Suwa Area of Nagano Prefecture is famous for its tourist spots like Suwa Lake and Suwa-taisha Shrine which are related to Takashima Castle. The shrine is said to have originated from a god in the oldest remaining history book called Kojiki. The god was also supposed to be the origin of the Suwa Clan that had been the lord of Suwa District of Shinano Province (same as now Suwa Area) and “Ohori” or the highest rank of the saints in Shinto at the shrine until the first 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. They still lived in other mountain castles.
The aerial photo around Suwa Lake
Suwa-taisha Shrine (licensed by Saigen Jiro via Wikimedia Commons)
Invasion by Shingen Takeda
Shingen Takeda, one of the greatest warlords of Kai Province next to Shinano Province, aimed to invade the province. He defeated the Suwa Clan in 1542 and governed Suwa District. The Takeda Clan was also defeated by Nobunaga Oda in 1582. However, there was a confusion in the district when Nobunaga was killed in the same year. People in the district invited one of the Suwa Clan’s relatives who remained as Ohori at Suwa-taisha Shrine as their new lord, Yoritada Suwa.
The ranges of Shinano Province and Suwa District (the highlighted part)
The portrait of Shingen Takeda, owned by Jimyo-in Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Takayoshi Hineno built Takashima Castle
When Hideyoshi Toyotomi gained the power at the end of the 16th Century, he sent his retainer, Takayoshi Hineno to Suwa District. Yoritada Suwa was regretfully transferred to another province however. Takayoshi built a new castle alongside Suwa Lake called Takashima Castle bringing advanced techniques for that time from western Japan. The castle had four enclosures in a line facing the lake. Only one route was accessible to the enclosure at the edge of the castle. That means the castle could be very defensive.
The layout of Takashima Castle (licensed by Fraxinus2 via Wikimedia Commons)
The Main Enclosure was surrounded by stone walls which must have been very difficult to build them on the lakeside. They were actually built on wooden rafts in order to be stable even on the soft ground. The Main Enclosure also had the three-story Main Tower which was rare for eastern Japan at that time. The tower had a wood strip roofing different from other castles which usually used roof tiles. This is because the wooden tiles made the weight of the tower lighter on the soft ground and were more durable against the cold climate of the area.
The Main Enclosure surrounded by the stone wallsThe old photo of the original Main Tower, exhibited by Suwa Takashima Castle
Suwa Clan revived and maintained Castle
In 1601 after the Tokugawa Shogunate gained the power instead of the Toyotomi Clan, the Suwa Clan came back to Suwa District. They supported the Shogunate very well in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Yoritada Suwa’s son, Yorimizu became the lord of Takashima Domain and lived in Takashima Castle. In the peaceful time during the Edo Period, a view of the castle with Suwa Lake became a popular attraction in the area, called “the floating castle of Suwa”. Some Ukiyo-e artists such as Hokusai Katsushika drew paintings of the scenery for their Ukiyo-e or woodblock prints. On the other hand, the reclamation of Suwa Lake was done to make more farms and to prevent floods through the Edo Period. Takashima Castle was moving away far from the lake.
The Suwa Clan’s family crest, Suwa Kajinoha or Paper mulberry leaves of Suwa (licensed by Mukai via Wikimedia Commons)”Suwa Lake in Shinano Province” from the series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” attributed to Hokusai Katsushika in the Edo Period (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
この城は、東京の輪郭を生み出しました。
This castle created the outline of Tokyo.
外郭の概要～Overview of Gaikaku
江戸城の外郭は、外堀に囲まれた区域であり、その外周は約１６ｋｍあり、市街地をも含んでいました。見附と呼ばれる大型の門と橋が、約５０セット堀と主要街道の交差点に置かれていて、民衆と交通を監視していました。これらの施設は明治維新後にほとんど撤去されてしまいます。そのためほとんどの人たちは東京に城があったことなど気付きません。それでは、東京にある外郭の痕跡を巡ってみましょう。 The outline of Edo Castle called Gaikaku was the surrounding area from the outer moat whose perimeter was about 16 km, including even the city area. About 50 sets of large gates and bridges called Mitsuke were placed at the intersections of the moat and major roads to check people and transportation. These facilities were mostly demolished after the Meiji Restoration. So most people don’t realize there was a castle in Tokyo. Then, let me introduce the traces of Gaikaku in Tokyo.
江戸城の外郭ライン、ラインの色は以下のセクション毎に分かれています～The line of Edo Castle’s Gaikaku, the color of the line is linked to each section below
隅田川エリア～Sumida-gawa River Area
江戸時代の初め、隅田川は外堀の一部として認識されていました。そのため幕府は、日光街道上の千住大橋を除いて、この川に橋を架けることを禁じていました。１６５７年の明暦大火の後は、江戸の安全確保と都市化のため、他の橋も架けられるようになりました。 At the beginning of the Edo Period, Sumida-gawa River was regarded as part of the outer moats. Because of it, the Shogunate banned bridges from being built on the river excluding Senju-Ohashi Bridge on Nikko Road. After the great fire of Meireki in 1657, more bridges were built on the river for the increase of safety and urbanization of Edo City.
隅田川に架かる永代橋～Eitai-bashi Bridge over Smida-gawa River
隅田川エリアのライン～The line of Sumida-gawa River Area
永代橋～Eitai-bashi Bridge：
隅田川に架けられた４番目の橋です。現在の橋は、１９２３年の関東大震災の火災により失われた後、１９２６年に再建されたものです。すでにそれから１００年近く経過しており、重要文化財に指定されています。 It is the forth bridge on Sumida-gawa River. The present bridge was rebuilt in 1926, after it was destroyed by the fire in the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923. It is nearly 100 years old, and has become an Important Cultural Property.
現在の永代橋～The present Eitai-bashi Bridge歌川広重「東都名所」より「永代橋佃沖漁舟」、江戸時代～”Eitai-bashi Bridge and fishing boats off Tsukuda Island” from the series “Famous Places in the Eastern Capital” attributed to Hiroshige Utagawa in the Edo Period（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimeidia Commons）
新大橋～Shin-Ohashi Bridge：
こちらは３番目に架けられた橋です。先代の橋は関東大震災を生き延びました。現在の橋は１９７７年に架け替えられたものです。江戸時代のこの橋は、歌川広重の有名な浮世絵に描かれたことで知られています。 It is the third bridge on the river. The former bridge survived the Great Kanto earthquake. The present one replaced it in 1977. The bridge in the Edo Period is known for being drawn in a famous Ukiyoe Painting by Hiroshige Utagawa.
現在の新大橋～The present Shin-Ohashi Bridge歌川広重「名所江戸百景」より「大橋あたけの夕立」、江戸時代～”Sudden shower over Shin-Ohashi Bridge and Atake” from the series “100 Famous Views of Edo” attributed to Hiroshige Utagawa in the Edo Period（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimeidia Commons）
両国橋～Ryogoku-bashi Bridge:
２番目に架けられた橋です。この橋の周りは歓楽街になりました。江戸時代から夏にはこの辺で花火の催しが開かれています。近くにはまた外堀の一部である神田川の河口があります。 The second bridge on the river. The area around the bridge became a place of amusement. Fireworks displays have been also held around in the summer since the Edo Period. There is the estuary of Kanda-gawa River nearby which is another part of the outer moats.
現在の両国橋～The present Ryogoku-bashi Bridge葛飾北斎「富嶽三十六景」より「御厩川岸より両国橋夕陽見」、江戸時代～”Sunset across Ryogoku Bridge from the Bank of Sumida River at Onmayagashi” from the series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” attributed to Hokusai Katsushika in the Edo Period（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）
神田川エリア～Kanda-gawa River Area
「神田川」という名前は明らかに川です。ところが、この川は完全に人口物で、堀や運河として使われました。江戸時代初期に、幕府の下で伊達氏が本郷台地を掘り進んで造りだしたのです。幕府は川に沿って必要な施設を設置していました。掘削で出た残土は、下町周辺の埋め立てに使われました。 The name “Kanda-gawa” clearly shows a river (“gawa” means river.). However, the river is completely artificial, and was used as a moat and canal. In the first Edo Period, the Date clan under the Shogunate created it to cut across Hongo plateau. The Shogunate set facilities they needed along the river. The waste soil from the digging was used to reclaim the sea around downtown.
神田川～Kanda-gawa River
神田川エリアのライン～The line of Kanda-gawa River Area
浅草橋門跡～Asakusa-bashi Gate Ruins:
この門は川と浅草を通る日光街道の交差点に築かれました。しかし明治維新後間もなく撤去されました。そのため、何らかの記念碑でもなければ、そこに何があったかはわかりません。 This gate was built at the intersection of the river and Nikko Road passing Asakusa. But it was removed soon after the Meiji Restoration, so we can’t see what was seen in the past without some kind of monument.
現在の浅草橋～The present Asakusa-bashi Bridge記念碑のみがあります～There is just a monument浅草橋門の古写真～The old photo of Asakusa-bashi Gate（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）
仙台堀～The Sendai Moat:
「仙台」という名前は伊達氏が仙台を拠点としていたことに由来します。ＪＲ御茶ノ水駅近くの橋からは深くえぐられた川の一部を見ることができます。ＪＲ中央線はその谷に沿って走っています。 The name “Sendai” derived of the Date clan from Sendai. You can see the part of the river being cut deeply from the bridge near JR Ocha-no-Mizu Station. JR Chuo line goes along the valley.
現在の仙台堀～The present Sendai Moat
水道橋跡～The Water Bridge Ruins
かつて神田上水がこの水道橋によって川を横断していました。井の頭池を水源として江戸市街に給水していました。この周辺の街と、近くにある「水道橋」駅の名前はここから来ています。 Kanda water supply went across the river using the Water Bridge. It came from Inokashira Pond to feed Edo City. The names of the town around and the station nearby “Suido-bashi” comes from the bridge.
水道橋の記念碑～The monument of Water Bridge記念碑周辺の風景～A view around the monument歌川広重「東都名所」より「御茶之水之図」、江戸時代～”The picture of Ocha-no-Mizu” from the series “Famous Places in the Eastern Capital” attributed to Hiroshige Utagawa in the Edo Period（出典：国立国会図書館）
外堀の西側部分～The western part of the outer moats
この部分は１６３８年までに江戸城建設の総仕上げとして築かれました。自然の谷の地形を利用しています。城の中心を砲撃から守ることを意図し、堀の内側に土塁を積み上げ、外側よりも高くなるようにしています。 This part was built to finalize the construction of the Edo Castle by 1638. It used a natural valley terrain. It aimed to protect the center of the castle from a cannon attack outside by setting the inside of the moat much higher with earthen walls than the outside.
弁慶濠～Benkei-bori Moat
外堀の西側部分のライン～The line of The western part of the outer moats
牛込門跡～Ushigome-mon Gate Ruins:
門の両側の石垣が現存しています。門跡の周辺は現在ＪＲ飯田橋駅として利用されています。門跡の反対側は神楽坂になっていて、外堀は谷底に位置しているのがわかります。牛込濠と呼ばれるその堀は、門跡の西側にほぼそのまま残っており、とても広大に見えます。 The stone walls from both sides of the gate remain. The area around the ruins are now used for JR Iida-bashi Station. The opposite of the ruins is Kagura-zaka slope, so you can see the outer moat located in the bottom of the valley. The moat called “Ushigome-bori” in the west of the ruins remain like it was, and looks very spacious.
牛込門跡～Ushigome Gate Ruins歌川広重「牛込神楽坂之図」、江戸時代～”The picture of Ushigome and Kagurazaka” attributed to Hiroshige Utagawa in the Edo Period（出典：国立国会図書館）牛込濠～Ushigome-bori Moat
市ヶ谷門跡～Ichigaya-mon Gate Ruins:
石垣がいくらか残っており、外側から堀を渡って門に伸びる土橋も残っています。周辺はまたＪＲ市ヶ谷駅の一部として使われています。 There are some remaining stones, and the earthen bridge from outside to the gate across the moat remains. The area around is also part of the for JR Ichigaya Station.
市ヶ谷門跡～Ichigaya-mon Gate Ruins市ヶ谷門の古写真～The old photo of Ichigaya-mon Gate（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）
四谷門跡～Yotsuya-mon Gate Ruins:
門の片側の石垣が残っていますが、周辺の堀は既に埋められています。一例として、門跡西側の以前堀だったところは上智大学のグラウンドとして使われています。広大な敷地を眺めながら、内側の土塁の上を歩くことができます。 There are some remaining stone walls on one side of the gate, but outer moats around are already filled. For example, the former moat in the west of the ruins is used as the ground for Jochi University. You can walk on the inside earthen walls and enjoy a view of the spacey area.
残っている石垣～The remaining stone walls四谷門の古写真～The old photo of Yotsuya-mon Gate（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）上智大学のグラウンド～The ground for Jochi University
外堀が失われたエリア～The lost outer moat area
東京の都心では、いくつかの理由で外堀は既に失われています。現在では外堀通りとして自動車道になっています。過去にはどんな景観だったのか想像するのは困難です。 In the center of the Tokyo city area, the outer moat was already lost for several reasons. It is now used as the Sotobori (means onter moat) Street for automobiles. It is difficult for us to understand what can be seen in the past.
外堀通り、ビル街の谷間のようです～Sotobori Street, just like a valley among the buildings
外堀が失われたエリアのライン～The line of the lost outer moat area
赤坂門跡～Akasaka-mon Gate Ruins:
門の石垣の一部が、赤坂見附（幕府の施設であった名前と同じ）交差点の近くに残っています。「弁慶濠」と呼ばれる現存堀が門の西側にあります。そこから続く「溜池」堀は失われています。 Part of the stone walls for the gate remain near the Akasaka Mitsuke (same as the Shogunate facility’s name) Intersection. A remaining moat called “Benkei-bori” is in the west of the gate. The following moat called “Tame-ike” has lost.
赤坂門跡～Akasaka-mon Gate Ruins
「溜池」交差点～The Tame-ike Intersection:
堀の名前が交差点の名前として残っています。溜池とは貯水池の意味です。江戸時代の初期には、江戸の人々は川をせき止め、飲料水として使っていたようです。 The name of the moat remains for the intersection. Tame-ike means reservoir. At the beginning of the Edo Period, people in Edo City seemed to dam a river, and use it for drinking water.
溜池交差点～Tame-ike Intersection
呉服橋交差点～The Gofuku-bashi Intersection:
この交差点は東京駅の近くにあります。ここには外堀と「呉服橋」という橋と呉服橋門がありました。今現在、これらの痕跡は何もありません。 The intersection is near Tokyo Station. There was an outer moat, a bridge called “Gofuku-bashi” and Gofuku-bashi Gate. They have completely removed it. We can’t see any trace of them now.
呉服橋交差点～Gohuku-bashi Intersection呉服橋門の古写真～The old photo of Gofukubashi-mon Gate（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）
日本橋川エリア～Nihonbashi-gawa River area
ここは外堀の最後の、または最初の部分です。この箇所は江戸城の内堀の近くです。ここから外堀が市街の外側に向かって渦巻き状に伸びているので、堀を逆に辿っていくこともできます。日本橋川もまた人工川であり、元々あった川のルートを変えるために作られました。この川の上流は、平川という元あった川と同じようです。 It is the last part of the outer moats, or the first part. The part is near the inner moat of Edo Castle. We can see the outer moats spiral towards the outside of the city, so you can trace the moats backward. Nihonbashi-gawa River is also artificial and was built to change the routes of original rivers. The upper stream of the river might be the same as the original river called Hirakawa River.
日本橋川沿いの石垣～The stone walls along Nihonbashi-gawa River
日本橋川エリア～Nihonbashi-gawa River area
常盤橋門跡～Tokiwabashi-mon Gate Ruins:
この門の石垣がよく残っています。そのため国の史跡に指定されています。堀を渡って門に至る石橋は、明治時代に門の他の石を使って築かれたものです。近くには日本銀行旧館の建物があり、こちらは重要文化財に指定されています。 The stone walls of the gate remain well. That’s why they have been designated as a National Historic Site. The stone bridge across the moat to the gate was built using other stones from the gate in the Meiji Era. You can also see the old building for Bank of Japan nearby, designated as an Important Cultural Property.
常盤橋門跡の石橋～The stone bridge of Tokiwabashi-mon Ruins常盤橋門の古写真～The old photo of Tokiwabashi-mon Gate（licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons）日本銀行旧館～The old building for Bank of Japan
一ツ橋門跡～Hitotsubashi-mon Gate Ruins:
この門と堀周辺の石垣が残っています。江戸時代後半に、将軍の一族である一橋家の屋敷がこの門内にありました。 There are some remaining stone walls for the gate and the moat around. The hall for the Shogun’s relative called Hitotsu-bashi clan was inside the gate in the late Edo Period.
現在の一ツ橋門と残っている石垣～The present Hitotsubashi-Bridge and remaining stone walls堀周辺の現存石垣～The remaining stone walls around the moat
雉子橋門跡～Kijibashi-mon Gate Ruins:
ここが外堀の終点に当たります。ここから内堀が近くに見えます。日本橋川は更に上流から流れてきています。その上流を辿っていくと外堀の違う地点、小石川門の近くに到達します。実はこの上流の部分は一旦幕府によって埋められますが、明治時代になって水上交通の便ため、掘り返されました。 This is the edge of the outer moats. You can see the inner moat nearby. The river flows from a much upper area. You can follow that the upper stream and you’ll reach another spot of the outer moat near Koishi-kawa Gate. In fact, the upper stream was once filled by the Shogunate, but was dug again for water transportation in the Meiji Era.
現在の雉子橋～The present Kijibashi-Bridge
私の感想～My Impression
外堀の全てを辿ってくには１日では足りないでしょう。ですので、少しずつ部分的に訪れてみるのもよいでしょう。どちらにしても行ってみれば、江戸城はインフラ、文化、商業などの面で東京の中心につながっていることが実感できます。 It will need more than one day trip to trace all of the outer moats, so you can visit part of them one by one. Anyway, after visiting them, you can realize that Edo Castle has been the center of Tokyo in infrastructure, culture, business and so on.
牛込門跡と飯田橋駅～Ushigome-mon Gate Ruins and Iidabashi Station
