57.Sasayama Castle Part1

One of the castles which were built to surround Osaka Castle

Location and History

Tanba, Important Province for Rulers

Sasayama Castle was located in modern day Tanba-Sasayama City, in Hyogo Prefecture. Hyogo is a large prefecture which covers the western part of the Kansai Region. However, the castle was located at that time in Tanba Province which is much smaller than Hyogo Prefecture but was located in mountain areas just behind the northwest of Kyoto, the previous capital of Japan. That meant governing Tanba Province was very important to protect Kyoto and monitor if the lords in western Japan would do something effective to the central political circles.

The range of Tanba Province and the location of the castle

Castle construction is ordered by Shogunate

Ieyasu Tokugawa defeated Mitsunari Ishida supporting the Toyotomi Clan in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and established the Tokugawa Shogunate by becoming the shogun in 1603. However, the situation was still unstable because the Toyotomi Clan was still living in Osaka Castle, which was uncontrollable by the shogunate. In addition, there were many lords in western Japan, who were in favor of the Toyotomi Clan and might have been against the shogunate in the future. The response of Ieyasu to the situation was to build several strong castles around Osaka Castle to contain the Toyotomi Clan and divide the Toyotomi Clan and its favors. They are known as Nagoya, Iga-Ueno, Hikone, Zeze, Nijo in Kyoto, Kameyama and Sasayama Castles. These castles were built as the construction orders by the shogunate, which made lords including the Toyotomi Clan favors join at their own expenses. The side effects of the constructions were to reduce the lords’ money and force them to give up their rebellious split to be against the shogunate by showing the strong network of the castles.

The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The network of the castles around Osaka Castle, which Ieyasu built

The construction of Sasayama Castle launched in 1603, which was instructed by Terumasa Ikeda who was the lord of Himeji Castle, with the help of 20 lords from 15 provinces and was designed by Takatora Todo who was considered as a master of castle constructions. The castle was built on a hill called Sasayama, in the Sasayama Basin. The main portion of the castle was on the hill, using the natural terrain and building high stone walls over the hill. Other than that, the castle had simple flat square enclosures and double water moats surrounding it. That designs made it easier to build the castle, but it would made it weaker to protect the castle instead.

The Portrait of Terumasa Ikeda, owned by Tottori prefectural art museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The main portion of Sasayama Castle, from the miniature model of the castle, exhibited by the historical museum in the Large Study Hall of Sasayama Castle
The castle was surrounded by the double water moats, from the miniature model of the castle, same as above

Castle is designed by Takatora Todo

To prevent enemies from attacking it easily, Takatora designed the castle’s entrances to be strictly protected using the Masugata system. The Masugata refers to a defensive square space which was surrounded by gates and stone walls where enemies would be locked out. Another defensive system that Takatora designed was the Umadashi. It refers to a square enclosure sticking out from the entrance connected by a narrow path among the moat. The enclosure had another moat in front of it, so its entrances were at both sides where the defenders could counterattack from them. Takatora established these structures in his own Imabari Castle which was completed in 1604.

The Umadashi and Masugata systems at the Main Gate of Sasayama Castle, from the miniature model of the castle, same as above
Imabari Castle
The Masugata system of Imabari Castle, from the signboard at the site

Main Tower is not built

On the other hand, Sasayama Castle didn’t have its Main Tower in the Main Enclosure on the top. In fact, the stone wall base for the tower was built, however, the tower was not built. This was because the shogunate determined the castle would not need it as it would be enough to protect the castle without it. Another reason was that the lords working for the construction also needed to move to the another site for Nagoya Castle. That’s why Sasayama Castle was completed after only a half year of construction. Instead, several turrets were built in the Main Enclosure and the Main Hall for the lord was built in the Second Enclosure, which constituted the main portion of the castle.

The stone wall base for the Main Tower of Sasayama Castle
The Main Enclosure of Sasayama Castle, where its Main Tower was not built, from the miniature model of the castle, same as above
The Large Study Hall, the restored building of the Main Hall in the Second Enclosure of Sasayama Castle

The castle was first owned by Yasushige Matsudaira, a relative of Ieyasu Tokugawa. After the shogunate defeated the Toyotomi Clan in 1615, several hereditary feudal lords followed the castle to monitor non-hereditary feudal lords in western Japan as the Sasayama Domain, such as the Aoyama Clan which governed the area until the end of the Edo Period.

The portrait of Yasushige Matsudaira (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
A general view of Sasayama Castle, from the signboard at the site

To be continued in “Sasayama Castle Part2”

59.姫路城その1~Himeji Castle Part1

困難を乗り越え奇跡的に生き残った最高の城
The best castle that miraculously survived difficulties

概要~Overviews

姫路城は、その白亜の天守群を世界中に知られており、よく「白鷺城」という別名で呼ばれたりしています。大天守は、日本の城で現存している12天守の中では最大のものであり、31.5mの高さ(天守台石垣を含めると45.35m)があります。大天守、3基の小天守、その他の構造物と合わせた一体が国宝に指定されています。
Himeji Castle is known around the world for its beautiful group of white Main Towers and is often nicknamed White Heron Castle or “Shirasagi-jo”. The Large Main Tower is the largest one out of the 12 remaining main towers in Japanese castles, which is 31.5m high (45.35m including the stone wall base). The Large Main Tower, the three Small Main Towers, and the other structures on the property have been designated as National Treasures of Japan.

姫路城の天守群~The group of the Main Towers of Himeji Castle

更には、多くの曲輪、石垣、水堀など、城の基礎部分が、ほとんどそのまま残っていて、天守を取り囲んでいます。これら城の主要部分はまた、国の特別史跡に指定されています。27基の櫓、15基の門、32枚の塀という、数多くの建物がその基礎の上に現存しています。これらは全て国の重要文化財に指定されています。
In addition, the current structure of the castle mostly consists of a lot of enclosures, stone walls, and water moats surrounding the Main Tower. The main portion of the castle is designated as a National Special Historic Site. The remaining buildings on the structure include as many as 27 turrets, 15 gates and 32 walls. They have all become Important Cultural Properties.

天守を囲む櫓と石垣~One of the turrets and stone walls surrounding the Main Tower

その上に、この城は日本の歴史の中で重要な役割を担いましたが、それは後述します。その役割を終えた後でも、幸運もあったかもしれませんが、日本の人々はこの城を守り続けました。現在この城は、姫路市の最も有名で且つ大事なシンボルとなっています。1993年からは日本では初となる世界文化遺産にも指定されています。
Moreover, the castle had an important role in Japanese history, which I will describe later.
Even after that role ended, the people of Japan continued to maintain the castle, although some people might say it survived by good luck. Now, people consider the castle as the greatest, most respected symbol in Himeji City. It has been a cultural site on the World Heritage List since 1993, which was the first case in Japan.

天守(正面)~The Main Tower (the front)

これらのことから私は、一般的に日本のどの城がベストかと聞かれた場合、それぞれの方に好みがあるにしても、それは姫路城ですと明言できます。
For those reasons, if I am asked from someone which castle is the best in Japan generally, I can clearly answer it is Himeji Castle, though each has his/her own preference.

立地と歴史~Location and History

姫路城は、兵庫県西部の播州平野にある標高45.6m姫山の上にあります。この城は、最初は14世紀に赤松氏によって築かれたと言われていますが、詳細は不明です。城周辺の地域は肥沃で交通の要所であり、山陽街道が通っていました。ただしこの城は、周りにある多くの城のうちの一つに過ぎませんでした。この状況は戦国時代の16世紀、黒田官兵衛が城を所有していた時に変わりました。東には織田氏、西には毛利氏が姫路城周辺の地を狙っている中、官兵衛は織田氏に味方することを決意しました。官兵衛は、姫路城を織田の家臣である羽柴秀吉に差し出したのです。秀吉は、後に天下人である豊臣秀吉となります。
Himeji Castle is located on 45.6m high Himeyama mountain in the Banshu Plain, the western part of Hyogo Prefecture. It is said that the castle was first built by Akamatsu Clan in the 14th century, but the details are uncertain. The area around the castle was fertile and important for transportation where the Sanyo Road passed through, but the castle was among the many castles around. The situation changed in the late 16th century during the Sengoku Period when Kanbe Kuroda owned the castle. With the Oda Clan on the east and the Mori Clan on the west, aiming to invade the area around the Himeji castle, Kanbe decided to support the Oda Clan. He offered his Himeji Castle to Oda’s retainer, Hideyoshi Hashiba, who later became the ruler of Japan and subsequently changed his name to Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

城の位置~The location of the castle

黒田官兵衛肖像画、崇福寺蔵~The portrait of Kanbe Kuroda, owned by Sofukuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

秀吉は毛利の領地を侵略するため、この城を根拠地とし、城の拡張を行いました。秀吉時代の城には三層の天守がありましたが、詳細はその遺跡が現在の天守の下にあるため明らかになっていません。城の基本的な構造はこの時代に確立したと言われています。1582年、秀吉と官兵衛は姫路城から100km近く西方にある備中高松城を攻撃していました。そのとき本能寺の変が起こり、秀吉と官兵衛の主君である織田信長が明智光秀により殺されました。秀吉は直ちに西方の毛利氏と講和を結びます。これにより秀吉は、主には徒歩による移動で重い荷物を自ら運ぶしかなかった前近代の軍隊を、わずか3日で姫路城に戻すことができたのです。彼はこの城で準備を整えてから出陣し、光秀を倒した後、天下を掌握することに成功しました。
Hideyoshi was based at the castle to invade Mori’s territory, and developed the castle. The castle of Hideyoshi’s period had a three-layer Main Tower; the details of which are uncertain because its ruins are under the present Main Tower. It is said that the basic structure of the castle was established at that time. In 1582, Hideyoshi with Kanbe attacked Bicchu-Takamatsu Castle, nearly 100km away from Himeji Castle on the west. The Honnoji Incident happened where Hideyoshi’s and Kanbe’s boss, Nobunaga Oda was killed by Mitsuhide Akechi. Hideyoshi quickly made peace with the Mori Clan. This allowed Hideyoshi to quickly return to Himeji Castle within 3 days with pre-modern large troops travelling mainly by foot and transporting heavy items. He prepared and left the castle to beat Mitsuhide and was successful in taking over control of Japan.

豊臣秀吉肖像画、加納光信筆、高台寺蔵~The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, ownd by Kodaiji Temple(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
備中高松城跡~The ruins of Bicchu-Takamatsu Castle

秀吉の死後、豊臣氏に代わって徳川家康が1600年に実権を握りました。家康は、娘婿である池田輝政を吉田城から姫路城に移しました。輝政は後に姫路藩の初代藩主になります。輝政の役目は、大坂城にいた豊臣氏をいまだ支持するかもしれない西国大名を監視することでした。彼は1601年から1609年の間に城の大改修を行います。天守は、5層の大天守と3基の小天守に置き換えられました。これらは、渡櫓によりつながっていて「連立式」天守と呼ばれます。輝政は姫山の上にある秀吉の城の構造を引き継ぎつつも、多くの櫓、門、練塀、石垣を加えたのです。結果的に城は、小さな曲輪を複雑に組み合わせたものとなりました。例えば、今でも観光客は天守にたどり着くまで10以上もの門を通らなければなりません。
After Hideyoshi died, Ieyasu Tokugawa got the power instead of the Toyotomi Clan in 1600. Ieyasu transferred his son-in law, Terumasa Ikeda, from Yoshida Castle to Himeji Castle. Terumasa later became the founder of the Himeji Domain. Terumasa’s role was to monitor the lords in western Japan, who might still support the Toyotomi Clan at Osaka Castle. He did major renovations to the castle between 1601 and 1609. The Main Tower was replaced with the five-layer Large Main Tower and three Small Main Towers. They are connected by the Roofed Passage Turrets, which are called Connected Type or “Renritsu-shiki”. Terumasa followed Hideyoshi’s structure of the castle on Himeyama mountain, but he added lots of turrets, gates, plaster walls, and stone walls. As a result, the center of the castle became very complex with combined small enclosures. For example, visitors must pass through as many as over 10 gates to reach the Main Tower.

池田輝政肖像画、鳥取県立美術館蔵~The Portrait of Terumasa Ikeda, owned by Tottori prefectural art museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
連立式天守:大天守(A)、小天守(B,C,D)、渡櫓(E)、櫓門(F)~Connected Type :Large Main Tower(A), Small Main Tower(B,C,D), Roofed Passage Turrets(E), Turret Gate(F) (licensed by Mukai via Wikimedia Commons)

更には、城は姫山の西にある鷺山を取り込んで拡大しました。鷺山の上には西の丸が築かれました。三の丸が姫山の南の平地に築かれました。城の水堀は、城の裏側から渦巻き状に広がっていました。一周目は、姫山の上にある城の中心部と、二の丸と三の丸を囲んでいて、内堀と呼ばれました。二周目は中堀と呼ばれ、武士の屋敷を含む区域を囲んでいました。外堀は、中堀の途中から分かれ出て、南方と東方にあった城下町までも囲んでいました。輝政は、現在私たちが見ているものと、ほとんど近い所まで城を築き上げました。
In addition, the castle was extended to take in the Sagiyama mountain, the west of Himeyama. The Nishinomaru or the Western Enclosure was built on the Sayima mountain. The Sannomaru or the Third Enclosure was built on the plain area to the south of Himeyama. The water moats of the castle started from the back and spread like swirling. The first turn surrounded the center of the castle on Himeyama, Nishinomaru, and Sannnomaru, which was called the Inner Moat. The second turn called the Middle Moat surrounded the area including warriors’ houses. The Outer Moat separated from the halfway of the Middle Moat and even surrounded the castle town on the south and east directions. Terumasa built the castle nearly like what we see now.

城周辺の起伏地図~The relief map around the castle

赤線:内堀、緑線:中堀、青線:外堀~The red line: the Inner Moat, the green line: the Middle Moat, the blue line: the Outer Moat (Copyright © Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism via Wikimedia Commons)

輝政は残念ながら1613年に亡くなってしまいます。徳川幕府は城主を、幕府の重臣である本多忠政に変えました。忠政は城の造営を続け、西の丸を改築したり、運河を掘ったりしました。西の丸は更に広大となり、多くの兵士を収容できるようになりました。よって、中心部の曲輪とは異なる広々とした外観です。。1615年に豊臣氏は幕府により倒されましたが、幕府は姫路城主に西国大名の監視を担わせ続けました。そのため、有能な人材を宛がうため、何度も城主は交替させられます。18世紀の中頃からは、酒井氏が幕末まで城を統治しました。恐らくは社会が安定したからでしょう。城の創建以来、一度もここで戦が起こらなかったため、度々「不戦の城」とも呼ばれています。
After Terumasa unfortunately died in 1613, the Tokugawa Shogunate changed the lord of the castle to Tadamasa Honda, a senior vassal of the Shogunate. Tadamasa continued work on the castle such as improving the Nishinomaru and developing a canal. Nishinomaru became more spacious which could accommodate large troops, so it looks different from other central enclosures. Though the Toyotomi Clan had been defeated by the Shogunate in 1615, it still made the lord of Himeji Castle stay to monitor the lords in western Japan. For this reason, the lord of the castle was replaced by a capable person several times by the Shogunate. From the middle 18th century, the Sakai Clan continued to govern the castle until the end of the Edo Period. Perhaps it could be because the society became stable. No battles have occurred at the castle since it was built, so it is sometimes called “an anti-war castle”.

本多忠政肖像画~The portrait of Tadamasa Honda (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
明治初期の姫路城の外観~The appearance of Himeji Castle in the first Meiji Era (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

しかしながら、幕末になってこの城は初めての危機を迎えます。1868年に岡山藩などの他藩を含む新政府軍により包囲されたのです。これは酒井氏が幕府の要職についていたためです。城にいた武士たちは降伏を申し出ましたが、攻撃側は受け入れず砲撃を始めました。備前門という門の瓦が幾枚か破損しましたが、それだけでした。単なるパフォーマンスだったのかもしれません。その後城の武士たちは降伏し、城を新政府に引き渡しました。
However, at the end of the Edo Period, the castle faced its first crisis. The New Government Army including other domains, such as Okayama, surrounded the castle in 1868. This is because the Sakai Clan was in charge of an important position for the Shogunate. The warriors in the castle had sworn allegiance, but the attackers didn’t accept it and opened fire. Some tiles of a gate called Bizen-mon were destroyed, but that was all. It may have been like a performance. The warriors in the castle later surrendered and handed over control of the castle to the New Government.

備前門~The Bizen-mon Gate (licensed by Corpse Reviver via Wikimedia Commons)

その後~Later History

明治維新後、姫路城の一部は日本陸軍によって使用されました。三の丸周辺の建物は撤去されました。天守を含む他の建物も売られたが、買主は撤去する費用が高すぎたために権利を放棄したとも言われています。真相は不明です。もし本当なら、城にとって第2の危機でした。
After the Meiji Restoration, part of Himeji Castle was used for the Japanese Army. Some buildings around Sannomaru were demolished. It is said that other buildings including the Main Tower were also sold, but the buyer waived the right, because it was too expensive for him to demolish them. This story is unclear. If true, it was the second crisis of the castle.

1936年時点の姫路城の写真~The photo of Himeji Castle in 1936 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

1878年、中村重遠大佐が姫路城と名古屋城を保存することを陸軍に提案しました。その提案は政府によって認められ、城を維持するための予算が組まれました。これは、城が文化遺産として認められた最初の事例であり、画期的なことでした。1910年に明治の大修理が行われました。実は、天守がその自重により少しずつ傾いてきていたのです。
In 1878, a military officer, Shigeto Nakamura suggested the need to preserve Himeji and Nagoya Castles to the Japanese Army. It was allowed by the government who created a budget to maintain the castles. This is the epoch-making event that castles were considered as cultural properties for the first time. The Meiji Great Repairs was done in 1910. In fact, the Main Tower was leaning little by little due to its own weight, before it was repaired.

城内にある中村重遠の顕彰碑~The monument of Shigeto Nakamura in the castle (licensed by Corpse Reviver via Wikimedia Commons)

第二次世界大戦中の1945年、姫路空襲の時に最後の危機が城に迫りました。姫路市の市街地はほとんど焼き尽くされましたが、城は無事でした。焼夷弾が天守に飛び込んできたのですが、幸い不発だったのです。残念ながら、同じく政府により維持されてきた名古屋城は、爆撃により燃えてしまいました。終戦直後、姫路の人たちは無傷であった姫路城に大変勇気づけられたといいます。現在、2回の大修理(昭和と平成)の後、姫路城は往時のような輝きを取り戻しています。城のために大変な努力をした人々と幸運に感謝しなければならないでしょう。
The last crisis came to the castle when the Himeji Air Raid happened in 1945 during World War II. The town area of Himeji City was mostly burned, but the castle wasn’t affected. A firebomb was dropped into the Main Tower, luckily it didn’t explode. Unfortunately, the Nagoya Castle, which was also being maintained by the government was burned down by bombs. People in Himeji were very encouraged by the fact that Himeji Castle was still intact just after the war. Today, after two more great repairs (Showa and Heisei), Himeji Castle gets the brilliance back like its peak time. I think we have to be thankful for the great effort of the people at the castle and for good fortune.

空襲に備え黒い網をかけられた大天守~The Large Main Tower covered by the black screen to prevent from an air raid (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

「姫路城その2」に続きます。To be continued in “Himeji Castle Part2”

151.吉田城~Yoshida Castle

本当に未完成の城なのでしょうか。
Is it really uncompleted?

立地と歴史~Location and History

戦国大名が城を巡り争う~Warlords battled over the castle

吉田城は、豊川と朝倉川の合流点のすぐ隣に位置しており、現在は愛知県豊橋市に属します。この城はまた、陸上と水上交通の結節点にも当たり、戦略的な位置にありました。そのため、戦国時代には、今川、徳川といった戦国大名がこの城を巡って戦いました。そして、最終的には徳川氏がこの城を制し、所有しました。徳川時代の城の構造は不明ですが、歴史家は、恐らく土造りの城だったであろうと推測しています。
Yoshida Castle is located beside the meeting point of Toyokawa and Asakura-gawa Rivers in what is now Toyohashi City, Aichi Pref. Its location was also strategic for transportation in ground and water, so Warlords such as the Imagawa and Tokugawa clans battled each other over this castle during the Sengoku or Warring States Period. It was finally conquered and owned by Tokugawa for many years. Though the structure of the castle in the Tokugawa’s Era was not clear, historians speculate the foundation of the caste was all made of earth.

城の位置~The location of the castle

城から見た豊川~A view of Toyokawa River from the castle

池田輝政が城を拡張~Terumasa Ikeda improved the castle

1590年、天下人の豊臣秀吉は、徳川に関東地方に移るよう命じ、池田輝政をこの城の主に据えました。輝政は彼の10年間の統治期間に、城を増強し、櫓や石垣を築きます。その後は、徳川幕府の譜代大名が江戸時代の間、この城を統治し、維持していました。最盛期には、川を背にして本丸、二の丸、三の丸といった曲輪が外側に向かって配置され、空堀によって隔てられていました。更には、外郭として土塁が周りを囲んでおり、その外周は約4kmありました。
In 1590, the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi ordered Tokugawa to move to the Kanto Region, and placed Terumasa Ikeda as the lord of the castle. Terumasa improved the castle, building turrets and stone walls over a period of ten years. After that, hereditary feudal lords under the Tokugawa Shogunate governed and maintained the castle in the Edo Period. At its peak, with the back of the rivers, it had the Honmaru, Ninomaru, Sannnomaru enclosures towards the outside, divided by deep moats. It also had earthen walls as the outline whose perimeter was about 4 km.

池田輝政肖像画、鳥取県立美術館蔵~The Portrait of Terumasa Ikeda, owned by Tottori prefectural art museum(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
吉田藩士屋敷図~The map of Yoshida feudal domain houses(現地説明板より)

特徴~Features

未完成の城?~Incomplete castle?

吉田城は時折、未完成の城と言われます。その理由の一つはこの城には天守がないこと、そして部分的にしか石垣に覆われていないこと、これらが東海地方の他の主要な城である名古屋、岡崎、浜松、掛川駿府と比べられているのでしょう。もう一つの理由が池田輝政にあります。彼は、吉田を出てから世界遺産である姫路城を完成させます。彼が吉田にもっと居てくれたなら、吉田城を姫路城のような城にしてくれたのではないかというものです。
Yoshida Castle is sometimes called an incomplete castle, and one reason is because it had no Main Tower or Tenshu, and was just partly covered with stone walls, compared to other major castles in Tokai Region like Nagoya, Okazaki, Hamamatsu, Kakegawa, and Sunpu. Another reason is due to Terumasa. He completed Himeji Castle, a World Heritage Site, after he moved from Yoshida. Some people guess he might have completed Yoshida Castle like Himeji if he had spent more time in Yoshida.

本丸の周辺、部分的に石垣が使われている~The around Honmaru , partly covered by stone walls
世界遺産、姫路城~Himeji Castle, a World Heritage Site

鉄櫓が天守か?~Was Kurogane Turret the Main Tower?

歴史家の内には、記録がないだけで吉田城には天守はあったはずだという人もいます。他には、鉄櫓と呼ばれるこの城の三階櫓が天守だったのだという人もいます。この櫓は、他の城のいくつかの天守より大きいサイズだったこと、(鉄櫓にあった)鉄が使われる門は通常は天守のためのものだったことが根拠です。石垣の件に関しては、郷土史家によれば、もともとこの城は土でできており、そのため、輝政は必要と思う場所にのみ石垣を築いたのだとのことです。石垣を築くには不適当な箇所がたくさんあり、事実輝政の後の大名たちは、洪水や地震の後に、大変な労力でもって石垣を修復していました。
Some historians argue that the castle must have had a Tenshu despite no records remaining. Others say that a three-story turret in the castle, called “Kurogane” Turret, was the Tenshu, as the turret was larger than other Tenshu in some castles and the gate using iron (called Kurogane) was usually used for Tenshu. In the matter of stone walls, local historians explain that the castle had basically been made of earth. Because of it, Terumasa built his stone walls on where he needed them. There were many places which were not suitable for building stone walls. Actually, the lords of the castle following Terumasa all put great efforts to repair the stone walls after floods and earthquakes

吉田城の古写真~An old picture of Yoshida Castle(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
多くの石垣が修復されています~A lot of stone wall were repaired

城跡は豊橋公園に~Ruins become Toyohashi Park

城周辺の航空写真~The aerial photo of around the castle

現在城跡は、大部分が三の丸の内側になりますが、豊橋公園として使われています。史跡として楽しめるのは、主に本丸と川沿いのエリアです。輝政が築いたオリジナルの石垣の上に、1954年に鉄櫓が復興再建されました。もともとの鉄櫓は、現在のものよりも大きかったと言われています。
Now, the ruins of the castle, almost the inside of Sannnomaru, are used as Toyohashi Park. You can mainly enjoy the Honmaru area and the riverside as historical spots. There is the reconstructed Kurogane Turret built in 1954 on the original stone walls base by Terumasa. The original turret was said to be larger than the current one.

本丸の入口~The entrance of Honmaru area
再建された鉄櫓~The reconstructed Kurogane Turret

本丸の内側にある他の石垣は、輝政の後に、将軍を迎えるための御殿を作ったときに築かれました。また、川沿いにもたくさんの石垣を見ることができますが、これらは更に後の時代になって置き換えられたものです。この辺りには水門跡もあります。他の公園の敷地は、文化芸術施設のために使われています。そこでも、土塁、石垣、空堀の類を見ることができるかもしれません。
Other stone walls inside Honmaru were built when the main hall for Shogun was built after Terumasa. You can also see lots of stone walls along the riverside which were replaced much later. There are also the ruins of the water gate there. The rest of the park is used for cultural and athletic facilities. You may even find the ruin such as earthen walls, stone walls, and dry moats there.

本丸の内側~The inside of Honmaru
川沿いの遊歩道~The promenade along the riverside
水門跡~The ruins of the water gate

その後~Later History

明治維新後、吉田城は廃城となり、城の全ての建物は撤去されました。そして、第二次世界大戦まで日本軍によって使われていました。
After the Meiji Restoration, Yoshida Castle was abolished and all of the buildings were demolished. The ruins were used by the Japanese Army until World War II.

歩兵第118連隊の記念碑~The monument of the The 118th infantry regiment

私の感想~My Impression

私は、全ての城は未完成だと思うのです。全ての城はかつては戦い、統治そして権威付けのために使われてきて、芸術のためではありません。そして状況が変われば、それに応じて改造されてきたのです。現在でさえ、城や城跡は常に変わり続けており、それが魅力なのです。ついでながら、もし輝政がもう何年か吉田に留まっていたとしても、吉田城は姫路城とは異なっていたでしょう。立地や状況が違っていたからです。
I think all the castles were never completed. They all had been used for battles, governance and authority, not for art. They had to be modified to deal with a different situations. Even now, castles and ruins are always changing, and that is what is attracting us. In addition, even if Terumasa stayed in Yoshida for more years, Yoshida Castle would have been different from Himeji. It would have depended on its location and situation.

本丸の空堀、右側は石垣、左側は土塁~The dry moat at Honmaru, the right side is stone walls, the left side is earthen walls

ここに行くには~How to get There

車の場合:東名自動車道の豊橋ICから約20分かかります。公園の中に駐車場があります。
電車の場合は、豊橋駅前にある駅前停留所から市電の赤岩口、運動公園前または競輪場前行きに乗り、市役所前か豊橋公園前停留所で降りてください。
東京または大阪から豊橋駅まで:新幹線に乗ってください。
If you want to go there by car: It takes about 20 minutes from the Toyohashi IC on Tomei Expressway. There is a parking lot in the park.
When using train, take the tram for Akaiwaguchi, Undokoen-mae or Keirinjo-mae at the Eki-mae stop in front of Toyohashi Station, and take off the Shiyakusho-mae or Toyohashikoen-mae stop.
From Tokyo or Osaka to Toyohashi Station: Take the Shinkansen super express.

リンク、参考情報~Links and References

吉田城(豊橋公園)、愛知県公式観光サイトYoshida Castle – Kurogane Yagura Tower – Toyohashi Park
・「三河吉田城/岩原剛編」戒光祥出版(Japanese Book)
・「よみがえる日本の城3」学研(Japanese Book)