the Aki-maru Enclosure for a zoo, and the Minbu-maru Enclosure for a zym.
The Civic Hall at the Second EnclosureThe City Museum at the Kaji-maru Enclosure
The whole park is also very known for cherry blossoms that surrounds it, they bloom around spring. The citizens in Takaoka City are very familiar with this park and recognize Toshinaga as the founder of the city.
The cherry blossoms in the Takaoka Old Castle Park
Is it just a retirement place for Toshinaga Maeda?
Location and History
Takaoka Castle was located in what is now Takaoka City, in the western part of Toyama Prefecture. This castle’s life is generally said as following fasts. Toshinaga Maeda, the founder of the Kaga Domain built the castle for his retirement in 1609. However, the castle was abandoned in 1615 due to the Law of One Castle per Province by the Tokugawa Shogunate, soon after Toshinaga’s death in 1614. The castle was officially 6 years old. Is it really correct?
The location of the castle
The portrait of Toshinaga Maeda, owned by Uozu Museum of History and Folklore (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Toshinaga was a son of Toshiie Maeda, a great warlord in the late 16th Century. While Toshiie lived in Kanazawa Castle in Kaga Province (now part of Ishikawa Pref.), Toshinaga was given his own territory in the western part of Ecchu Province (now Toyama Pref.) by the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1585. Toshinaga stayed in this territory for 12 years. He first lived in a mountain castle called Moriyama Castle, but soon started to develop farming, transportation and residential area on the plain land called Sekino at that time, Takaoka later. It is thought that he also had a site like a castle on the plain area although no records remain. In 1597, he got another territory in the middle part of Ecchu Provence, then he moved to Toyama Castle to develop the new territory.
The portrait of Toshiie Maeda, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)Toyama Castle
After his father, Toshiie died in 1599, Toshinaga lived in Kanazawa Castle and became the founder of the Kaga Domain by supporting the Tokugawa Shogunate. The domain had the largest territory including almost of all the three provinces (Kaga, Ecchu and Noto) in the nation except for the shogunate. He needed many castles and sites to govern the large territory, and the site, which would be Takaoka Castle later, was probably also included to them. In 1605, he handed over the head of the domain to his younger brother, Toshitsune, and moved to Toyama Castle again for retirement. However, he actually had the power to govern the domain because his successor was still young.
Kanazawa Castle
The range of the three provinces – Kaga, Ecchu and Noto[
The portrait of Toshitsune Maeda, owned by Nata-dera Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
When Toyama Castle was unfortunately burned down in 1609, Toshinaga had to find his new castle to stay, which would be called Takaoka Castle. Takaoka Castle and its castle town were rapidly constructed in just half a year, while Toshinaga renamed the land from Sekino to Takaoka. However, a local historian says the foundation and the water moats for the caste must have been there before the construction. The water moats were so well designed that they have never been dried by the supply of groundwater for more than 400 years. It would be impossible to build such an advanced system in a short time at that time. The historian speculates that Toshinaga had prepared the foundation and the water moats for Takaoka Castle for possible events like battles.
The imaginary drawing of Takaoka Castle (from the signboard at the site)The remaining water moat of Takaoka Castle
Even after Takaoka Castle was officially abandoned in 1615, Toshinaga’s followers kept the foundation and the water moats, and they built warehouses on it. They probably felt the same way as Toshinaga. That’s why we can now see almost the same foundation and the water moats as Toshinaga’s period. Takaoka Castle has much longer history than what is officially said.
