175.Shozui Castle Part1

The center of Awa Province in the Middle Ages

Location and History

Castle starts as Governor’s Residence

Shozui Castle prospered between the mid 14th Century and the late 16th Century as the center of Awa Province on Shikoku Island (what is now Tokushima Prefecture). The castle was first launched as the official residence of the province’s governor by the Hosokawa Clan which was a senior vassal of the Ashikaga Shogunate. Awa Province was a fertile land near Kyoto which was the center of Japan. The castle was also located alongside Yoshino-gawa River, the largest river in Shikoku Island, so it was convenient for water transportation and trade. As a result, the castle became an important base for the clan.

The location of the castle

Castle is developed as Miyoshi Clan’s Home Base

In the mid 16th Century, Nagayoshi Miyoshi, who was a retainer of the Hosokawa Clan, became the ruler instead of Hosokawa. He lived in Imori Castle near Kyoto to govern the center of Japan, while his little brother, Jikkyu Miyoshi lived in Shozui Castle. The Miyoshi Clan originally came from Awa Province. They also needed to work closely between Kyoto and Awa to keep their power like the Hosokawa Clan did. For example, Jikkyu took many soldiers from Awa to battle in Kinki Region, including Kyoto, when his big brother, Nagayoshi was in danger.

The portrait of Nagayoshi Miyoshi, owned by Juko-in of Daitokuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The ruins of Imori Castle
The portrait of Jikkyu Miyoshi, owned by Myokokuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Jikkyu also developed Shozui Castle. The castle became larger, having several enclosures separated by the water moats, including the Main Hall and a Japanese rock garden. According to the excavation, valuable Chinese ceramic ware was traded and ceremonies like parties and cockfights were often held there. Though the castle was surrounded by rivers such as Yoshino-gawa River as natural hazards, the castle itself still didn’t have special structures like earthen walls for defense. It could be because the governance of Awa Province was quite stable and there was little need for defense. The water moats were thought to be used for flood control or a reservoir. By this time, the castle was likely called “Shozui Hall” because it probably didn’t have all the features of a castle.

The ruins of “Shozui Hall”

Castle is captured by Chosogabe Clan

However, after Nagayoshi and Jikkyu died in the late 16th Century, the situation changed. Shozui Castle got into some internal troubles and battles as the power of the Miyoshi Clan decreased. In addition, Motochika Chosogabe, a great warlord in Tosa Province (what is now Kochi Prefecture) aimed to capture Awa Province. The Miyoshi Clan then asked the ruler, Nobunaga Oda who owned the center of Japan for help. Hideyoshi Hashiba, who was Nobunaga’s retainer and became a ruler following Nobunaga, sent a letter which says that Shozui should build up its defenses. The Miyoshi Clan extended Shozui Castle by adding the final part for a battle, which was surrounded by high earthen walls and a deep-water moat. With these additions, people can finally call the castle “Shozui Castle” in the end.

The portrait of Motochika Chosogabe, owned by Hada Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The ruins of “Shozui Castle”

After Nobugana was suddenly killed in the Honnoji Incident in 1582, the Miyoshi Clan had to fight with the Chosogabe Clan by themselves. In the same year, the battle of Nakatomi-gawa River happened between the clans in the south of Shozui Castle. The Miyoshi Clan was unfortunately defeated and besieged in Shozui Castle for nearly a month. However, the Chozogabe Clan lastly captured Shozui Castle after the Miyoshi Clan withdrew from the castle. The castle was abandoned right away probably because it was not suitable for surviving battles. After that, mountain castles like Ichinomiya Castle became popular in Awa Province.

The ruins of Ichinomiya Castle

To be continued in “Shozui Castle Part2”

33.Takaoka Castle Part2

It is a natural park now.

Features

Five remaining Enclosures as Park

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 ruins
A 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 Enclosure
The Imizu Shrine
The square of the Main Enclosure
The 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 Museum
The 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 Enclosure
The 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

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

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)
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.

The foundation of Takaoka Castle like a hill

To be continued in “Takaoka Castle Part2”