Tokugawa shogunate – ページ 6 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

33.Takaoka Castle Part1

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)

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.

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.

The foundation of Takaoka Castle like a hill

To be continued in “Takaoka Castle Part2”

4.Hirosaki Castle Part1

A castle which the Tsugaru Clan built and maintained.

Location and History

Tamenobu Tsugaru built Castle with his independence

Hirosaki Castle was located in what is now Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture. The castle was actually the origin of the city since the founder of the Hirosaki Domain, Tamenobu Tsugaru built the castle. His former name was Tamenobu Oura and he was one of the relatives of the Nanbu Clan, the greatest warlord in the northern Tohoku Region in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. However, he aimed to be independent from the Nanbu Clan.

The portrait of Tamenobu Tsugaru, owned by Hirosaki Castle Tower *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons*)

When the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi was processing his unification of Japan, Tamenobu met Hideyoshi in 1590, and succeeded to be approved by Hideyoshi as an independent lord. He took advantage of his freedom, and he changed his family name to Tsugaru. After that, he maintained his territory around Tsugaru District (what is now the western part of Aomori Pref.) to support the Tokugawa Shogunate. Finally, he started to build a new castle in the Tsugaru Plain as his new home base in 1603, called Hirosaki Castle.

The location of the castle

Hirosaki Castle was built on a hill on the plain sandwiched by two rivers, Iwaki-gawa and Tsuchibuchi-gawa. Though Tamenobu unfortunately died soon after the launch of the construction, his son, Nobuhira completed it in 1611.

The portrait of Nobuhira Tsugaru, from the database of Historiographical Institute The University of Tokyo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Tsuchibuchi-gawa River which flows in the city area now

Combination of Modern and Traditional parts

The castle had the Iwaki-gawa River on the back in the west side, and several enclosures spread towards the north, the east and the south, divided by water moats. The Main Enclosure was the center of the castle having the five-layer Main Tower and the Main Hall for the lord. The enclosure was all surrounded by stone walls, so was the most modernized place in the castle.

The Main Enclosure of Hirosaki Castle from the illustration of Hirosaki Castle in Tsugaru District, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

The Western Moat which originates from a branch of Iwaki-gawa River

The Second Enclosure was outside the Main Enclosure in the south and the east, where the halls for the senior vassals were built. The enclosure was surrounded by earthen walls which were the common method for castles in eastern Japan. It also had two gates and three three-story turrets to protect it. The Third Enclosure was the outermost and the largest one is in the castle. It had warriors’ residences and was also surrounded by earthen walls with two gates. One of the gates was the Main Gate in the south. The North Enclosure and the Forth Enclosure were next to the Main Enclosure to protect the north of the castle.

Part of the illustration of Hirosaki Castle in Tsugaru District, in the Edo Period, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

The earthen walls and moat of the Second Enclosure

Main Tower was rebuilt and Castle survived in Meiji Restoration

In 1627, there was an explosion in the Main Tower caused by lightning and an ignition of gunpowder. There had been no main tower for nearly 200 years, but the Hirosaki Domain was allowed by the Shogunate to renovate a three-story turret as the substitute for the Main Tower in1811. This is the present Main Tower we can see today. In 1868 during the Meiji Restoration, the Boshin War between the New Government and the domains supporting Tokugawa Shogunate in the Tohoku Region happened. Many domains fought with the New Government and defeated. However, the Tsugaru Domain supported the New Government from the beginning. That’s why Hirosaki Castle remained intact.

Tsuguakira Tsugaru, the last lord of the Hirosaki Domain (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Hirosaki Castle Part2”

110.Miharu Castle Part1

A castle that struggled to survive

Location and History

Tamura Clan first governed Castle which became branch of Wakamatsu Castle later

Miharu Castle was located in the Tamura District of Mutsu Province (what is now the modern day Miharu Town in Fukushima Prefecture). The area connected the inland and seaside areas, so it was regarded as being important. In the first 16th Century, the Tamura Clan governed the area and built Miharu Castle on the highest hill around the area. In the middle 16th Centrury, the lord of the clan, Kiyoaki Tamura was threatened by other larger warlords such as the Ashina Clan in the west, the Soma Clan in the east and the Satake Clan in the south. Therfore, he decided to form an allegiance with Masamune Date, a great warlord in the north, by marrying his daughter with Masamune. Masamune stayed in Miharu Castle for a while in 1588 before conquering the Tohoku Region and beating the Ashina Clan in 1589. The Tamura Clan succeeded to survive under Masamune. Miharu Castle was developed and it spread to other hills by the clan.

The location of the castle

However, the Tamura Clan was disbanded by the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1590. This is because the lord of the clan, Muneaki Tamura didn’t respond to the call from Hideyoshi who considered the Tamura Clan as an indipendent lord. However the Tamura Clan didn’t feel this way. It may have been the clan’s mistake, but some historians say it might have been a conspiracy of Masamune who should have madiated Hideyoshi and the Tamura Clan because of the clan’s territory including Miharu Castle finally belonging to Masamune.

The family crest of the Tamura Clan called the Tamura Japanese Ginger *(licensed by Fraxinus2 via Wikimedia Commons)*

The portrait of Masamune Date owned by Sendai City Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Miharu Castle became a branch castle of Wakamatsu Castle which became Masamune’s home base. After that, the lords of Wakamatsu Castle were changed to other clans – the Gamo, Uesugi and Kato Clans. Miharu Castle was made stronger by them. They built stone walls and developed a castle town. However, sometimes it was not used and would eventually be abandoned. Finally in 1627, the Matsushita Clan was transferred by the Tokugawa Shogunate to Miaharu Castle. This meant it had been a while since they had been independent . Miharu Castle remained a mountain castle until the end.

Akita Clan maintained Castle as home base of Miharu Domain in Edo Period

After the Matsushita Clan was unfortunately disbanded in 1645, the Akita Clan governed Miharu Castle and the Miharu Domain until the end of the Edo Period. They modernized Miharu Castle. The lord built the Main Hall for him at the foot of the mountain and he usually lived there. There were also the former Main Hall and the Three Story Turret in the Main Enclosure at the top of the mountain. These older buildings were used for ceremonies and became the symbols of the castle. When the great fire burned most of the castle buildings in 1785, the buildings at the foot were restored. Everything on the top was burned by the fire, and only the Three Story Turret was restored in the end.

The place where the main hall for the lord was (what is now Miharu Primary School)

The layout of Miharu Castle ( from the signboard at the site)

Castle survived in Meiji Restoration

In 1868 during the Meiji Restoration, the Boshin War between the New Government and the domains supporting Tokugawa Shogunate finally happened. The Miharu Domain first belonged to the domains, but it secretly surrendered to the New Government which opened Miharu Castle. The domains eventually left. However, the domains who were abandoned felt very angry. The people in Miharu survived and aviided a serious tragedy. Otherwise, they would have been defeated by the New Government such as those in Shirakawa-Komine Castle, Nihonmatsu Castle and Wakamatsu Castle.

Akisue Akita, the last lord of the Miharu Domain (*licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons*)

To be continued in “Miharu Castle Part2”