MatsumotoCastle

OsakaCastle

KumamotoCastle

SAMURAICASTLESHISTORY|ARCHITECTURE|VISITORS’GUIDES

JENNIFERMITCHELHILLPHOTOSBYDAVIDGREEN

ContentsPrefaceIntroducingJapan’sSamuraiCastlesAHistoryoftheJapaneseCastleTheDesignofaJapaneseCastle

VISITINGJAPAN’SFINESTCASTLES

KumamotoCastleHimejiCastleHikoneCastleNijoCastleOsakaCastleKanazawaCastleOkayamaCastleIyoMatsuyamaCastleMatsumotoCastleMatsueCastleKochiCastleBitchu-MatsuyamaCastleInuyamaCastleHiroshimaCastleMarugameCastleNagoyaCastleEdoCastleMaruokaCastleHirosakiCastleWakayamaCastleFukuyamaCastleHagiCastleTakedaCastleFortGoryokaku

Japan’s100MostImportantCastlesGlossaryPhotoCredits

Preface

JustbeforethelargestclashofsamuraiinJapanesehistory,attheBattleofSekigaharain1600,Chiyo,thewifeofsamuraiYamauchiKatsutoyo,wroteherhusbandaletter,concealingitinthechinstrapofamessenger’shat.

TheBattleofSekigahara,foughtbetweenthetwomajorpowers,theToyotomiandtheTokugawa,wastodecidethefateofJapanforthenext268years.Thesideonwhichasamuraichosetofightwoulddeterminehisfateandthatofhisfamilyforgenerationstocome.Thestakeswerehighandloyaltiesrandeep.Tofightonthelosingsidemeantlossofterritory,lossofone’smasterandthelifeofawandering,masterlesssamuraicalledronin.Victorycouldhavegoneeitherway.ItwasfinallydeterminedbythebetrayalofaToyotomiloyalistgeneralwhodefectedtotheTokugawasideinthemidstofthebattle.

Chiyohadreceivedwordofthepotentialbetrayal.Herhusband,Yamauchi,hadservedunderthegreatsixteenth-centuryleaderOdaNobunagaandhissuccessor,ToyotomiHideyoshi.HerletterrelayedvitalinformationaboutToyotomiforcesandsuggestedherhusbandswitchallegiance.Fortuitously,KatsutoyotookheradviceandfoughtonthewinningTokugawaside.Asareward,hewasmadefirstlordoftheprovinceofTosaontheislandofShikoku.WithChiyo,heconstructedKochiCastle,beginningtheYamauchidynastywhere16consecutivegenerationsruledTosaoverthefollowing268years.InrecognitionofChiyo’sefforts,todayabronzestatueofKatsutoyo’swisewifewatchesovertheapproachtothemaincitadel.

Japanesecastlesarerichinstoriesofintrigue,sacrificeandbetrayal.TheystandasmajesticmonumentstothesamuraiwhoonceruledJapan.

Some160,000samuraifoughtinthebattleofSekigaharaonOctober21,1600todeterminethesupremerulerofJapan.TheEasternArmyledbyTokugawaIeyasu,andtheWesternArmyledbyIshidiMitsunari,eachcomprisedallieddaimyo(feudallords)fromprovincesalloverJapan.ThebannerspaintedonthisJapanesescreenshowthefamilycrestofthe40orsodaimyo’s

armieswhotookpartinthebattle.Afteradayoffightingandthelossof40,000lives,TokugawaIeyasudeclaredvictory.Thusbeganthe268-yearruleofJapanbytheTokugawashogunate.

(LateEdoera,19thcentury.CollectionoftheCityofGifuMuseumofHistory)

IntroducingJapan’sSamuraiCastles

Japanesecastlesasweknowthemtodaywerepredominantlybuiltinthelatesixteenthcentury.Thiswasatimewhenwarriorsintroducedthemselvesbeforeengaginginhand-to-handcombat,whenhonorcouldberestoredbyslicingopenone’sabdomen,andwhengreatattentionwaspaidtotheritualsoftheteaceremony,poetrywritinganddying.

Regionalwarlordshadbeenfightingoverterritoryfromabout1470.Bythemid-sixteenthcentury,afewwereanxioustounifythecountryandsecureabsolutepower.Thecentralcharacterswerelargerthanlifeandstoriesoftheircourage,skillandsheeraudacityhaveentertainedgenerationsforover400years.AmongthemwereOdaNobunaga(1534–82),theruthlessyouthwhousedcourageandexceptionalmilitaryskilltosubdueenemieswitharmiesfivetimesthesizeofhis;ToyotomiHideyoshi(1536–98),thepoorpeasantboywhorosetorulethecountry;andTokugawaIeyasu(1542–1616),theshrewdwarlordwhoworkedquietlyinthebackground,waitingpatientlybeforetakingcontrolofthecountry.

OneofthemostimposinglegaciesofthisperiodistheJapanesecastle.Duringthescrambletounifythecountry,daimyo(lordsofadomain)builtcastlestoprotecttheirterritoryandactasabasefromwhichtoruletheirdomain.Representativeofadaimyo’spowerandwealth,thesegrandfortresseswerecunninglyplannedtoconfusetheenemyontheirapproachtothemainkeep.Shouldanattackingarmysuccessfullycrossamoatandscaletheouterstonewalls,numerousshootingholesandtrapdoorsallowedthebesiegedsamuraitobringtheirweaponstobearonthosebelow.Constructedpredominantlyofwood,thevulnerablemainbuildingswereadornedwithsymbolstowardofftheenemy,fireandtheelements.

Ofthehundredsofcastlesbuiltinthelatesixteenthandearlyseventeenthcentury,onlyahandfulhavesurvivedintheiroriginalcondition.HundredswereorderedtobedemolishedwhenthecountrywasunifiedbyToyotomiHideyoshiin1582.HundredsmoreweredestroyedbytheTokugawashogunate(military

government)in1615.Themajorityoftheremaining170orsocastlesfellvictimtoImperialorderstodestroyanytraceofJapan’sfeudalpastaftertheMeijiRestorationin1868.AlliedbombingduringWorldWarIIrazedsevenofthe19remainingmaincastletowers(tenshu),leavingcountlesssubsidiarytowers,stonewalls,gatesandmoats.

The100orsocastlesitesthatcanbevisitedtodayofferafascinatingglimpseintoJapan’spast.ThisbookexplainsthehistoricalbackgroundtoJapanesecastles,whobuiltthemandwhy.Itdescribestheirconstructionandtheirform.Finally,itpresents24ofthebestsurvivingcastles.

Japanesecastleswereasmuchasymbolofpowerasafortification.Themultistoriedmaintower(tenshu),withitsgracefularrangementofsweepingroofs,dominatedthesurroundinglandscape.Usuallysitedonraisedground,thetowerservedbothasalookoutandasareminderofthelord’s

authority.(HiroshimaCastle)

AHistoryoftheJapaneseCastle

TheSiegeofOsakaCastle.AlthougheffectivelybecomingthemostpowerfuldaimyoafterhisvictoryattheBattleofSekigaharain1600,TokugawahegemonywasnotassureduntilToyotomiHideyoshi’sheir,Hideyori,wasdisposedof.Inthewinterof1614,thenagaininthesummerof1615,TokugawaforcesbesiegedOsakaCastle.ThisscreenshowstheSummerBattleofOsakaCastlein1615.Over5,000samuraiand21generalsaredepicted.Oneofthegenerals,Kuroda

Nagamasa,tookpainterswithhimtothebattlesitetoobtainanauthenticrenditionofevents.

LongbeforetheJapanesecastleasweknowittodaytookshape,simplefortificationswereusedasadefenseagainstinvadingforcesandinternalwarringfactions.TheiruseisfirstrecordedintheNihonShoki(ChroniclesofJapan),writtenintheeighthcentury.TheNihonShokidetailsthefightbetweentwopowerfulcourtfamilies,theSogaandtheMononobe,inAD580.TheirdisagreementconcernedBuddhism,introducedviaKoreain552.TheSogawelcomedthenewreligionwhiletheMononobesawitasathreattotheirpoliticalinfluence.

Earlydefenseswereprimitive.TheNihonShokinotesthattheSogabuiltmansionssurroundedbypalisadesandmoats,whereastheMononobeusedbundlesofriceplants(inaka)asprotectionagainstthearrowsfromenemyarchers.RemainsfromtheseearlyfortificationscanstillbefoundthroughoutJapan.

Inthemid-seventhcentury,theJapaneseimperialcourt,whichruledfromYamato,nearNara,beganpushingnorthintotheEzoterritoriesinanattempttoexpandtheareaundertheircontrol.(TheEzoareancestorsoftheAinupeopleinHokkaido).Smallpalisades(saku)andstockades(ki)werebuiltnearNiigatain647.TheEzorespondedbybuildingearthenrampartsanddrymoats.Thefortificationswerecalledchashi,anAinuwordforcastle.

UnrestalongtheKoreanpeninsulainthelateseventhcenturysparkedfearsofaninvasionfromChina.Rowsofstonesalongthesidesofsmallhills,whichmayhaveformedwalls,andanearthembankmentintendedforuseasaprotectivedam,havebeendiscoveredinKyushu,southernJapan.Stonewallsinvalleysandtheremainsofobservationtowershavealsobeenunearthedinthearea.

Kamakura(1185–1333)andMuromachi(Ashikaga)(1338–1573)In794,theImperialcourtmovedfromNaratoHeian-kyo,present-dayKyoto.DissatisfactionwiththeImperialcourtledtotheestablishmentofanewmilitarysystemofrulein1185.TheemperorremainedinKyotoasthespiritualandculturalleaderofthecountrywhilethenewlyappointedshogun(hereditarymilitaryleader),MinamotoYoritomo,setuphisheadquartersatKamakura.Representativeswerepostedineachprovincetooverseetaxcollection.FollowingYoritomo’sdeathin1199,hiswidow,HojoMasako,tookcontroloftheshogunateasshikken(shogunalregent).Herfamilyruledforthenext134years.

years.In1266,andagainin1281,anewexternalthreatarosewhentheMongols

attemptedtoinvadeJapanvianorthKyushu.AstonewallwasbuiltaroundHakataBayinFukuokaprefecturetohelpstaveofftheinvaders.Adverseweather,however,provedthemosteffectivedefense,leavingJapanoneoftheonlycountriestonotfallunderMongolrule.

FendingofftheMongolattacksseverelydepletedtheresourcesoftheKamakurashogunate.Therewerenospoilsofwar,sotherewaslittlewithwhichtorewardthesouthernvassalsfordefendingthecoast.ThiscontributedtoagrowingdissatisfactionwiththerulingHojofamilyandgavethethenemperor,Go-Daigo,thejustificationneededtooverthrowtheKamakurashogunatein1333.Go-Daigo’saggressionpromptedAso,avassaloftheHojofamily,tolaysiegetotheImperialstrongholdatAkasakaandattacktheChihayafortressonMountKongo.Thesemodestfortresses,usingtheheightandcontourofthemountainstotheiradvantage,werelittlemorethansimplewoodenstockadeslinkingtowersandgates.

EmperorGo-Daigo’sreignwasshort-livedandhewasexiledtotheOkiIslandsintheSeaofJapan.Threeyearslater,in1336,theshogunatewasoverthrownbyoneofitsowngenerals,AshikagaTakauji.Takingthetitleofshogun,AshikagaestablishedhisheadquartersatMuromachi,asuburbofKyoto,tobeginthe235-yearreignoftheAshikagashoguns(1333–1568).ThiswasknownastheMuromachiera.

ThetwocenturiesofAshikagarulewerecharacterizedbyaculturalrenaissanceinliteratureandthearts,includingtheteaceremony,ikebana(flowerarranging)andlandscapegardening.Atthesametime,Kyoto’scentralcontrolbegantoweakenwhilecivildisordergrewasprovinciallordsviedforlandandpower.InfluentialprovincialfamiliesrevoltedagainsttheheavytaxesimposedtofundextravagantshogunalexpenditurecenteredaroundKyoto.Religiousbodiesalsoexertedtheirgrowingpowerandpeasantsformedleagues(ikki)toriseupagainsttheinjusticeoflandlordsandmoneylenders.OuchiYoshihirofortifiedtheporttownofSakai,nearpresent-dayOsaka,witharingofsmalltowersorturretsaspartofaplantoattackShogunYoshimitsuAshikagain1399.Yoshihirocommittedritualsuicide(seppuku)onthebattlefieldafterhisbesiegedrebelarmywascrushedthefollowingyear.

TheWarringStatesPeriod(1477–1576)ThesecondcenturyoftheMuromachiperiodwasbesetbywar.Adisagreementbetweentwopowerfulvassalsovershogunalsuccessionin1467sparkeda

betweentwopowerfulvassalsovershogunalsuccessionin1467sparkedabloodyconflictinKyoto.Elevenyearsoffighting,inwhatbecameknownastheOninRebellion,devastatedthecapitalcity.Politicalstabilitybrokedownasprovinciallordsturnedawayfromthecentralauthority.Openwarfarebrokeout.Bythetimehostilitiesendedin1477,around20powerfulwarlordsruledtheirterritoriesautonomously,with200–300lesserwarlordssubordinatetothem.Changesinpowerwereviolentandfrequent.Fightingcontinuedamongsttheselordsandtheirancestorsoverthenextcentury.TheemperorremainedinKyotoasafigurehead,alongsidethesevenAshikagashogunsappointedbetween1490and1573.Boththeemperorandtheshogun,however,heldlittleauthorityoutsideofthecapital,Kyoto.

ThisperiodisknownastheSengokujidaiorWarringStatesperiod(1477–1576).Asrivalwarlordsclashedtoprotectorincreasetheirterritory,thousandsofsimplefortificationsintheformofwoodenpalisadesandstoneembankmentswereerectedonmountains.Thesefortificationsspreadoverthemountain,withthemaincitadellocatedatthehighestandleastaccessiblepoint.Anetworkofsatellitecastlesradiatedfromthemaincitadel,eachprotectedbyasmallstrongholdandguardposts.Baileysorenclosureswerecarvedoutofthemountainsatdifferentlevels.Insidewerefences,towers,stables,storehouses,walkways,bridges,gatesandoftenasimplekeep.Timberfromthesurroundingforestswasthemainbuildingmaterial.Stonewasusedtostrengthenthebaseofgatehousesandtowersandtopreventerosionfromtheexcavatedslopes.

Theseearlymountainfortresseshadtheadvantageofheightforobservationandprotectionbutweredifficulttosupplyandtodeploytroopsfrom.Thewarriorlordusuallylivedinamansionatthefootofthemountain,whichwassometimessurroundedbyamoatorequippedwithawatchtower.Thesemountainstrongholdsweretheprecursortotheearliesttypeof‘modern’castle.Intheeventofattack,thelordwouldretreattothesafetyofhismountainfortress,thoughmostbattleswerefoughtonopenground.

LateWarringStatesPeriod(1560s–70s)Ambitiouswarlordsinthesecondhalfofthesixteenthcenturyformedalliancestooverthrowtheincumbentshogun,AshikagaYoshitaki.Todoso,awarlordhadtomarchhisarmytoKyototoobtaintheemperor’sendorsement.Onesuchwarlord,holdingterritoryclosetoKyoto,wasOdaNobunaga.ThelocationofNobunaga’slandatOwari,thoughsmall,gavehimadistinctadvantageoverpotentialrivalssuchasUesugi,TakedaorMori,whoselargeholdingswerefurtheraway.TheirmarchtoKyotowassignificantlymorehazardous,passingthroughunfriendlyterritoryastheylefttheirowndomainsundefendedfor

throughunfriendlyterritoryastheylefttheirowndomainsundefendedforextendedperiods.Forexample,ImagawaYoshimoto,apowerfulwarlord,andhis15,000-strongarmywereslaughteredastheyattemptedtopassthroughNobunaga’sdomainin1560.ThesurpriseattackbyOda’ssmallarmyof3,000onfamiliarterritorygavethemanadvantageoverthelargerarmy.

AzuchiCastle,builtbyOdaNobunagain1576,wasthefirstmoderncastle.SituatedonahillonamainrouteclosetothecapitalofKyoto,itwaseasytoaccess.Towithstandattack,itemployeddefensesonascalenotpreviouslyseeninJapanesecastles.Asafirstlineofdefence,mansions(yashiki)belongingtoOda’stopvassalslinedthemainroutetothemaintower.Barbican-stylegateways(masugatamon),multipleenclosures,enormousstonewallsandhiddenfloorsfurther

strengthenedthecastle’sdefenses.

Azuchi-MomoyamaPeriod(1575–1600)Aswarlordsalliedandbecamemorepowerful,theircastlestookonagreaterrole.Aswellasprovidingavantagepointandlastlineofdefense,castlesbegantobeusedasadministrativecentersfromwhichthewarlordsruledtheirdomain.Theywereconstructedinmoreaccessiblelocations,usuallyonahillforvantage,andclosetomajorroutestomonitorwhopassedthroughtheirterritory.Locallordsencouragedthegrowthoftownsaroundtheircastles,thecentralpositionandsizeofthecastlesbeingasymboloftheirpower.Castlesbuilton

positionandsizeofthecastlesbeingasymboloftheirpower.Castlesbuiltonlowergroundandclosetomajorroutesweremorevulnerabletoattack.FirearmshadbeenintroducedtoJapanin1543andmoreelaboratedefenseswereneededtocounterthenewweapons.Castlesneededtobelargerandstronger.

OdaNobunagawasthefirsttobuildsuchacastle.Between1576and1579hebuiltanenormouscastleatAzuchi,31miles(50km)eastofKyoto.ThefirstmoderncastleinJapan,itdifferedfromthepreviouswoodenfortsinmanyways.Itwassituatedonahillratherthanamountain,andwasclosetoamainhighway.AtownwaslaidoutatthebaseofthecastlenexttoLakeBiwaandmerchantswereencouragedtosettlethere.ThislocationgaveOdaastrategicvantagepointoverthemainroadleadingtothecapital,Kyoto.Italsofacilitatedtheadministrationofsurroundingareas,thesupplyofgoodstothecastleandthedeploymentoftroops.However,italsomadethecastleeasiertoattack.Massivestonewallswereusedtocombatthisthreat,afeaturethatbecamecharacteristicoftheJapanesecastle.Themaintower(Tenshu)ofAzuchiCastlewassevenstorieshigh,wherepreviouslytowershadbeenonlytwoorthreestories.Manysmallertowersprotectedthemainkeep.

AzuchiCastlewasasmuchaproclamationofOdaNobunaga’spowerasitwasafortress.Colorfulandornatelydecorated,itwasaflamboyantstructurebefittingtheself-mademilitaryleader.Ultimatelybetrayedbyoneofhisvassalsin1582,OdaNobunagawaswounded.Withlittlehopeofescape,hecommittedritualsuicide.TheTenshuandothertowersofAzuchiCastlewereburntdownandwereneverrebuilt.

Oda’sdeathpavedthewayforhisgeneral,ToyotomiHideyoshi,tocompletetheunificationofJapan.Toconsolidateandheraldhisnewposition,ToyotomiconstructedevenmoreimpressivecastlesatOsakaandMomoyama(FushimiCastle),plusafortifiedpalacecalledJurakudai(PalaceofPleasure)inKyoto.ContemporaryEuropeanvisitorsdescribedthesecastlesasmagnificentintermsoftheirsize,strengthandgrandeur,unlikeanybuildingstheyhadseenbefore.

TheblackTenshuofToyotomi’sOsakaCastlewasafeatureofthelatercastlesheorderedbuiltatHiroshima(1589),Okayama(1589)andMatsumoto(1590).TheseblackcastlesstandincontrasttotheTokugawacastles,whichwereusuallywhite.AsToyotomiwasbuildinghisopulentcastles,hedecreedinhisShirowaripolicyof1582thatonlydaimyounderhiscontrolcouldretaintheircastles.Thousandsofmountaincastlesweresubsequentlydestroyedorabandoned,deprivingtheruralgentryofafortifiedbasefromwhichtostageanuprising.By1583therewere204domainsacrossJapan,eachcomprisingamaincastleandanumberofsmallerones.Hideyoshi’spower,however,wasnotyet

secure.ThefourdaimyochargedwithdistributingNobunaga’sestateandadministeringcivilgovernmentopposedHideyoshi’sleadership.TheirresistanceledtotheBattleofShizugatake,nearLakeBiwa,in1583.

Victorious,Hideyoshicontinuedtoconsolidatehispositionasanewthreatemerged,thatofTokugawaIeyasu.ThetwometinbattlesatKomakiyamaandNagakuteinOwari,in1584.Intheabsenceofadecisivevictory,anagreementwasreachedin1585thatawardedIeyasutheformerHojoterritoriesintheeast—IzuandeightKantoprovinces,includingEdo.Inexchange,IeyasulefthisancestralholdingsclosertoKyoto,adeparturethateffectivelyremovedhimfromtheseatofpower.

PortraitofTokugawaIeyasuattheBattleofNagakute,1584,paintedintheseventeenthcentury.(CollectionofTokugawaArtMuseum.PhotoWikimediaCommons)

Hideyoshi,meanwhile,introducedanumberofmeasurestosecurehisauthority,whichweretoaffectJapan’ssocialstructureandthemaintenanceofpeaceoverthenext300years.TheTaikoKenchi(LandSurvey)from1583to1598recordedthedimensionsandyieldofeveryricefieldinJapan.Hideyoshisoughttomakethemainricecultivatorapermanenttenant,responsibleforpayingthetaxonhisland.Inthisway,henowcontrolledthefarmers,whomadeup80percentofthepopulation,bytyingthemtothelandandobligingthemtodelivertaxintheformofrice.Therationwasusuallynikoichimin—‘twototheprinceandonetothepeople.’Landholdingsweredescribedinkoku,theamountofricetheyproduced(1kokuweighs300lb/150kg).AlandgrantbyHideyoshi

(orTokugawaIeyasuafter1600)wasgivenintermsofkoku,aswasadaimyo’srevenue.

ThreeGreatUnifiersofJapanIfabirdwon’tsing:Nobunagawouldsay:“Killit”Hideyoshiwouldsay:“Makeitwantto”Ieyasuwouldsay:“Wait”

ThreegreatmenledJapanoutofits100yearsofwarduringthelatterhalfofthesixteenthcentury:OdaNobunaga(1534–82),ToyotomiHideyoshi(1536–98)andTokugawaIeyasu(1542–1616).

OdaNobunagabegantheprocessofunifyingJapanfollowinghisvictoryattheBattleofOkehazamain1560.Hismottoto‘RuletheEmpirebyforce’wasimposedonconqueredterritoriesthroughstrictlawsandpunishment.Nobunaga’ssuccesswasduetohisinnovative,oftenbrutalbattletactics,soundjudgmentandconsolidationofmilitaryvictorieswithciviladministration.SomeofhismorefamousbattleswerethecaptureofInabayamaCastle(1567),theMtHieiMassacre(1571)andtheBattleofNagashino(1575).Deceivedandattackedbyoneofhisvassals,OdaNobunagacommittedseppukuin1582.Beforehisdeath,Odahadbroughtaboutone-thirdofJapanunderhisrule.HewassucceededbyToyotomiHideyoshi,whocompletedtheunificationofJapanbyofferinggenerouspeacetermstopowerfulfamiliessuchastheMoriofthewesternprovincesandbydefeatingorpersuadingotherenemiestounite.By1590hehadcompletelysubduedtheterritorialwarlords,unitingJapanastheheadofapowerfuldaimyoalliance.

UnlikeNobunagaorIeyasu,whobothcamefrominfluentialwarriorfamilies,ToyotomiHideyoshicamefromhumblepeasantstock.HerosefromthelowlypositionofNobunaga’ssandalbearertobecomeoneofhismosttrustedandcapablegenerals.Hisstyleofleadershipwasconciliatoryratherthanforceful.Unabletoruleasshogun,notbeingadescendantoftheMinamotoclan,Hideyoshiruledthecountryaskanpaku(Imperialregent),thentaiko(retiredregent)untilhisdeathin1598.Powerwasentrustedtoacounciloffiveregents,whogovernedinthenameofhisseven-year-oldsonHideyori.

OdaNobunaga

ToyotomiHideyoshi

TokugawaIeyasu

Oneoftheseregents,TokugawaIeyasu,assumedcontrolofJapanin1600beforebeingappointedshogunbytheemperorthreeyearslater.Ieyasuwasthewealthiestdaimyo,rulingeightprovincesintheproductiveKantoarea,withannualrevenueof2.5millionkoku.Hewas,however,stillthreatenedbytheToyotomiHousesolongasHideyoshi’ssonandheirlived.In1615,heeliminatedthisdangerbyattackingOsakaCastleandcausingHideyori’sdemise.Ieyasuwasanexcellentgeneralwithaloyalfollowing,aswellasatalentedadministrator.RatherthanfightHideyoshifortherighttoruleafterNobunaga’sdeath,Ieyasuconcentratedonstrengtheninghisownterritories,waitingforanopportunitytoseizepowerhimself.Helivedfor13yearsafterbecomingshogun,establishingastrongadministrationandconsolidatinghisfamily’spowerbasefortheTokugawafamilytogovernJapanforthenext268years.

ItisacommonsayinginJapanthatIeyasuatethepiethatNobunagamadeandHideyoshibaked.

Hideyoshi’s‘SwordHunt’of1588aimedtoensurepeacebydisarmingthegeneralpopulation.Peasantswereinstructedtohandoverarmorandweapons.Onlysamuraiwereallowedtopossessandcarryasword.Thelargeclassofsamuraifarmerswasforcedtochoosebetweensoldieringandfarming.Samuraiwerealsoencouragedtomovetothecastletowns,wheretheyreceivedastipendinricefromtheirlord.Finally,in1590Hideyoshiissuedanedictthateffectivelyfrozethesocialstructure.Thefourclassesofsamurai,peasants,artisansandmerchantsweregivenseparatelegalidentities.Samuraiwereprohibitedfromreturningtotheirvillagesorchanginglordsandpeasantswereboundtothelandandbannedfromenteringtradesorcommerce.

TheBattleofSekigahara(1600)andtheSiegeofOsakaCastle(1615)AfterToyotomiHideyoshi’sdeathin1598,acouncilcomprisingthefivewealthiestdaimyo—TokugawaIeyasu,MaedaToshiie,UesugiKagekatsu,MoriTerumotoandUkitaHideie—wasappointedtoruleuntilHideyoshi’sheir,Hideyori,cameofage.Thisarrangement,however,soonbrokedownafterTokugawaandoneofHideyoshi’svassals,IshidaMitsunari,viedforcontrol.

AconfrontationensuedatSekigahara,about25miles(40km)northwestofNagoya,onOctober21,1600.Theopponents,daimyoloyaltotheToyotomihouseandthoseloyaltoTokugawaIeyasu,wereevenlymatched,witharound80,000menineachcamp.ThelandmarkbattlebroughttogetherthelargestnumberofwarringsamuraiinJapanesehistory.Inadecisionthatwastohavemajorrepercussions,8,000warriorsfromtheToyotomisideswitchedsidesduringthefighting.Thissurprisebetrayal,ledbyKoboyakawaHideaki,anadoptedsonofHideyoshi,securedvictoryforTokugawaIeyasu.

AlthoughIeyasunowcontrolledthecountry,threatstohisleadershipremained.Asasafeguard,heconstructedanumberofenormous,strategicallylocatedcastlestokeephisenemiesincheck.AsToyotomihaddone,Tokugawadrewupontheresourcesofrecalcitrantdaimyoinhisbuildingcampaign.Byoccupyingtheirtimeanddrainingtheirwealth,disgruntleddaimyowerelessabletoraiseahostilearmy.SomeofJapan’smostimpressivecastles,includingHimeji(1601–09),Hikone(1602–22),Nagoya(1610–28)andEdo(1593–1636),werebuiltatthistime.

AlthoughIeyasubecameshogunin1603,thesuprememilitaryrulerofJapan,therewasstillthethreatofanuprisingagainsthisshogunatebydaimyowhohadnotsupportedhimatSekigahara.Thesedaimyohadbeeneitherstrippedoftheirlandorgivenmuchsmallerterritories.ThepossibilityofarebellionremainedwhileHideyoshi’sheir,Hideyori,wasstillalive.

Ieyasustruckfirst.In1614,withHideyoriinadulthood,heattackedOsakaCastle.OntheflimsypretextofanoffendinginscriptionbyHideyorionabell,IeyasudemandedthatHideyorileaveOsakaCastleforalesserfortress.Hideyorirefusedandenlistedthesupportofsome60,000ronin,ormasterlesssamurai,displacedafterIeyasu’sconfiscationoftheirdaimyo’sland.Ieyasubesiegedthecastleduringthewinterof1614–15beforeatrucewasnegotiated,callingforOsakaCastle’souterdefensestobedemolished.Ieyasu’sarmydepartedaftertheouterandmiddlemoatswerefilledinandtheouterwallspulleddown.Hideyori,however,rebuiltthemassiveperimeterwalls,compellingIeyasutoagainbesiege

thecastleinthesummerof1615.Afterafailedcounter-attackatTennoji,Hideyoriunsuccessfullysalliedfromthecastlewithasmallforce.Withdrawinginsidethecastle,theTenshunowablazefromartilleryfire,hecommittedseppuku.ThelastmajoruprisingagainstTokugawarulehadended,leavingtheshogunateunchallengedforthenext250years.

TheEdoEra(1615–1867)PriortotheEdoera,around100majorcastleswerebuiltbetween1576and1615inthegrandstyleofAzuchi,OsakaandFushimi.Significantcastlesandtheirrelatedtowns,includingHimeji,Kanazawa,Wakayama,Kochi,Hiroshima,Edo,Okayama,Kofu,Sendai,Kumamoto,Hikone,Yonezawa,ShizuokaandNagoya,allcameintobeingduringtheseyears.ButmanyofthelargestcastleswerebuiltintheearlyEdoera,withprominentfamilymembersoftheTokugawainstalledinthemostimportant,includingHimeji(1601),Nagoya(1610)andOsaka(1620).Tozamadaimyo(outsidelords)werecompelledbytheTokugawashogunatetocontributetothebuildingofthesecastlesonthepretextofnationaldefense.However,withthecountryrelativelystable,thisactservedtofurtherdepletetheirresourcesandpreventinsurrection.

TheReshuffleofTerritoriesAftertheBattleofSekigahara

AfterTokugawaIeyasu’svictoryattheBattleofSekigaharain1600,daimyowererewardedorpunishedaccordingtowhethertheyhadsupportedoropposedhim.

YamauchiKatsutoyo,havingearlierservedunderNobunagaandHideyoshi,wasadvisedtoalignwithIeyasubeforeSekigahara.Inrecognitionofhissupport,hewasawardedtheprovinceofTosa,wherehebuiltKochiCastle.ThisprovincewastakenfromChosokabeMotochika,whosupportedtheTotyotomiside.Hideyoshi’sadoptedson,UkitaHidiie,wasstrippedofhisthreeprovinces,includingOkayamaCastle,infavorofKobayakawaHideaki,Hideyoshi’sfosterson,whoswitchedsidesatSekigahara.Kobayakawa’streacheryhelpedpavethewayforTokugawa’svictory.MoriTerumoto,apowerfuldaimyofromthewesternprovinces,sidedwiththeToyotomiloyalists,anddespite

notengaginginthebattlewasseverelypunished.Mori’svastholdingswerereducedfrom1,205,000kokuto369,000kokuandhiscastleatHiroshimagiventoFukushimaMasanori.ThecastigateddaimyowassenttotheremotetownofHagionJapan’ssouthwestcoast,farfromhistraditionalpowerbaseandevenfurtherfromEdo,thenewcenterofpower.

IiNaomasu,aTokugawavassal,hadthehonorofbeingthefirstintobattle.TheleadpositionhadbeengrantedtoFukushimaMasanori,butIi,along-timeloyalfollowerofTokugawa,believedheshouldleadratherthanFukushima,whohadbeenoneofToyotomiHideyoshiclosestvassals.IiarguedthatsincehewasescortingTokugawa’sfourthson,heshouldinspectthefrontlines.Inthisway,hewasfirstintobattle.Bothmenwerewellrewarded.IiwasgivenOmiprovince,wherehebuiltacastleatHikone,andFukushimawasgivenMoriTerumoto’sBizenprovincesandcastleatHiroshima.

Himeji’sstrategiclocationasthegatewaytothewesternprovinces,hometomanyToyotomisupporters,wasgiventoTokugawaIeyasu’ssoninlaw,IkedaTerumasa.Ikedahaddistinguishedhimselfinthelead-uptoSekigaharabyseizingGifuCastle.

MaedaToshiewasoneoffiveregentsappointedbyToyotomiHideyoshitocareforhisyoungson,Hideyori,butdiedayearafterToyotomiin1599.MaedahadbeenatrustedfriendandvassaltoToyotomibuthistwosonsweredividedintheirloyalty.Oneson,Toshimasa,championedToyotomiatSekigaharaandwasconsequentlydivestedofhisprovinces.Theseweregiventohisbrother,Toshinaga,whohadsupportedTokugawa.ToshinagathenbecamethewealthiestdaimyoafterTokugawa,holdingKanazawaCastleandreceivinganannualincomeof1,250,000koku.

BloodyscenesfromtheBattleofSekigahara,1600.WarriorsinredbelongedtoIiNaomasu’sarmy,whosered-lacqueredarmorearnedthemthenickname‘Ii’sRedDevils.’

Battleswereachanceforsamuraianddaimyotodistinguishthemselvesforfurtheradvancement.Rewardswereusuallyintheformofincreasedterritoryandincome.Onceasamuraihadlandthatproduced10,000kokuofriceperyear,hewasawardeddaimyo

status.

CastlebuildingvirtuallyceasedafterthethreatfromtheToyotomihousewaseliminatedin1615.Anewlaw,Ikkokuichijorei,oronecastleperprovince,forceddaimyotodemolishallcastlesintheirdomainswiththeexceptionoftheir

primaryresidence.Withinamatterofyears,some400castlesweretorndown.Acrossthecountry,about170castlesremained,anumberthatstayedrelativelyconstantoverthefollowingcenturies.

Theconstructionofnewcastles,orrepairstoexistingones,requiredapprovalbytheTokugawashogunate.Ifthetenshuburntdown,astheyoftendidthroughlightningstrikesoraccidents,theywerenotusuallyrebuilt.Castlesbuiltinthispeacefulperiodtypicallyhadfewdefensivefeatures.Thetenshuwasobsolete.Thedaimyoandhisfamilylivedinaresidenceinoneofthesecondarycompounds,withthemainbuildingsnowusedforadministration.Oftenfinishedinwhiteplasterwithdecorativehorizontalbands,thecastlesofthisperiodtendedtobelessornatethantheearlieronesoftheAzuchi-Momoyamaera.

TheMeijiPeriod(1867–1912)andtheBoshinWar(1868–69)Japan’sisolationfromtheWestendedaftertheAmericanCommodoreMathewPerry’sfleetarrivedinJapanin1853anddemandedthatJapanopenitsdoorstoWesterntrade.ManyJapaneseweredissatisfiedwiththeunfairtradetreatiesthatfollowed.AnallianceofsamuraifromthewesterndomainsofChosu,SatsumaandTosa,togetherwithImperialcourtofficials,pressuredShogunTokugawaYoshinobutopasspoliticalpowerovertothe15-year-oldEmperorMeiji.ThisYoshinobudidquitepeacefully,althoughwidespreadunrest,violenceinEdoandanImperialdecreetoabolishtheTokugawahousepromptedhimtolaunchafailedcampaignagainstthenewlyinstalledemperor.TogetherwiththoseloyaltoTokugawa,YoshinoburetreatedtonorthernHonshu,andlatertoHokkaido,wherehefoundedtheEzoRepublic.ThislastrebelliousfactionwasfinallydefeatedattheBattleofHakodateatFortGoryokakuinApril,1869.JapaninitsentiretynowcameunderImperialrule.

TheMeijiRestorationreturnedpoliticalpowertotheemperorafternearly700yearsofmilitaryrule(bakufu)bythreeshogunates:Kamakura(1185–1333),Muromachi(1333–1568)andTokugawa(1603–1868).Edo,renamedTokyo(easterncapital),becamethenationalcapital.By1871theshogun’sdomainswererationalizedandconvertedinto47prefectures.Daimyowerereplacedbygovernmentappointedofficialstomanagethem.CastleswerenowanunwelcomereminderofJapan’sfeudalpast,andin1873anorderwasgiventoreducetheirnumber.Themajorityweredestroyedoverthenexttwoyears,leavingonly19tenshuandnumerousstonewallsandmoatsthatweretoodifficulttodismantle.

WorldWarIIandBeyond

SevenofthetenshuthatsurvivedtheMeijiRestorationweredevastatedbytheAlliedbombingcampaignofWorldWarII:Nagoya,Hiroshima,Wakayama,Okayama,Fukuyama,OgakiandGifu.SeveraltowersremainingatOsakaCastlewerealsolost.AlthoughHimejicitywasbombedextensivelyonJuly3,1945,thecastlemiraculouslysurvived.

Arenewedinterestincastlesdevelopedintheearlytomid-twentiethcentury.NewtenshuwerereconstructedinconcreteattheOsaka,Nagoya,Wakayama,Hiroshima,Kumamoto,Okayama,OdawaraandFukuyamacastlesites.Reinforcedconcrete,whichwasthoughttobestrongerthantraditionalbuildingmaterials—stone,wood,mud,plasterandtile—wascheaperandeasiertowork.However,itwasdiscoveredthattheoriginalmaterialsweremoresuitedtotheJapaneseclimate.Recentreconstructionsusingtraditionalmaterialsarehelpingtokeepalivethespecializedskillsneededtobuildacastle.Nowrecognizedfortheirhistoricalvalue,uniquearchitectureandromanticassociationwiththesamurai,Japanesecastlesareincreasinglypopulartouristdestinations.SeveralarelistedasUNESCOWorldHeritageSites,includingNijoandHimejicastlesonthemainislandofHonshu,andNakajin,NakagusukuandShuricastlesonthesouthernislandsofOkinawa.

TheDesignofaJapaneseCastle

TheJapanesecastlereacheditsdevelopmentalpeakduringtheearlyseventeenthcentury.ThepowerstrugglebetweentheToyotomiandTokugawacampsduringtheMomoyamaperiod(1575–1600)stimulatedtheconstructionofhundredsofcastles.Theenormousquantityofmaterialsandmanpowerneededfortheseincreasinglycomplexfortressesweresuppliedbylocalfarmers,merchantsandsamurai,asstipulatedbytheirdaimyo.MassivecastlessuchasOsaka,EdoandNagoyarequiredsubstantialcontributionsfromdaimyothroughoutthecountry.Remarkably,thesemajorcastleswerecompletedinamatterofyears.Thisfreneticperiodofcastlebuildinglasted40years,beginningin1575withOdaNobunaga’srevolutionaryAzuchiCastleandendingin1615withtheTokugawa’sedictbanningnewcastleconstruction.

Initiallyadefensivestronghold,thecastlebecamemoreofanadministrativecenterandexpressionofpowerasJapan’spoliticalsituationbegantostabilizeintheearlyseventeenthcentury.Townsgrewuparoundthecastleandindustriesevolvedtoservetheneedsofthecastlepopulation.

Viewedfromadistance,aJapanesecastleappearstobelittlemorethanalargetowercrownedwithlayersofsweepingroofs.Thistower,however,isjustonepartofacastlecomplexmadeupofminortowers,storehouses,gatesandapalacesetincompoundsdelineatedbyearthworks,stonewalls,plasteredmudwallsandmoats.Eachcastleisunique,distinguishedbyitslocation,whethersitedonamountain,hillorplain;itslayout;thekindofstonesusedinitswalls;thestyle,size,defensiveanddecorativedetailofitsmaintower;theposition,numberandstyleofitsothertowersandgates;andwhetherithadapalace,gardensandotheradministrativebuildings.

Yamajiro

Hirayamajiro

Hirajiro

Ukishiro

Doshinen

Hashigokaku

Renkaku

Complex

OptimalSiting

Theoptimallocationforacastlechangedwiththepoliticalsituation.Mountain

castles(yamajiro)werecommonduringtheWarringStatesperiod(1467–1568),withthousandsofwarriorlordsfightingforterritory.Itisestimatedthataround5,000ofthesesimplefortificationswereerected.Naturalobstaclessuchascliffs,rockyterrainandforestsprovidedadditionalprotectionforthesewoodenforts.Althoughtheirinaccessibilityhinderedattack,mountaincastlesweresusceptibletosiege,difficulttobuildandinconvenientasanadministrativebase.

Withtheconsolidationofterritoriesintothehandsofafewpowerfulwarlordsinthesecondhalfofthesixteenthcentury,itwasadvantageousforcastlestobebuiltclosetomajortransportroutesforeasyaccessandtomonitorthemovementsofotherwarlords.Castlesneededtobeaccessiblebothasabarracksandforadministrativepurposes.Theywerebuilteitherontopofahillsurroundedbyaplain(hirayamajiro)oronaflatareaofland(hirajiro).Sincelowgroundofferedlessprotection,manycastleswerebuiltclosetothesea,alakeorariver,withwaterdivertedtofillsurroundingmoats.Manyofthelargemoderncastlesbuiltbetween1596and1615,suchasHimejiCastle,werehirayamajiro.Castlesbuiltonflatlandsurroundedbywetmoatswerecalled‘floatingcastles’(ukishiro)or‘watercastles’(mizujiro).

Layout

Japanesecastlescompriseaseriesofcompoundswiththemaintower(tenshu)situatedinthehighest,innermostbaileyorenclosure(honmaru).Subsidiaryenclosureshousedthelord’sresidence,storehousesandretainers’quarters.Thesewerecommonlycalledninomaru(secondenclosure),sannomaru(thirdenclosure)andnishinomaru(westernenclosure).Individualenclosureswereseparatedbyearthworks,stonewallsandmoats.Acastlemayhaveonlyafewenclosuresorasmanyasseven,suchasatKanazawaCastle.Thelayout(nawabari)oftheseenclosureswascrucialforacastle’sdefense.Theaimwastoconfuseanenemyandobstructaccesstothemaintower.

Naturaltopographywasmaximizedincastlebuilding.Ahillsitepresentedopportunitiesforalayoutwithminimumexcavation,whilenaturalfeatures,suchasariverorasteepescarpment,wereoftenincorporatedintothecastle’sdefensivesystem.Theperimeterofthecastlewasusuallycircularorpentagonal,astheseshapesreducedblindspotsandrequiredfewersoldierstodefendthem.Extensivecastlegroundskeptvulnerablewoodenbuildingsoutofenemyrange.ThegroundsofEdoCastle,forexample,stretched3miles(5km)fromeasttowestandabout2.5miles(4km)northtosouth.

Therewerefourtypesoflayout:doshinen,hashigokaku,renkakuandcomplex.Adoshinenlayouthadthemainenclosureatthecenterwiththesecondandthirdenclosuresarrangedinconcentricringsaroundit.OsakaCastlewasoneofthefewcastlestoadoptthisformbecauseoftheextensiveearthworksneededtoformtheencirclingmoats.Asecondtypeoflayout,hashigokaku,placedthemainenclosureattheapexofahillfromwhichthesecondandthirdenclosuresdescendlikesteps.InuyamaCastleistypicalofthisstyle.Arenkakulayoutplacedthemainenclosureinthecenterwiththesecondandthirdoneitherside,asatNagoyaandHikonecastles.AmorecomplexlayoutcanbeseenatHimejiCastlewheretheapproachtothemaintenshutwistsandturnsbeforedescendingintotheinnerenclosurethroughaseriesofgatesandsmallcourtyards.Suchalayoutconfusedintruders,forcingthemtoslowdowntotheadvantageofthedefendingsamurai.

Stonewalls

Toweringstonewalls(ishigaki)areoneofthemostimposinglegaciesoftheJapanesecastle.Reachingashighas98ft(30m),thesedrystonewallshavesurvivedmorethan400yearsofrain,earthquakesandwar.TheirexistencetodayisatributetothegreatskilloftheJapanesestonemason.

Thereweretwomaintypesofstonewall:astone-facedembankmentandafree-standingwall.Stone-facedwallssurroundedcastleenclosuresandcouldreachheightsofupto98ft(30m).Stoneswerepiledagainstahillthathadbeencarvedtoadesiredangle,oragainstanembankmentformedfromamoatexcavation.Free-standingwallsweremuchlowerandusedasthebasefortowers,gatesandmudwalls.Behindtheouterstonefacewasaninnercorefilledwithpebblesandearth.

Variouskindsofstoneswereusedincastlewalls:fieldstones,cutstones,crackedstonesandpebbles.Enormoussinglestones(kagami)werepositionedatimportantentrancestoimpressvisitors,suchastheHigostoneatOsakaCastleandtheKiyomasustoneatNagoyaCastle.Auspiciouslyshapedstoneswerealsoplacedatimportantentrances.Representingwater,thehexagonaltortoisestoneatthereargateofKanazawaCastle‘protects’thecastlefromfire.

Theavailabilityofsuitablestones,thefinancialresourcesofthelordandthetimeframedeterminedthetypesofstoneutilized.Speciallycutstonestooklongertoprepareandweremorecostlythanlocallygatheredfieldstones.Consequently,fieldstonesandroughlyhewnstoneswerethemostcommon,withfinelycutordecorativestonesreservedforcorners,importantgatewaysand

withfinelycutordecorativestonesreservedforcorners,importantgatewaysandthebaseofthemaintower.

Nomortarwasusedinthestonewalls.ThisallowedthewallstomoveslightlyduringJapan’sfrequentearthquakes,minimizingdamagetothewallandthewoodenstructureabove.Theskillinstonewallbuildinglayinpositioningindividualstonestolockthemtogether.Theearlieststonewallswereconstructedwithroughstonesstackedagainstanearthembankment:randomstonepiling(ransekizumi)orfieldstonepiling(nozurazumi).Gobozumiwasamoresophisticatedformofrandomstylepilingwherelongrectangularstoneswereembeddeddeepintotheearthtostabilizeawall.‘Beatenandinsertedmasonry’(uchikomihagi)wasthemostcommontypeofpiling.Itusedindividualrocksroughlyhewnintoshapebyhammerandchisel.Asthesestoneswerestillquiteroughandasymmetrical,crackedstonesandpebbleswereusedtofillanygapsintheouterface.Cutandinsertedmasonry(kirikomihagi)wasthemosttechnicallyadvancedformofstonepiling.Preciselyhewnstoneswerecarefullyalignedtocreateawallwithoutgaps.Thespeciallyshapedstoneswereeithersquare,rectangularorhexagonalandlaidevenlyinrows(nunozumi)oratrightangles(kaginote).Particularattentionwaspaidtothecornersofstonewalls,withlargerrectangularstonespiledalternativelyinazipper-likefashion(sangizumi).

Astone-facedembankmentshowingthebasestone(neishi),piling(gobozumi)atthelowerpartofthewallandupperpart(uchikomihagi).Betweenthelargeouterstonesandtheearth

embankmentisalayerofpebbles,whichfacilitatedrainage.(Thisdiagramisforillustrativepurposesonlyasawallwouldusuallyonlyemployonekindofpiling.)

Afree-standingwall.

Stonewallswereoriginallylowandvertical.Ifthegroundwassoftorthebuildingheavy,theywerebuiltonaninclinetocreateawider,morestablebase.Themorerefinedthepiling,thesteeperawallcouldbe.Aswallsbecamehigherandthebuildingstheysupportedlarger,wallswerebuiltinaparabolicshape.Thecurveinthewallwasachievedusingwedge-shapedstones.Thesmallerendofthestonefacedoutwards,thelargerinwards.Curvatureofthewalllessenedthestrainonthelowerstonesbydistributingtheweightoverawiderarea.

Ransekizumiandnozurazumi(fieldorrandomstonepiling).

Uchikomihagiandsangizumi(cornerstonepiling).

Narrowstepsontheinsideofthecastlewallprovidedaccesstothetopofthewalls.Stepsrunningalongthelengthofawall(gangi)enabledanumberofwarriorstoascendthewallrapidlytodefendthecastle.SuchstepscanbeseenatWakayama,HagiandOsakacastles.

Kirikomihagi(cutandinsertedmasonry).

Moats

Moats(hori)surroundingcastleenclosuresprovidedfurtherprotectionforthetenshu.Thosefilledwithwaterorfinemudwereusuallyfednaturallybythewatertableorbydivertingwaterfromanearbysource.

Thesizeofamoatdependeduponwhetheritwasanexterior,interiororsurroundingmoat.Theexteriormoatwasusuallythewidestanddeepest,upto26ft(8m)deepand85ft(26m)wide.Thesideswereoftenfacedwithstonetopreventerosionandfollowedtwobasicforms,theUshape(yagenbori)andtheboxshape(hakobori).

Walls

Lowwalls(hei)encircledcastleenclosures,delineatingareasandlinkingtowersandgateways.Setatopstonewallsandinterspersedwithshootingholes,thesewallsprotectedsamuraidefendingthecastle.Theyblockedtheviewintoandacrossthecastlegroundsanddirectedtheapproachtothetenshu.HimejiCastle’slabyrinth-likelayoutiscreatedbylowwallsactingasoutdoorpassageways.

Themostcommonandsimplesttypeofwallisamudwall(dobei).

Approximately6.5ft(2m)high,itconsistsofatimberandbambooframecoveredinamixtureofmudandstraw.Althoughoccasionallyleftnatural,thewallswereusuallyplasteredforgreaterstrengthanddurability.Timberplanksweresometimesaddedtolinethewalls,asatMatsuyamaandMatsuecastles.Alternatively,tileswereusedtoreinforceawallandreducethethreatoffire,suchasatKanazawaCastle.Asmalltiledroofprotectedthewallfromtheelements.

Variationsinwallsincludedthesoilwall(tsujibei),doublewall(nijubei)anddrumwall(taikobei),thelatterso-namedbecausethesidesbulgedoutlikeataikodrum.Theseparticularwallswereconstructedbyfillingawoodenframeworkwithcompactedsandandclay,stonesorbrokentilesandthencoveredwithmudandplaster.Theywerestrongerthandobeibutalsomoretimeconsumingtoconstructandtoothicktocontainshootingholes.NijoCastlehasanimpressive10ft(3m)-hightsujibeirunningbesidetheNinomaruPalace.

Yagenbori

Hakobori

Thefan-shapedstonewallsofOsakaCastlereachupto79ft(24m).ThesetypesofwallsareafeatureofthestrategicallyimportantcastlesatNagoyaandHimejibuiltduringtheearlyyearsofTokugawarulewhentherewasstillthethreatofrebellionfromsupportersoftheToyotomiHouse.

CASTLEBUILDINGS

Towers,gates,storehousesandthelord’slivingquartersmadeupacastle’sbuildings.Thecenterpiecewasthelargemaintowerorkeep(tenshu).

MainTower

Thetenshuwasanelaboratestructureusedasalookout,storagefacilityand,insomecases,accommodation.Astheheartofthecomplex,itwassituatedinsidetheinnermostenclosure(honmaru)atthehighestpointinthecastlegrounds.Beingthelastlineofdefense,itwasthemostheavilyprotectedofallthebuildings.

Therearetwostylesoftenshu:lookoutstyle(borogata)andmultilevelstyle(sotogata).Earlytenshuwereusuallyconstructedintheborogatastyle.Theseornatetwo-orthree-storywoodenbuildingswerecrownedwithawatchtower.Maruoka,Inuyama,HikoneandMatusecastlesareallexamplesofthistype.Thesquareupperstorywatchtowerwasincorporatedintothemiddleofalowerlevelirimoya-stylegabledroof.Incontrast,asotogatatenshuhadmultiplelevelsofthesameshapethatsuccessivelydecreasedinsizeastheyroseskyward.Marugame,Hirosaki,NagoyaandMatsumotocastlesareallexamplesofthisstyle.Thesotogatastylewaseasiertoconstructthantheborogataandwasthuscheaperandquickertobuild.

Asastronghold,thetenshuemployedanumberofdefensivefeatures.Thebuilding’sheightprovidedacommandingviewoverthesurroundingareawhilemultiplerooflayersconcealedthetruenumberofinternallevels,therebyconfusingapotentialinvaderandgivingdefendersanopportunitytohideorescape.Shootingholesandstone-droppingwindowsaideddefencewhileslattedwindowspreventedobjectsbeingflunginside.

Aswellasadefensivestructuredesignedtoimpressordiscourageanenemy,atenshu’ssheersize,roofingarrangement,windowshape,coloranddecorativerooftilessymbolizedpowerandwealth.Tenshuwereatleastthreestorieshigh,theirsizebeingcommensuratewiththepowerofthedaimyo.Yetsizewasnotessentialtoconveypower.Architecturalbeautywasalsoimportant,withsomeofthemoststrikingtenshurelativelysmall,likethoseatHikone,InuyamaandUwajima.Thisaestheticgrandeurwasachievedbyacombinationoflayeringupsweepingroofsandacomplexarrangementofroofgables.

Therearetwotypesofroof:irimoyaandkirizuma.Theirimoyaroofisatwo-sidedroofwithaclosedtriangulargableatoppositeends.Thekirizumaroofissimplytwosidesjoinedatthetop.Thistypeofroofoftencoversthepillarsofapost-and-beamgate.Thetriangulargable(hafu)cantaketheformofanirimoyahafu,chidorihafuorkarahafu.Thesidesoftheirimoyahafuextendtotheedgesoftheroof.Thesmallerchidorihafuappeartobeattachedtotheroof,withthesidesjoinedatanangletotheroof.Thekarahafuisanundulatingroof.

OnthemaintenshuofMatsumotoCastle,thetoproofgableisan

irimoyahafu,themiddleundulatinggableakarahafuandthelowergableachidorihafu.

Borogata-styletenshu:HikoneCastle

Borogata-styletenshu:GifuCastle

Borogata-styletenshu:InuyamaCastle.

Sotogata-styletenshu:MatsumotoCastle

Sotogata-styletenshu:HirosakiCastle.

ThetwolowertriangulargablesonthetenshuatHirosakiCastlearekirizumahafu.Theycovertheprotrudingstone-droppingwindowsbutarenotattachedtotheroof.Thetopgableisanirimoyahafu,itssidesextendingtothe

edgeoftherooftoformaclosedtriangulargable.Althoughwindows(mado)werenecessaryforlightandfordefenseofa

castle,theirarrangementandformalsocontributedtothetenshu’sexternalbeauty.Threemaintypesofwindowwereused:pushouttimberwindows(renjimado),latticedbaywindows(degoshimado)andbell-shapedwindows(katomado).Shojiandtimberslidingscreenswereusedtosecurewindowsfromtheinside.

Japanesetenshuwerefinishedinblacklacqueredtimber,whiteplasteroracombinationofboth.Castlesbuiltbefore1600,whenToyotomiHideyoshiwasinpower—Azuchi(1576–79),Maruoka(1576),Osaka(1583),Okayama(1589–97),Matsumoto(1590–1614),Hiroshima(1589–99)andKumamoto(1601–07)—wereoftenblack.ThosebuiltbytheTokugawashogunateanditssupportersafter1600—Himeji(1601–09),Hikone(1602–22),Nagoya(1610–28)andthereconstructedOsaka(1620–29)—wereoftenwhite.Thisisthoughttobeeitherasignofsupport(blackforToyotomiandwhiteforTokugawa)orduetoavailableresources,asplasteringwasmoreexpensive.Alternatively,howacastlewasfinishedmayhavebeeninlinewiththedevelopmentofcastletechnology.Theexposedtimberframework,flooringandwallsoftheearliercastlesweresusceptibletofire.Wallsweremadestronger,weatherproofandfireproofinlatercastlesbycoveringabamboolatticewithmudandstrawuponwhich1inch(3cm)ofplastermadefromamixtureofslakedlime,shellash,hempfiberandseaweedwasapplied.Exteriorplasteredwallsweresometimeslinedwithwoodenplanksortilestoprotectthemfromtheelementsandprovidefurtherstrength.

Golddecorationandvarioussymbolicfeaturesembellishedthetenshu.Stone,bronzeorgildedmythicaldolphin-likecreatures(shachihoko)actedas‘protective’roofornaments,whilegargoyle-liketilesontheeavecorners(onigawara)wardedoffbadspirits.Rowsofroofendtilesdisplayedthedaimyo’screst.TheoveralleffectofJapanesecastletenshuwasoneofrestrainedopulence.

Earlytenshu,suchasthoseatMaruokaandUwajimacastles,usuallystoodaloneasasingletower.Others,suchasatHikoneandMatsuecastles,wereattachedtoasubsidiarytower.Thetenshuoflargercastles,suchasatNagoyaandKumamoto,wereconnectedbyacrossingorconnectingtower(watariyagura).Himeji,WakayamaandMatsuyamacastleshaveacompoundtenshuarrangementwherebythemainkeepisconnectedtomultiplesmallertowersbywatariyaguraoranextendedone-storytower(tamonyagura)tocreate

asmallcourtyardortoencircletheentireinnerenclosure.

TENSHUDETAILS

Roofs

LayersofsweepingtiledroofsareuniquetoJapanesecastles.Tileswereusuallymadeofclaybutcouldalsobemadefromstone,leadorcopper.Althoughstructurallyunnecessary,roofgablesproliferateonJapanesecastles,addingagracefulupsweptroof.

TenshuTypes

Lefttorightdokuritsushiki(independent),fukugoshiki(attached),teiritsushiki(connected),renketsushiki(compound).

MatsueCastlehasanattached-style(fukugoshiki)tenshu.Accesstothefive-storytoweristhroughaheavilyfortifiedtwo-storyannex.

HimejiCastlehasacompoundtowerarrangement(renketsushiki).Themainfive-storytenshuisconnectedtothreesmallertenshubycorridorsforminganinternalcourtyard.Intheeventofan

attack,defenderscouldretreattooneofthesubsidiarytowers.

DefensiveOpenings

Aroundplaster-coveredshootingholeoverlookingtheentrancetoOsakaCastleenableddefenderstofireuponintrudersapproachingthemaingate.

defenderstofireuponintrudersapproachingthemaingate.

Ishiotoshimado(stone-droppingwindow)

Theseopeningswereincorporatedintostone,mudorwoodenwallsandtowers.Smalltrapdoorsandremovablefloorboardsalloweddefenderstohurlstones,boilingwaterorhotsandupon

invaderstryingtoscaleacastlewall.

Sama(shootingholes)

Shootingholeswererectangularforarrowsandsquare,triangularorcircularforguns.Largerontheinside,thetelescopedopeningallowedaweapontobefreelymaneuveredwhileminimizinga

defender’sexposuretoenemyfire.

DecorativeGables

Shachihoko(dolphin-liketile)

Placedoneitherendofaroofridge,shachihokoaremythicalcreaturescombiningatiger’sheadwiththebodyofafish.Theraisedtailsymbolizedthecreaturethrowingupwavesandcausingraintofall.Madeofwood,stone,tile,bronzeorgilded,itwasacharmtoguardagainstfireand

wardoffdisaster.

Nokimarugawara(roundeaveendtiles)

Liningtheedgeoftheroofeaves,theseroundtilesdisplayedthefamilycrestofthelordorcarriedadesignsymbolizingwater—lightningandfirebeinganever-presentdangertothepredominantly

woodenbuildings.

Nokihiragawara(flateaveendtiles)

Adecorativeflattileliningtheroofedgebetweentheroundeaveendtiles.

Roofendtile

Onigawara(gargoyle-like‘monster’tile)

Thisfierce-lookingtilepositionedattheapexoftheroofalsohelped‘protect’acastle.Tilesinthispositionoftenincorporatedthelord’sfamilycrestinthedesignaswellaswavesandcloudsto

symbolizewater,firebeingoneofthegreatestthreatstothecastle.

Gengyo

Decorationattheapexofagabletoconcealthetipoftheridgebeamandrafters.

Turrets

Towersorturrets(yagura)formedavitalpartofacastle’sdefensivesystem.Actingbothasawatchtowerandapointfromwhichtofireonanattackingenemy,theywerestrategicallyplacedabovegatewaysandatthevulnerablecornersofstonewalls,whichweretheeasiestpartofthewalltoscale.

Originallyusedtostoreweapons(yameansarrow,kura,storehouse),castletowersservedasstorage:teppoyagura(guntower),hatayagura(flagtower),

shioyagura(salttower);astheplacefromwherethesignaldrum(taikoyagura)wassounded;andasaturretfromwhichtoviewthemoon(tsukimiyagura).Towerswerecommonlyidentifiedaccordingtotheircompasslocationandcorrespondingzodiacsign.Anorthwesttower,forexample,wascalledushitorayagura(ox/boartower),asoutheasttower,tatsumiyagura(dragontower),asouthwesttower,hitsujisaruyagura(sheep/monkeytower)andanorthwesttower,inuiyagura(dogtower).

Towerswereusuallyonelevel(hirayagura),twolevels(nijuyagura)orthreelevels(sanjuyagura).Differenttypesincludedcornertowers(sumiyagura),longtowers(tamonyagura),connectingorcrossingtowers(watariyagura)andgatetowers(yaguramon).Atamonyagurawasacoveredgalleryfromwhichalineofsoldierscouldfirethroughshootingholes.Thesetowers,suchasatHikoneandHimejicastles,werealsousedforstorageandservants’quarters.Watariyaguraprovidedapassagebetweenthemainandminortenshu.Himeji,IyoMatsuyamaandMatsumotoallusewatariyagurainthisway.

Anijuyagura(two-storytower)withstone-droppingwindowsactsasawatchtoweroverthemoatandmainentrancetoOsakacastle.Thetowerintheforegroundisayaguramon(towergate)

whichmakesuppartofthemaingateintothecastlegrounds.

Hirayagura

Nijuyagura(two-levelcornertower)

Sanjuyaguraandtamonyagura(three-leveltowerandcorridortoweratleft)

Tamonyaguraandnijuyagura(corridortowerandtwo-leveltoweratleft)

Gates

Gateways(mon)werethemostvulnerablepartofacastle.Heavilyreinforcedgateswerefashionedfromwoodoracombinationofwood,stoneandplasteredmudwalls.Woodengatesinimportantpositionswereusuallyreinforcedwithintricatelydecoratedironwork,whichnotonlystrengthenedthegatebutproclaimedtheimportanceofthelord.

Ofthemanykindsofgates,themostcommonwerethekoraimonandyaguramon.Akoraimonisapost-and-beamgatewitharoofextendingoverthefrontpostsandgate,plustwosubsidiaryroofsovertherearsupports.Asimplerformistheyakuimon,whichhasoneroofcoveringtheentiregate.Ayaguramonisatwo-storygatehousewithanopeningonthegroundfloorandaguardhousewithfiringpositionsonthefirstfloor.Itwaseitherfree-standingorpositioned

betweentwostonewalls.Koraimonwereusuallypositionedatsignificantentrancesinconjunction

withayaguramontoformabox-shapedgate(masugatamon),so-namedafterthemasuorrectangular-shapedricecontainer.Thisstyleofgatewasusedatimportantentrancestothecastle.Akoraimonformedthefirstgatewiththemuchlargeryaguramonsetatrightanglestoit.Passingthroughthefirstgate,visitorsenteredacourtyardenclosedbystonewallstoppedwithlowmudorwoodenwallslinedwithshootingholes.Trappedinthecourtyard,enemiescouldbefireduponfromallsides.Thistypeofgatearrangementpreventedoutsidersfromseeingstraightintothecastle.

Importantsouth-facingfrontgateswereusuallycalledotemon.Secondarygateswerecalledsakuramonandnorth-facingreargateswereoftenreferredtoaskaramete.Gatesclosesttothetenshuwereusuallysmallerinordertorestrictthepassageofinvaders,suchasthemunamonanduzumimonfoundatHimeijCastle.Munamonwerepost-and-beamgateswedgedbetweentwostonewalls,whileanuzumimonwasasmallopeninginastonewall.Othercastlegatetypesincludedthekaramon,apost-and-beamgatewithacuspedgable,andnagayamon,agatesetintoalongstorehouseortenementbuilding.

Otherbuildingswithincastlegroundsincludedstorehouses(kura)andnagaya(samuraiquartersortenements).Guardhouses(bansho)werepositionednearmaingatesandmannedbyacontingentofsamurai.

Koraimon

Yaguramon

Munamon

Nagayamon

Karamon

Masugatamon(plan)

Afree-standingyaguramonatHirosakiCastle.Theabsenceofwallsbesidethetimber-and-plasterstructureindicatesthatthiscastlewasconstructedinarelativelypeacefulperiod,

alleviatingtheneedformajordefensivestructurestoprotectthetenshuintheinnerenclosure.

PalacesandMansions

Earlymountaincastleswereprimarilyadefensivestrongholdwiththelord’smansion(yashiki)situatedatthebaseofthemountain.Castlesbuiltinthelastquarterofthesixteenthcenturyinitiallyincorporatedlivingquarterswithinthetenshu,suchasatAzuchiCastle(1576).Overtime,however,therelativelyuncomfortabletenshuwasabandonedinfavourofayashikiorapalace(goten)inanadjacentenclosure,usuallythesecondenclosure(ninomaru).Aswellasthelord’sresidence,gotenwereusedforceremonialandadministrativeactivities.

Goten(palaces)weresingle-storytimberbuildingssetwithingardens,usuallyinasecondaryenclosure(ninomaru).Thelordandhisfamilywouldliveinthepalaceratherthanthetenshu

(maincastletower).Slidingscreensenabledthesizeandconfigurationofroomstobechangedbytheopening,closingorremovalofascreen.Screensweresolidandwereeithermadeof

timberorpaper,translucentorlatticed.(Kawagoegoten.)

Kura

Goten

TheintricatelatticewindowsattheentrancetoKawagoegotenallowinhabitantsaprotectedviewtotheoutside.

Sumptuouspaintingsongoldleafadornthefusuma(solidpaperslidingscreens)attheOmoteShoinofNagoyagoten.Tigersandpinetreeswerecommonthemesinreceptionrooms,

symbolizingpower,strengthandlongevity.

BuiltintheShoinstyle,gotenweresingle-storytimberbuildingsoftenwithastaggeredplan.Slidingtimberorlayeredpaperdoors(fusuma)andtransparentpaperdoors(shoji)openedbetweenroomsandoutontogardens.Thefloorsofthelivingareaswerecoveredwithstrawmats(tatami)whileatimber-flooredhallway(engawa)ranbetweenthemattedroomsandtheexteriorslidingdoors.Shoin-stylebuildingshadanaudiencehall(ohiroma)withadeskalcove(tsukeshoin),displayarea(tokonoma)andstaggeredshelving(chigaidana).Theohiromawasthemostopulentreceptionroom,withgildedwallspaintedwith

scenesoftigers,pinetrees,birdsandbamboo.Themostimportantindividualwasalwaysseatedwithhisbacktothetokonoma.Floorlevelsdenotedrank,withthelord(daimyo)occupyingthehighestlevel(jodan)duringanaudience.Hisguestsorretainerssateitherinthemiddlelevel(chudan)orlowestlevel(gedan)accordingtotheirrank.Guardsstationedbehindawallofthejodanwereonconstantalerttoprotectthelord.

Thewoodenraindoors(amado)atKawagoegotencanberemovedleavingthewooden-flooredhallway(engawa)opentothecourtyard.Whiteshoji(translucentpaperslidingscreens)slidein

trackstoopenorclosetheinnerroomstotheexterior.Thestructurerestsontimberpoststoallowairflow,keepingthebuildingcoolinthehumidJapanesesummer.Theoverhangingeavesdirectheavyrainawayfromthetimberbuildingandintothegravel-filleddrainagepitrunningthelength

ofthebuilding.

ConstructionTechniques

Varioustypesoftimberwereusedincastleconstruction.Cypress(hinoki)wasprizedduetoitsstrength,absenceofknots,softnessandeaseofworking.Zelkova(keyaki)andfir(mominoki)werealternatives.Preciselycutjoints,inpreferencetonails,joinedtheframeworktogether.ThisallowedformovementintheeventofanearthquakeandexpansionandcontractioninthecourseofJapan’sseasons.

FoundationStones

FoundationstonesoftheoriginaltenshuofOkayamaCastle.Tocompensatefortheunevensurfacesofthestones,timberpostswerefashionedtostandsolidoneachstone,creatingalevelbaseuponwhichthetimbertenshuwasbuilt.

Foundationstoneswerelaidoutatintervalsonacompactedearthbase(tenshudai)tosupportthetimberpostsofthetenshuframe.Theraisedearthbasewasfacedwithstones.

WoodenJoints

Ancienttempleconstructiontechniqueswereappliedtocastles.Intricatejointsallowedforexpansion,contractionandmovementduringearthquakesandchangesinweather.Latercastleshadacentralpillarthatranfromthegroundtothetopstoryforfurtherstability.

Walls

Theexposedtimberfloors,postsandwallsoftheearlycastles,suchasMaruoka,weresusceptibletofire.Latercastles,suchasHimeji,fireproofedtheirwallsbycoveringabamboolatticeandstrawframewithconsecutivelayersofamudandstrawmixture.Themudwallwasthenplasteredandsometimestiledorcoveredwithtimberplanksforadditionalprotection.

Framework

AlthoughstandardmeasurementsareusedinJapanesearchitecturethatallowcomponentstobepreparedbeforeassembly,carpentersstillhadtomakealterationsonsite.Anexamplewouldbeastonewallbasethatwasnotperfectlysquare,orunevenfoundationstones.

Themultiplelayersofacastlewall.Coveringthebamboolatticearefourlayersofmudandtwolayersofplasterandtiles.(KanazawaCastle)

Abamboolatticeboundwithstrawbeforebeingcoveredinlayersofmud.

CastleBuilders:SamuraiandDaimyo

ThemodernJapanesecastlespresentedinthisbookwerebuiltbydaimyointhelatesixteenthcentury.Daimyowerelordsofthesamuraiandvassalsoftheshogun,thesuprememilitaryruler.

Samuraiweremilitarygentryeducatedandtrainedinmartialarts,horsemanshipandculturalpursuits.Meaning‘onewhoserves,’samurailivedaccordingtoastrictethicalcodeofbravery,integrityandloyalty.Fiercewarriors,theywouldfighttothedeathinorderto

protecttheirlordandhisproperty.Samuraiwouldvieforthehonorofbeingfirstintobattle,statingtheirnameandancestrybeforeengagingincombat.Theywouldwillinglyundertakeritualsuicide(seppukuorhara-kiri)torestoretheirhonor,toatoneforamisdemeanorortothwartanenemyfromtakingtheirhead.Alongwithhoningtheirmilitaryskills,samuraipursuedthefinerartsofpoetry,theteaceremonyandcalligraphy,andduringthepeacefulEdoera(1603–1868)tookonadministrativerolesintheirlord’sdomain.

Samuraibelongedtoaneliteclass,rankedabovefarmers,artisansandmerchants.Theywereaccordedtherighttocarryasword,wearcolorsforbiddentothelowerclassesandinstallagatedentrancetotheirresidence.TheMeijiRestorationin1868heraldedthedemiseofthesamurai.Sincetheelitewarriorclasswasincompatiblewiththenewdemocraticidealsbeingputinplace,itwasdissolvedbetween1873and1876.Thecenturies-oldfeudalmilitarysystemwasabolishedandaWestern-stylegovernmentwasintroducedwiththeemperorinstalledasheadofstate.

Daimyowerelordsofthesamurai.Meaning‘greatname,’daimyocontrolledlandwithanannualincomeofatleast10,000koku.Onekokuwasequivalenttoabout300lb(150kg)ofrice,theamountneededtofeedonemanforayear.LandwasacquiredfrombeingappointedtooverseeitbytheshogunduringtheKamakura(1185–1333)orMuromachi(1368–1573)erasorthroughmilitarygainintheWarringStatesperiod(1477–1576).Daimyobuiltcastletownsintheirdomaintosupervisethesurroundingvillages.Theywerepermittedtoruntheirdomainsfreelyinregardtotaxation,lawenforcementandthemaintenanceofanarmy.Inreturn,theshogunexpectedtheirloyaltyandmilitaryornationalserviceasrequired.DuringtheEdoera(1600–1868),daimyowererequiredtotakeupresidenceinEdoeveryalternateyearthroughtheSankinkotai(alternateresidence)system.Adaimyo’swifeandeldestsonwouldremaininEdowhentheyreturnedtotheirdomains.Suchrulesdiscouragedplotsagainsttheshogunanddepletedadaimyo’sresources.RivalsoftheTokugawawerealmostimpoverishedfromfinancingthegiganticcastlesofEdo,Sumpu,Osaka,NagoyaandNijo.Finally,the1615lawformilitaryhouses(Bukeshohatto)forbadedaimyotomovetroopsoutsidetheirowndomains,toformpoliticalallianceswithotherdaimyo,tomaintainmorethanonecastleintheirdomainortomarrywithoutshogunalapproval.

Adaimyoinspectstheheadofadefeatedenemy.Assamuraiwererewardedforperformanceinabattle,thepresentationofenemyheadsprovidedproofoftheirsuccess.

Theshogunwasthemostpowerfuldaimyoorsuprememilitaryleader.ThethreemainshogunatesthroughoutJapan’shistoryweretheKamakura,MuromachiandTokugawa.ThecastlespresentedherewerebuiltjustpriortoandatthebeginningoftheTokugawashogunate.

Whooccupiedwhichcastleandwherewasdeterminedbythedaimyo’srelationshiptothesupremeleaderorshogun.OdaNobunagaawardedcastlesandterritoriestohisvassalsinrewardfortheirservicefrom1560untilhisdeathin1582.Hissuccessor,ToyotomiHideyoshi,didlikewise,butwithagreaternumberofterritoriallordsunderhiscontrolwhohadbeensubduedratherthanallied,hereshuffledhisterritoriestoremovepotentialrivalsfarfromthepoliticalcenterofKyoto.Forexample,hemovedTokugawaIeyasutothedistant,andmuchlargerHojoprovincesintheeastofJapan,andstationedhismosttrustedvassalsinthewestwheredissentwasmostlikelytooccur.AftertheBattleofSekigaharain1600,Tokugawaassignedterritoriesandcastlesaccordingtowhetheradaimyohadsupportedoropposedhim.Faithfuldaimyobecamefudai,entrustedwithlandincentralJapan.Althoughsmall,thesedomainswerestrategicallylocatedontheKantoplain,intheKinaidistrictorborderingapowerfulenemy’sterritory.Inall,therewereabout176fudailords,130ofwhomprovidedtheshogunatewithcouncilorsandseniorofficialsduringtheTokugawaera.

ThoselordswhohadnotsupportedTokugawaatSekigaharawereeitherstrippedoftheirlandorhadtheirholdingsseverelyreduced.Knownastozamadaimyo(outsidelords),theywereusuallyfromthewestornorthofJapan.HavingreceivedtheirdaimyostatusfromeitherOdaNobunagaorToyotomiHideyoshi,theywereconsidereduntrustworthyandwerethuspreventedfromoccupyingseniorpositionsintheshogunate.Therewere86tozamadaimyoin1600.

SamuraioftheChosuclaninspectamapduringtheBoshinWarinthe1860s.Westerninfluenceisevidentinthemilitaryuniformswornbythesamuraiattherear.Western

hairstyles,however,hadnotyetbeentakenup,withsamuraistillfavouringthetraditionaltopknotstyle.(WesternshipsarrivedinJapanin1853,markingthebeginningoftheendfor

the268yearsofmilitaryrulebytheTokugawashogunate.)

Besidesfudaiandtozamadomains,therewerealsoshimpandomainsrunbydaimyorelatedtotheTokugawathrougheitherbirthoradoption.Thesetrustworthylordsweregiventerritoriesclosesttotheshogunalterritory.SankedomainswereheldbydaimyobornintothethreehousesdirectlydescendedfromTokugawaIeyasu,whocouldprovidesuccessorstotheTokugawashogun.ThesedomainswereOwari,KiiandMito.Tenryo(heavenly)domainswereheldspecificallybytheshogunateandcomprised25percentofJapan.

Castlesrarelychangedhandsoncethepoliticalsituationstabilizedinthemid-seventeenthcentury.MostremainedwithinthesamefamilyuntiltheMeijiRestorationin1868.

Asamuraicarriedtwoswords(daisho).Thelargerone(katana)wasthestandardfightingsword,whiletheshortsword(wakizashi)wasusedforfightingatclosequarters,tobehead

adefeatedopponentortocommitritualsuicide(seppuku).Whilesamuraiarmorwasfunctional,helmetswereoftenindividualizedwithdesignssymbolizingspeedandagility,suchasthedragonflyorrabbit.Daimyooftenhadextravagantattachmentsontheirhelmets,suchasgildedhorns,antlersoragoldencrescentmoonor,likeToyotomi

Hideyoshi,ahugesunburstcrest.

VISITINGJAPAN’SFINESTCASTLES

W

KumamotoCastle1601–1607

ithitssheerstonewalls,originalbuildingsandextensivegrounds,KumamotoCastleisoneofJapan’smostimpressive.ErectedbytherenownedcastlebuilderKatoKiyomasa(1562–1611)between1601and1607,theimmensecastleoriginallycontained2maintowers(tenshu),49subsidiarytowers,18towergatesand29castlegates.Itcoveredanareaof242acres(98ha)andhadacircumferenceof6miles(9km).SitedonMtChausu,overlookingthetownofKumamoto,thecastlewasprotectedbyriverstothewestandsouth.

KatoKiyomasawasatrustedvassalandclosefriendofToyotomiHideyoshi.In1588,hewasawardedhalfofthewealthyHigodomainfollowingHideyoshi’ssubjugationofthepowerfulShimazuclanofKyushu.AfterToyotomiHideyoshi’sdeathin1598,KatosupportedTokugawaIeyasuattheBattleofSekigahara.ThiswasduetohishatredofIshidaMitsunari,wholedthewesternarmy,ratherthanloyaltytotheTokugawaside.Forhissupport,IeyasuneverthelessawardedKatotheotherhalfoftheprovinceofHigo,increasinghisrevenuefrom250,000to540,000koku.WiththepermissionofTokugawaIeyasu,Katobeganconstructionofacastlein1601.Onitscompletionin1607,thestrongholdandsurroundingtowntookthenameKumamoto.

Hohoatemon,themaingateofKumamotoCastle,isso-calledbecauseitresemblesasamurai’sfacialarmor(hahaote).ThegateframestheTenshuinthebackgroundjustasahahaoteframesa

samurai’sface.

Theheavytimberdooratthemainentrancetothemaintower(Daitenshu)hasbarsthroughwhichtoviewandshoot,andasmallsubsidiaryentranceenablingthedoortostayshutwhen

underthreat.

AlthoughKatoreceivedrewardsandfavorsfromtheTokugawashogunate,heremainedloyaltohisoldfriendToyotomiHideyoshi,vowingtoprotecthissonandheir,ToyotomiHideyori.AfterescortingHideyoritomeetIeyasuatNijoCastlein1611,Katobecamesuddenlyillanddiedofsuspectedpoisoning.Thedomainwaspassedtohisson,KatoTadahiro,afterwhichitwaspassedtotheHosokawaclan,in1632.ElevengenerationsoftheHosokawaclangovernedKumamotoforthenext239yearsuntiltheMeijiRestorationin1868.

LARGEANDSMALLCASTLETOWERS(DAITENSHUANDKOTENSHU)

Thesix-storymainTenshu(Daitenshu)isconnectedtoasmallerfour-storyTenshu(Kotenshu).Thefirstflooroverhangsthestonebase,allowingthefloorboardstobeliftedupandstonesthrowndownontoattackers.TheoriginalTenshuofKumamotoCastlewasdestroyedin1877

duringsamuraiuprisingsagainstthenewlyrestoredImperialgovernment.ThecurrentTenshuisa1960concretereconstruction.

ThelargeTenshurises96.8ft(29.5m)abovethestonebase.ThesmallTenshuis62ft(19m)high.ThelargeTenshuhasthreelayersontheexteriorandinsidearesixstoriesandabasement.Thefish-likeornament(shachihoko)ontheroofridgeis4ft(1.2m)high.ThesmallTenshuhastwolayersontheoutside,fourstoriesinsideandabasement.BothTenshuwerereconstructedin

concretein1960.

Niyonoishigaki(stonewalloftwostyles).Advancesinstonewallbuildingareevidentinthesetwowalls.Themoregentlyslopingwalltotherightdatesfromtheoriginalconstructionin1601.Thesteeper,morerefinedwallontheleftwasalaterextension.Castlebuildingtechniquesdevelopedrapidlyinthelatesixteenthandearlyseventeenthcenturyasdaimyoscrambledforterritory.

WhentheTokugawagainedcompletecontrolin1615afterToyotomiHideyorihadbeendeposed,newcastlebuildingvirtuallyceased.

Iidamarugokaiyagura,thefive-storytowerintheIidamaru(Iidaorenclosure),overlookstheBizenbori(Bizenmoat).NamedafterIidaKakubei,whowasinchargeofthetower’soriginal

construction,itwasreconstructedusingtraditionalmaterialsandmethodsin2005.TheIidamaruisoneofaseriesoflowerenclosuresthatmustbepassedthroughtoreachtheHonmaru(mainenclosure)wheretheTenshuarelocated.TheapproachtotheHonmaruissurroundedbysheerstonewalls,whichtwistandturninordertoblockanyviewsintothecastleinterior,designedto

confuseawould-beattacker.

In1877,disaffectedwarriorsledbytheSatsumaclanfromsouthernKyushu,rebelledagainstthenewImperialMeijigovernment.Thisincludeda50-daysiegeofKumamotoCastlebygovernmentforcesthatdrovethefamedwarlordSaigoTakamoriandhisforcesoutoftheprefecture.Thetwomaintenshuandmanytowersandgateswithinthecastlegroundswereburntdownduringthesiege.

TheentrancetotheDaitenshuandKotenshuisheavilyfortifiedwithshootingholes,stone-droppingwindowsandspikes.Thesmalldoorwaysloweddownanattackingarmy,giving

defendersampleopportunitytofire.

POINTSOFINTEREST

ThesheerstonewallsofKumamotoCastlearecalledMushagaeshi(‘repellingwarriors’)becauseoftheiracuteangleandstrength.

Stretching830ft(253m)inlength,theplasteredmudwallextendingalongthefrontoftheTsuboiRiveristhelongestcastlewallinJapan.NamedNagabei,meaning‘longwall’,itwasvitaltothedefenseofthecastle’ssouthernperimeter.

ThirteenoriginalbuildingsremainatKumamotoCastle:Utoyagura(yagurameanstowerorturret),Gokenyagura,Hiramon,Akazunomon,Kitajuhachikenyagura,Higashijuhachikenyagura,Gennoshinyagura,Yonkenyagura,Juyonkenyagura,Shichikenyagura,Tagoyagura,NagabeiandKenmotsuyagura.TheIidamaru,GokaiyaguraandHonmarugoten(palace)areauthenticreconstructions.

reconstructions.

Originallycompletedin1610byKatoKiyomasu,theHonmarugoten(palace)atKumamotoCastleconsistedofmultipleroomsusedbythelordforadministrativeandceremonialduties.Thepalaceincludedalivingroom,receptionroomandkitchen.Burntdownin1877duringtheSeinanCivil

War,25oftheoriginal53roomshavebeenrecentlyrestored.

ThelordreceivedguestsintherichlydecoratedShokun(receptionroom).WallmuralsongoldleafillustratetalesfromtheChineseImperialcourt,believedtobetheinfluenceofKatoKiyomasu.

Theceilingoflacqueredsquaresisdecoratedwithgoldleafandintricatepaintingsofvariousplants.Samuraiwerestationedbehindtherearpainteddoorstoprotectthelord.

TheHonmarupalacewasconstructedovertwostonewalls,creatingadarkbasementpassageknownasKuragariTsuro(‘passageofdarkness’).ThispassageisuniquetoKumamotoCastle.

Withintheextensivepark-likecastlegroundsare17oftheoriginal120wells,togetherwithlawnsandabout800cherrytrees.

TheOhiroma(mainhall)oftheHonmarugottenismadeupoffoursmalleradjoiningrooms:Tsuru,Ume,SakuraandKiri.Acorridor(engawa)fromTsuruhallleadstoWakamatsuhall,Shokunhall

andthesukiya-styletearoom.

KumamotoCastleissurroundedby850,000sqft(79,000sqm)ofenormous,sheerstonewalls.In2017,anearthquakedamagedabout30percentofthewallsandafurther10percentcompletelycollapsed.Torepairthem,numbersareallocatedtoeachstoneremovedsoitcanbereplacedinexactlythesamespot.Repairstothe400-year-oldwallswilltakeabout20years.Theconcrete

Tenshu(Inuiyagura)behind,reconstructedin1960,wasseverelydamagedinthesameearthquakeandwillalsoundergorestoration.

ThemultistoryUtoyagura,withtheKotenshuandDaitenshuinthebackground,datesbacktotheoriginalconstructionofKumamotoCastlein1601.Withfivestoriesandabasement,thesizeofthistowerisindicativeofthemassivescaleofKumamotoCastle,thisonetoweralonebeing

comparableinsizetothemaintower(tenshu)ofmanyothercastles.KumamotoCastleoriginallyhadmanymultistoryturretslikethisone.

HosokawaTadaokiwasoneofthefavouritedisciplesofthefamousJapaneseteamaster,SennoRikyu(1522–91).Afterretiring,TadaokirenamedhimselfSansaiSoryu.ThenameHosakawaSansaiiswidelyassociatedwithJapan’shistoricalteaculture.AreplicaofauniquelongtearoomisintheHonmarugoten.

teaculture.AreplicaofauniquelongtearoomisintheHonmarugoten.

DIRECTIONS

KumamotoCastleislocatedinthecenterofKumamotoCity,a15minutetramridefromJRKumamotoStation.TowalkfromKumamotoStationtakes30–40minutes.

Colorkeyonpage37

N

HimejiCastle1580,1601–1609,1617

icknamedtheWhiteEgret,HimejiCastlesoarsabovethetownofHimeji.Knowntodayforitsawe-inspiringsizeandninja-defyinglayout,thecastleonceheldthesignificantresponsibilityofguardingthegatewaybetweenthewesternandeasternprovincesofJapan.

LocatedontheSanyoHighway80miles(130km)westofKyoto,thestrategicimportanceofthissiteisreflectedinitsrichhistory.Firstusedasastrongholdin1333byAkamatsuNorimura,thegovernorofHarimaprovince,itwastakenbyKurodaShigetakaontheordersoftheKoderafamilyin1545.Kuroda’sson,Yoshitaka,alsoknownasKurodaKanbei,wasToyotomiHideyoshi’schiefmilitaryadvisor.HegavethefortressovertoHideyoshitouseashisbaseduringthecampaigntosubduethewesternwarlords(daimyo)from1577to1582.Hideyoshiraisedathree-storymaintower(tenshu)onthesitein1580.Hideyoshi’syoungerbrother,Hidenaga,ruledHimejiafterToyotomilefttocompletetheunificationofJapanfromhisbaseatOsakain1583.From1585KinsoshitaIesadaassumedcontrolofthedomain.

FollowingtheBattleofSekigaharain1600,thevictoriousTokugawaneededabasefromwhichtomonitorthewesterndaimyo.Mostlytozamadaimyo(outsidelordswhohadnotsupportedTokugawaIeyasuatSekigahara),thesedaimyowereconsidereduntrustworthyandwereneverallowedtoentertheinnercircleoftheTokugawagovernment.Itwasthetozamadaimyowhoultimatelyhelpedremovetheshogunatein1867andrestoretheemperorasrulerofJapan.

OneofelevenshachihokoontheroofridgesatHimejiCastle.Themythicalcreaturehastheheadofatigerandthebodyofafish.Theraisedtailsymbolizesthecreaturethrowingupwateras

‘protection’againstfire.

ThemagnificentTenshuofHimejiCastleisacomplexarrangementoffourtowersconnectedbycorridors.HimejiCastlewasoneofthelargestandmostheavilyfortifiedcastlesinJapanduring

theTokugawashogunateorEdoera(1603–1868).

IkedaTerumasa,ason-in-lawofTokugawaIeyasu,beganconstructionofanewcastlein1601.TheTokugawashogunateassistedbyorderingthewesterndaimyotosupporttheproject.TheirvastresourcesandtheuseofthelatestcastlebuildingtechniquesmadeHimejioneofthelargestandmostheavilyfortifiedcastlesinJapan.Onlythemostloyal,experiencedandhealthyretainerswerestationedatthecastle.Assuch,thelordofHimejicastlechangedfrequently,with31differentlordsinchargethroughouttheTokugawareignbetween1603and1868.

HondaTadamasasucceededtheIkedafamilyin1617.Hismajorengineeringworksincludedtheadditionofthewesternandthirdenclosures(NishinomaruandSannomaru).TheMatsudairaandSakakibaraclansfollowedtheHondasbeforeSakaiTadazumibecamelordofthecastlein1749.Sakai’sdescendantsremainedatHimejiCastleforthenext120yearsuntiltheMeijiRestoration.Remarkably,givenitslocation,thecastlewasneverattacked.

After1868Himejibecameamilitarycitywithinfantrystationedonthecastlegrounds.Barracksreplacedmanyoftheearlycastlebuildings.Theremainingbuildings,includingtheTenshu,survivedthebombingofthecity

remainingbuildings,includingtheTenshu,survivedthebombingofthecityduringWorldWarII.ThecastleisnowlistedasaUNESCOWorldCulturalHeritageSite.

POINTSOFINTEREST

HimejiCastlehasalargeTenshuconnectedtothreesmallerTenshubycorridorsthatformanenclosedcourtyard.ThisisthemostcomplexstyleofTenshuarrangement.ThelargeTenshuappearstohavefivestoriesexternallybutactuallycomprisessixstoriesandabasement.Twolargepillars(toshibashira),nearly3.3ft(1m)indiameter,reinforcethemainTenshu.Theyrise82ft(25m)metersfromthebasementtothebeamofthefifthfloor,greatlyincreasingthebuilding’sstrength.Foursupplementarypillarsextendfromthefourcornersofthebuildingforextrastability.

FirearmswerestoredonracksliningtheTenshu’sinternalwalls.Stone-droppingwindowswerebuiltintothe20in(50cm)-thickwalls.Samuraicouldwaitinwarriorhidingsites(mushakakushi)oneachcornerofthethirdfloorofthemainTenshutoambushintruders.Hiddenshootingholesalsolinedthewalls.Thecastlewasdesignedtobeself-sufficientduringasiege.Riceandsaltwerestoredinthebasement,whichalsocontainedawell,andinalongstorehousecalledtheKoshikuruwa,locatedbehindthemaintower.Thestorehouse’snortherlyaspecthelpedtokeepprovisionscool.Oneofthecastle’soriginal33wellswaslocatedinthisarea.Todayonly13wellsremain,thedeepestwitha98ft(30m)drop.

TheTenshurises151ft(46m)abovesealevel.ItsitsatopHimeyama,a69ft(21m)hillsurroundedbyanopenplain.HimejiCastleisfamousforitssophisticateddefensivelayout,whichleadsvisitorsonaconvolutedroutetotheinnerenclosure.Thecastleisencircledbythreespiralingmoats,withanouter,medialandinteriorenclosure.Withintheinteriorenclosure,theonlyoneextanttoday,areNishinomaru(westernenclosure),Sannomaru(thirdenclosure)andBizenmaru(innermostenclosure),acombinedareaof54acres(22ha).Theentireoriginalcastleoccupiedanareatentimesthatsize.ThelivingquartersoftheIkedalordswerelocatedintheBizenmaru,andfortheHondaclan,theSannomaru.

LEGENDSOFHIMEJICASTLEHimejiCastleisfullofstoriesofintrigue,betrayalandsacrifice.HerearethestoriesofOkiku,SenhimeandSakuraGenbei.

WHISPERSFROMOKIKU’SWELLIn1470,AoyamaTessan,achiefretainerofKoderaNorimoto,beganplottingagainsthislord.AnotherofKodera’sretainers,KinugasaMotonobu,grewsuspiciousandsenthisgirlfriendKikutospyonAoyama.Theplotwasfoiled.AoyamawasfuriousandfalselychargedherwithlosingoneoftenvaluabledishesfromtheAoyama’sfamilytreasure.Shewastorturedandherbodythrownintoawell.Fromthenon,everynighthersadvoicecouldbeheardcountingdishes.Somebelievedtherewasasecretpassagewayatthebottomofthewellleadingoutofthecastleandthestoryhadbeenconcoctedtopreventpeoplegoingnearthewell.Nopassage,however,haseverbeenfound.

THEMASTERCARPENTER’SDISTRESSSakuraGenbeiwasthemastercarpenterofHimejiCastle.Afterthemaintowerwascompleted,hebroughthiswifetothecastletoshowherhiswork.Unfortunately,sheobservedthatthetowerseemedtobeleaningslightlytothesoutheast.SodistressedwasSakurabyhispoorworkmanshipthatheclimbedtothetopofthetowerandleapttohisdeathwithachiselinhismouth.

SENHIMEPrincessSen(Senhime)wasthegranddaughterofTokugawaIeyasu.InapoliticalalliancebetweentheTokugawaandToyotomihousesin1600,shewasmarriedtoToyotomiHideyori(ToyotomiHideyoshi’sson)whenshewassixyearsold.AfterOsakaCastlefelltoanattackbyhergrandfather,Ieyasu,in1615,Hideyoricommittedritualsuicide(seppuku).IeyasupromisedSenhime’shandinmarriagetowhoeversavedherfromtheburningcastle.ShewasrescuedbutrefusedtomarryhersaviourbecauseshehadfalleninlovewithHondaTadatoki,ahandsomeyoungsamuraiwhomshemetshortlyafter.Herheartbrokenrescuercommittedsuicide.SenhimethenmarriedHondaandmovedtoHimejiCastlewheretheyhadason,Kochiyo,andadaughter,Katsuhime.Hersondiedwhenhewasthreeyearsold,andnotlongafterherhusbanddiedoftuberculosisattheageof31.Inhergrief,shebecameaBuddhistnunandreturnedtoEdowhereherbrotherIemitsu,thethirdshogun,presentedherwithabeautifulmansion.Shelivedthereuntilshewas70.HerdaughterKatsumarriedIkedaMitsumasa,theLordofOkayama,inBizenprovince.

TheNinomonisatwo-storytunnelgate(anamon).Thisgateslowedtheadvanceofanattackingarmybylimitingthenumberofsoldierswhocouldpassthroughthenarrow,darktunnel.

Defendingsoldiersinthetowerabovecouldpullupthefloorboardsandattackintruderspassingthrough.

TheHyakkenyaguraisa984ft(300m)-longcorridormadeupofaseriesofsmallrooms.Followingthecurveofthehill,itoverlookstheNishinomaru(westernenclosure)whereHondaTadatokiandhiswife,PrincessSenhime,livedintheirpalacecalledChushomaru.Princess

Senhime’smanymaids-in-waitinglivedintheHyakkenyagura.Theendroom(closest)wascalledtheKesshoyagura(cosmetictower).PrincessSenhimecameheretorestinprivate.

InsidetheHyakkenyagura.

LocatedonthenorthsideoftheSannomaru,theHishinomon(diamondgate)vetsaccesstotheNinomaru.Thetwo-storyYaguramon(towergate)hasornatebell-shapedwindows(katomado)

withgoldleafdecoration.

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Ofthe84originalgates,21remainatHimejiCastle.Theytakevariousforms,fromhighlydecoratedtwo-storytowergates,suchasHishinomon,toasmallopeninginastonewall(uzumimon).Otherkindsofgatesincluderidgepolegates(munemon),Koreangates(koraimon)andtunnelgates(anamon).TheyaregenerallynamedaccordingtotheJapanesealphabet:I,Ro,Ha,Niandsoforth.ThesixgatesnearthemainTenshuarecalledMizuichimon,Mizunimon(firstwatergate,secondwatergate,etc.).Assignedtasterswouldcheckthewaterforpoisoningeachtimetheypassed.SmallergatesclosetotheinnerenclosureandTenshusloweddownaninvadingarmy.Otherscouldbeblockedwithstones.

AsyouapproachthemainTenshu,thegatesbecomenarrower,lowerandhardertobreakthrough.VisitorshavetobenddowntoenterMizuichimon,thefirstwatergate,andMizunimon

through.VisitorshavetobenddowntoenterMizuichimon,thefirstwatergate,andMizunimon(shownhere),thesecondwatergate.ThesmallRumongate(above)couldbefilledinwithrocks

toblocktheenemy.

ThesmallRumongatecouldbefilledinwithrockstoblocktheenemy.

TheTenshuwasusedasalookout,asalastlineofdefenceandasaplaceto

TheTenshuwasusedasalookout,asalastlineofdefenceandasaplacetostoreweaponsandprovisions.Wallswerelinedwithrackstoholdguns,whilegunpowderandfuseswerehunginbagsoutofreachhighuponthewallsonbamboohooks.Whenneeded,astringwaspulled,breakingthebamboohook.

ABURAKABE(OILWALL)ItisbelievedthatToyotomiHideyoshibuiltthiswallin1580.Composedofamixtureofmountainsoil,peagravel,ricewashingwaterandriceporridge,theAburakabewallisashardasconcrete.

FAMILYCRESTSATHIMEJICASTLEEightdifferentfamilycrestscanbeseenontheendtilesatHimejiCastle,revealingthemanychangesinlordsoverthecastle’shistory.

Cross

KurodaYoshitaka(Kanbei),1567.HighlyintelligentandaChristian,hewasToyotomiHideyoshi’smilitaryadvisor.HeturnedthecastleovertoHideyoshiduringtheWesterncampaignof1577–82.

Five–ThreePaulowniaLeaf

Toyotomi,1580.Hashiba(Toyotomi)Hideyoshibuiltathree-storytenshuonHimeyama,whichwascompletedin1582.FromherehelaunchedthecampaignagainstTottoriCastleandthewatersiegeofTakamatsuCastle.

DuringtheTokugawaperiod(1603–1868),31lordsweresenttoHimejiCastle.Theimportanceofthislocationasagatewaybetweentheeasternandwesternprovincesmeantthatifalordwassicklyortooyoung,theshogunreplacedhimimmediately.MostofthedaimyowhohadbeenontheToyotomisideattheBattleofSekigaharain1600,andwerethusoutsidelords,livedinthewesternprovinces,sowerenevertrustedbytheTokugawashogunateandhadtobecloselywatched.

ButterflyWithRaisedWings

Ikeda,1600.AftertheBattleofSekigaharain1600,TokugawaIeyasuplacedIkedaTerumasaatHimejiCastlewithanincomeof980,000koku.AlthoughIkedahadinitiallybeenantagonistictowardTokugawaIeyasu,beingalliedtoOdaNobunagaandToyotomiHideyoshi,hemarriedIeyasu’sseconddaughterontheordersofToyotomiHideyoshitocementpoliticalandmilitaryalliances.HewaspopularlyknownasthecommanderofwesternJapan.Ikedarebuiltandenlargedthecastlefrom1601to1609usingthelatesttechnologyandassistedbythewesterndaimyo,asrequiredbytheshogun.After18years,however,hisheir,Mitsumasa,wastransferredtoTottori.

StandingHollyhockTrefoil

HondaTadamasa,1617.HewasaprinciplesupporteroftheTokugawafamilyandthesonofTakakatsu,whowasagreatfriendofTokugawaIeyasu.HondawasappointedtocommandthewesternregionofJapan.Heundertookextensivecivilengineeringprojects,addingthethirdenclosure(Sannomaru)andwesternenclosure(Nishinomaru),expandingthecastleitselfanddredgingtheSenbaRivertoconnectthecastletonearbyShikamabyboat.HissonTadatokimarriedSenhime(PrincessSen),TokugawaIeyasu’sgranddaughter,whohadbeenmarriedtoToyotomiHideyoriwhenshewassix.

WaterPlantain

MatsudairaTadaaki,1639.TheadoptedheirbyhisgrandfatherTokugawaIeyasu,hediedatthecastleafteronlyfiveyears.Hisheir,Tadahiro,wasfoundtobeanunderachieverandconsequentlywastransferredtoYamagatainnortheastJapan.

ThreeTomoe,Whorls

MatsudairaNaomoto,1648.GrandsonofIeyasuandfourthsonofthesecondshogun,Hidetada,hewastransferredfromYamagatatoEdoCastlebutfellillanddiedbeforeassuminghispostatHimejiCastle.

GenjiWheel

SakakibaraTadatsugu,1649.Hecarriedoutextensiverepairsonthecastlein1657.

SpearPointsAroundWoodSorrell

SakaiTadazumi,1747.TheSakaifamilyremainedatHimejifor120years.

SUBSTITUTESTONES

BuildingstoneswerescarcewhenToyotomiHideyoshibuilttheoriginalthree-storyTenshuatHimejiin1580.Manyweredonatedorappropriated,suchaslanternbasesfromtemples,stonecoffinsandeventhemillstonefromanoldlocalwoman.AlanternbasecanbeseenattheHamon.AmillstoneisvisibleneartheentrancetotheKoshikuruwaandastonecoffinnowsitsattheBizenmon.

DIRECTIONS

Thecastleisa15minutewalkfromthenorthexitofJRHimejiStationora5minutebusride.

H

HikoneCastle1602–1622

ikoneCastlewasestablishedontheroutebetweenEdoandKyotoinordertomonitortheToyotomifamilyinOsakaandtheirsupportersinthewestofJapan.OmiprovincehadbeenthedomainofIshidaMitsunari,wholedtheToyotomiloyalistsattheBattleofSekigaharain1600againsttheTokugawa.AfterIshida’sdefeat,hiscastleatSawayamawasdestroyedandtheprovinceawardedtooneofTokugawaIeyasu’smosttrustedandinfluentialgenerals,IiNaomasa.IiNaomasaledtheRedDevils,acorpsoffiercewarriorswhoworeredlacqueredarmorandcarriedredbannersintobattle.

Iidiedofbattlewoundsin1601beforehecouldbeginconstructionofacastleonthenearbysiteofHikone.HissonNaokatsubegantheprojectin1602,assistedbytheMinisterofConstructionand12lordsonordersfromtheTokugawashogunate.Taking20yearstocomplete,thecastleofferedexcellentdefensiveandoffensivecapabilitiesbut,fortunately,wasneverattacked.Beforelong,Naomasa’ssonNaokatsuprovedhimselftobeincompetentandwasreplacedbyhisillegitimatebrother,Naotaka.NaotakasuccessfullyledtheIicontingentintobattleatthesiegeofOsakaCastlein1614.Asaresult,heinheritedHikoneCastleanditssurroundingprovincewithanannualincomeof350,000koku.FourteenlordsfromtheIiclansubsequentlyruledHikoneforthenext260years.TheheadoftheIiclanheldtheimportantpostofTairo,greatcouncillortotheTokugawashogun,throughouttheEdoera.

ThesmallbutbeautifullyproportionedTenshuisover400yearsold.Cuspedgables,bell-shapedwindowsandthecontrastingcolorsofwhiteplaster,blacktimberandgoldleafmakethisoneof

themoststunningoriginalTenshuinJapantoday.

TheTenbinyagura(balancingscaletower)atHikoneCastleprotectedthesoutheastsideofthe

castle.Toapproachthecastle,itisnecessarytoturn180degreesunderthewoodenbridge,thenmakeanother180degreeturntoapproachtheTenbinyagura.Castledefenderscouldfiredownonintrudersfromtheirelevatedpositionsoverlookingtheapproach.Thewoodenbridgecouldalsobedemolished,cuttingoffaccesstotheinnerenclosure.Thestonebaseontheright-handsideoftheTenbinyaguraisinthegobozumistyleofpiling.TheleftwasreconstructedintheEdoeraandisintheuchikomihagistyle.TheTenbinyagurawasoriginallytheOtemon(maingate)ofToyotomiHideyoshi’sNagahamaCastleandwastransferredherearound1603.Itistheonly

exampleofagateofthisshapeinJapan.

Alongwithkeepingintrudersout,gatesproclaimedtheimportanceofthelord.Unsightlynailheadswerecoveredwithnailcoverings(kugi-kakushi)intheshapeofflowers,spears,circlesordiamonds.BehindthisdoortotheTenbinyaguratower,thedrystonewallrevealshowthewallwasconstructed.Chiselsmarkonthelargestonesshowthemethodusedtosplitstones.Gapsbetweenthelargestoneswerefilledwithsmallpebblesthatcouldberemovedandusedas

missilesintheeventofaninvasion.

TheNishinomarusanjuyagura,thethree-storytowerinthewesternenclosure,protectedthe

TheNishinomarusanjuyagura,thethree-storytowerinthewesternenclosure,protectedthewesternsideofthecastle.ThepathleadstotheKuromon.

POINTSOFINTEREST

HikoneCastlehasanumberoforiginalbuildingswithinitsextensivegrounds,manyofwhichareuniqueamongJapanesecastlestoday:theUmaya(horsestables),theTenbinyagura(balancinggate),theadjacentGenkyuengardenwithresidencesandateahouse,andtheUmoreginoya(lodge).IiNaosuke,the13thlordoftheHikoneclan,studiedmartialarts,poetryandteaceremonyatthelodgebeforeenteringthegovernmentatEdo.

Thethree-levelTenshuintheHonmarucombinesskilfullygabledroofs(kirizumahafu),half-hippedroofs(irimoyahafu)andcuspedgables(karahafu).Blackcuspedwindows(katomado)andpushoutwindows(renjimado)contrastdramaticallywiththewhiteplasteredwalls,golddecorationandgrayrooftiles.TheTenshu,originallyconstructedatOtsuin1575,wasmovedtoHikonein1602.Itisanolderborogatastyleofkeephousingawatchtoweronthetopfloor.Insteadofahugecentralpillar(toshibashira)runningfromthebasementtothetopofthestructure,whichisusualinmultilevelJapanesebuildings,eachsuccessiveflooroftheTenshuwasanindependentaddition.

Fourhiddenrooms(kakushibeya)arefoundwithintheTenshuundertheprojectingroofgablesontheeastandwestsideofthesecondfloor,andonthenorthandsouthsideofthethirdfloor.Eachroomislargeenoughtofitfivepeople.Hiddenshootingholes(tepposama)linethewallsoftheTenshu.Plasteredoverontheoutside,theycouldbeeasilypiercedintheeventofanattack.Insidetheyappearaswoodenapertures,eithersquareortriangularinshape.ThenorthsideoftheTenshuhasadoublewallfilledwithstones,makingitbulletproof.EntrytotheTenshuisthroughtheadjoiningsingle-storyTamonyagura.

TheJihosho(time-keepingbell)wasoriginallylocatedinthelowerKanenomaru.ItwasmovedhigheruptotheentrancetotheHonmarubythe12thlord,IiNaoaki,inorderthatitssoundwould

reachtheentirecastletown.Itisstillrungfivetimesaday.

AviewofthelakeintheGenkyuenfromtheHoshodai(guesthouse).TheIilordsofHikoneentertainedtheirmostdistinguishedguestshere.

TheRakurakenisbuiltinthegoten(palace)style.Itisaone-storybuildingwithlargeslidingscreenswhichcanbeopenedorremovedtoenjoythesurroundinggardens.

ThegroundsofHikoneareextensive,coveringaround62acres(25ha).Moatssurroundtheentiresite,withenclosuresseparatedbythemiddleandinnermoats.Theoriginalgardenandotherextantbuildingsoutsidetheoutermoatprovideanideaofthecastlecomplexasitexistedintheseventeenthcentury.

TheapexoftheroofoftheUmaya(stable).Adozenhorsesbelongingtosuccessivelordsofthe

TheapexoftheroofoftheUmaya(stable).AdozenhorsesbelongingtosuccessivelordsoftheHikoneclanwerekepthere.AnImportantCulturalAsset,itistheonlyextantstablewithincastles

groundsinJapan.

TheplasteredapexoftheNinomarusawaguchitamonyagura,whichprotectstheentrancetotheNishinomaru.Plasteringthetimberbuildingsaffordedgreaterprotectionagainstfire.

Theoriginaltimberbeamsinsidethe400-year-oldTenshu.

Situatedatthefootoftheinnercastlegrounds,theGenkyuengardenwasconstructedin1677.Landscapedaroundalargepond,thegardenisbelievedtobemodeledonthedetachedpalaceofEmperorGensooftheTangdynastyinancientChina.TreesandrocksimitatingtheEight

ViewsoftheOmiregion,ChikubuIslandandtheWhiteRocksofOkiareartfullyarrangedinthegarden.SuccessivegenerationsofIiLordsentertainedguestsintheHoshodaibesidethelake.

DIRECTIONS

A15minutewalkupthemainroadnorthwestofHikoneStation.Fiveminutesbytaxi.

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N

NijoCastle1602

ijoCastlewasbuiltbyTokugawaIeyasuin1602.AfterhisvictoryattheBattleofSekigaharain1600,IeyasuneededtosendaclearmessagetotheemperorandwarlordsthroughoutJapanthattheTokugawahadtakenoverfromtheToyotomiasthemostpowerfuldaimyo.AllwesterndaimyowereorderedtoassistinconstructionasretributionforopposingtheTokugawaattheBattleofSekigahara.Thisstrategydepletedtheirresources,therebylimitingtheirabilitytorebelagainstthenewTokugawashogunate.OncompletionofthesumptuousNinomaruPalacein1603,Ieyasuentertainedroyalcourtiersandfeudallordsoverthreedaysincelebrationofhisinstallationasshogun.NijoCastlewassubsequentlyusedasabasefortheshoshidai,theTokugawashogunate’sgovernorofKyoto,whosemainrolewastomonitortheactivitiesoftheemperorandhiscourt.

SeveralsignificanteventstookplaceatNijoCastleduringtheTokugawareignfrom1603to1868.In1611,18-year-oldToyotomiHideyori,accompaniedbyKatoKiyomasafromKumamoto,wasfatefullyinterviewedbyTokugawaIeyasu.Unfortunately,Hideyori’sintellectandcompetenceswereconsideredapotentialthreattothestabilityofthenewTokugawashogunate.IeyasuthussetouttodestroyHideyoriandtheToyotomiline.ThishedidbybesiegingOsakaCastlein1614and1615,usingNijoCastleashisheadquarters.Hideyori’sally,KatoKiyomasa,meanwhile,haddiedsuddenlyofsuspectedpoisoninguponhisreturnfromNijoCastle.

ThefrontgateofNijoCastle,calledHigashiotemon,isatwo-storygatehousesetintoastonewall.Theenormoustimbergateisreinforcedwithiron.TotheleftistheBansho(guardhouse)builtin

1608.Some50guardswerestationedhereatatimebetweentheyears1634and1863.

Over400yearsold,theNinomarugoten(1603–26)isarareextantexampleofashoin-stylepalaceoftheearlyEdoera.Comprisingaseriesoffivelinkedbuildings—Tozamurai,Shikidai,Ohiroma,KuroshoinandShiroshoin—thepalacepresidesoverapondandrockgarden.The

preciousinteriorpaintingsarebyartistsofthefamousEdoeraKanoSchool.

In1626,NijoCastlewasrenovatedanditsgroundsextended.Theinnermost

In1626,NijoCastlewasrenovatedanditsgroundsextended.Theinnermostenclosure,Honmaru,wasadded,moreresidentialbuildingswereerectedandthefive-storyTenshufromFushimiCastlewasrelocatedtothesouthwestcorneroftheHonmaru.TheserenovationswereundertakeninpreparationforavisitfromEmperorGomizuno-o,whostayedforfivedaysandwaslavishlyentertainedbytheretiredShogunHidetadaandhisson,thethirdshogun,Iemitsu.Onceagain,thisintensebuildingprogramandelaboratefestivitiesservedtodisplaythemightoftheTokugawashogunate.

In1634,ShogunTokugawaIemitsuledaforceof300,000mentoKyotoinashowofmilitarymighttotheImperialcourtandthedaimyoofwesternJapan.ThiswasthelastvisitofanyshoguntotheImperialcourtuntiltheMeijiRestoration.In1750,thecastle’sTenshuwasstruckbylightninganddestroyed.AnewtowerwasdeemedunnecessaryandsotheTenshuremainedinruins.TheHonmarupalacesweredestroyedinKyoto’sGreatFireof1788.

In1867,inresponsetotheImperialcourtandseveralsoutherndaimyo,the15th-generationShogunTokugawaYoshinobuassembledallfeudallordsinNijoCastle’sOhiromatowitnesshisdeclarationoftherestorationofImperialrule.Thefollowingyear,EmperorMeijivisitedNijoCastlewhereheorderedthesubjugationofthebakufu(shogunalgovernment)atanassemblyheldintheShiroshoin.TheTokugawafamilyweredeclaredcriminals.NijoCastlewasthereforethesiteofthebeginningandtheendoftheTokugawareign.

TheNinomarugotenKaramonwastakenfromFushimiCastleintheearlyseventeenthcentury.ItselaboratedecorationistypicalofthestyleoftheAzuchi-Momoyamaera(1576–1600).Duringrenovationsin2013,workersdiscoveredametalImperialchrysanthemumemblemcoveringan

earlierhollyhockcrestoftheTokugawa,indicatinganattempttoerasetracesofformerownership.

SuperbcraftsmanshipandattentiontodetailatNijoCastlerevealtheTokugawa’sintentiontoimpressasmuchastocreateastronghold.

TheImperialcourtrequisitionedthebuildingsandgroundsin1872.JurisdictionoverthecastlewastransferredtotheKyotoPrefecturalOffice.In1885,thesitewasrenamedtheNijoDetachedPalace,withresponsibilityforthesitepassingtotheImperialHouseholdDepartment.TheoldpalaceoftheKatsuraImperialfamilywasrelocatedfromtheKyotoImperialPalacetotheHonmaruwhereitcanbeseentoday.In1939,thesitewasdonatedtoKyotoCity,andin1994UNESCOregistereditasaWorldCulturalHeritageSite.

TheformerKatsuranomiyaPalace,builtin1847,wasremovedfromitsoriginalsiteandrebuiltintheHonmaruin1893.TheoriginalpalaceonthissitecamefromFushimiCastlein1626butwas

destroyedbyfirein1788.

Thewhiteplasteredmudwalloriginallyextendedfromthecornertowersaroundtheperimeterofthecastlegrounds.Stone-droppingwindowsandshootingholeswerelocatedatstrategicpoints.

ViewoftheUchibori(innermoat)andNishibashi(westbridge)fromthe49ft(15m)-highTenshubaseintheHonmaru.Thefive-storyTenshuwasrelocatedfromFushimiCastlein1626.Itwas

neverrebuiltafterbeingstruckbylightningin1750anddestroyed.

TheNinomarugardenisconceivedaroundalargepondborderedbyvarioussizedstones.Inthepond’scenterarethreeislands:Horaijima(IslandofEternalHappiness),Tsurujima(Crane

Island),andKamejima(TurtleIsland).ThedesignofthegardenisattributedtothefamousteamasterandlandscapedesignerKoboriEnshu.TheKuroshoinoftheNinomarugotenisonthe

right.

POINTSOFINTEREST

TherearenumerousImportantCulturalPropertieswithinthe69acre(28ha)NijoCastlesite:theNinomarugotenkaramon(gatetothesecondenclosure),

NijoCastlesite:theNinomarugotenkaramon(gatetothesecondenclosure),Tsujibei(longearthernwall),Daidokoro(kitchen),Higashiotemon(easternfrontgate),Ninomarutonansumiyagura(southeastcornerturret),Ninomaruseinansumiyagura(southwestcornerturret)Ninomarudozo(storehouse),Honmarugoten(innerenclosurepalace)andNinomarukitaotemon(northgate).

TheNinomarugotenisanimportantsurvivingexampleofthelavishAzuchi-Momoyamastyle.Thepalaceconsistsoffivelinkedbuildings,staggeredtoaffordaviewovertheNinomarugardenandcentralpond,designedbythefamousteamasterandlandscapedesignerKoboriEnshu(1579–1647).Constructedofcypress(hinoki),thepalacecomprises33roomsandcoversanareaof800tatamimats.TheinteriorholdsmanypreciousexamplesoffineartfromtheAzuchi-Momoyamaera.Slidingdoorsandwallsarecoveredingoldleafanddepictionsoftigers,leopards,bamboo,pinetrees,heronsandflorahavebeenpaintedbyartistsoftheKanoSchool.Ornatetransomscarvedoutofmassivecypressblockshangabovetheslidingdoors.

ThewoodenfloorsfromtheentranceoftheNinomarugotentotheOhiroma(grandchambers)‘squeak’whenwalkedon.Thebird-likesoundoftheUguisubari(‘Nightingalefloor’)providesawarningtotheoccupantsofintrudersenteringthecomplex.

TimbersupportsintheplasteredmudwallthatsurroundsNijoCastle.

TheornatedecorationintheceilingoftheKaramonistypicaloftheostentatiousMomoyamaperiod,namedafterToyotomiHideyoshi’sFushimiCastleatMomoyama.

DIRECTIONS

BusNo.9,50or101fromJRKyotoStationtoNijojomaebusstop(15minutes).

SubwayTozaiLinetoNijojomaeStation(10minutes).

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T

OsakaCastle1583

helocationofOsakaCastlehasmadeitoneofthemostcontestedsitesinJapanesehistory.Meaning‘greatslope,’theraisedgroundofOsakaissurroundedbyriverstothenorthandeastandbytheseatothewest,makingitdifficulttosiegeyeteasytodefend.LocatedincentralJapan,OsakawasclosetotheImperialcapitalofKyotoandaccessibletoboththewesternandnorthernprovinces.

OsakawasinitiallythesiteoftheIshiyamaHonganji,atemplebelongingtotheJodoShinsho(PureLand)Buddhistsect.ThesepowerfulmilitantmonksstoodinthewayofOdaNobunaga’squesttounifyJapaninthemid-sixteenthcentury.Afteryearsofunsuccessfullytryingtoejectthem,anagreementwasreachedin1580withtheaidoftheImperialcourt.IkedaShonyu,oneofNobunaga’svassals,thenoccupiedthesite.

ToyotomiHideyoshibecameJapan’smostpowerfulwarlordfollowingNobunaga’sdeathin1582.HechoseOsakaasthesitetobuildhiscastle.Usingtheresourcesofthedaimyonowunderhiscontrol,ToyotomibuiltacastletorivalOda’srevolutionaryAzuchiCastleinscale,strengthandopulence.Constructionbeganin1583,withtheworklastingfiveyears.Approximately100,000laborersdrawnfromeveryprovinceworkeddayandnightonthecastle.Some60,000mentoiledforthreemonthstodigtheinnerandoutermoats,about1.8miles(3km)and5miles(8km)inlength,respectively,andupto23ft(7m)deepand295ft(90m)wide.Timberfortheenormousprojectwashauledfrom28provinces.

OsakaCastle’sfan-shapedstonewallsrisemorethan65.6ft(20m)abovethemoats.Thecastlegroundsarelaidoutinthedoshinenstyle,wherbytheHonmaru(innerenclosure)issurroundedbyaninnermoat,withanoutermoatsurroundingtheouterenclosures.Themainentrancetothecastle(atleft)leadstoamasugatamon(box-shapedgate).Asmallkoraimon(post-and-beamgate)allowsaccesstoalargecourtyard,surroundedontwosideswithalongtowerfromwhichsoldierswerestationed.Uponenteringthekoraimon,itwasnecessarytoturnlefttogothrough

theyaguramon(towergate)togainaccesstotheNishinomaru(westernenclosure).

ToyotomiHideyoshidiedin1598,leavinghisfive-year-oldheir,Hideyori,inthecareoffiveregents.Oneofthesemen,MaedaToshiie,movedtoOsakaasHideyori’sguardianandthegovernorofthecastle.However,whenMaedadiedthefollowingyear,theremainingfourregentsprovedunabletogoverntogether,resultinginashowdownatSekigaharain1600.ThisbattlebetweendaimyoloyaltoToyotomiHideyoshi(thewesternor‘loyalist’forces)andtheeasternarmyledbyTokugawaIeyasu,waswonbytheTokugawaside,givingTokugawaabsolutecontroloverthedaimyo.HideyoriremainedatOsakaCastleandIeyasugavehimtheprovincesofSettsu,KawachiandIzumiwithanannualrevenuetotaling650,000koku.TofurtherdisplayhisallegiancetoHideyori,thenewlyappointedShogunTokugawaIeyasupromisedthehandofhissix-year-oldgranddaughterinmarriage.

Theeight-storyTenshuofOsakaCastleislocatedintheHonmaru.

HugestonesflanktheOteguchi(mainentrance)asawaytoimpressvisitorstothecastle.

AlthoughtheTokugawashogunatespentthenext12yearsconsolidatingtheirpowerbyreshufflingdaimyoterritories,issuingstrictlawsformilitaryhousesanddepletingtheirenemies’resourcesthroughbuildingcampaigns,thethreatofToyotomiloyalistsraisinganarmyagainsttheTokugawashogunateremainedwhilstHideyoriwasalive.OnthepretextofbeinginsultedbythewordingonabellHideyorihadcastin1614,IeyasulaidsiegetoOsakaCastleinthewinterof1614–15.Manyoftheoutermoatswerefilledinanddefensesdestroyed.TheTokugawaforcesreturnedinthefollowingsummerof1615.ThistimeOsakaCastlewasrazedandHideyoriandhismother,Yodogimi,

committedritualsuicide.OsakaCastlewasnowinthehandsoftheTokugawashogunate.In

recognitionofitsstrategicimportance,Ieyasu’sson,ShogunTokugawaHidetada,beganreconstructionin1620.Sixty-fourtozama(outsidelords)fromwesternandnorthernJapanwerecalledupontoassistinthebuildingbetween1620and1629.OsakaCastleremainedinTokugawahandsuntiltheMeijiRestoration.UndertheMeijigovernment,thecastlebecamepartoftheOsakaArmyArsenal,manufacturingguns,ammunitionandexplosivesfortheJapanesearmy.DuringWorldWarII,itwasoneoftheImperialJapaneseArmy’slargestarmories.

TheSenganyaguraprotectedtheOteguchi(mainentrance)ofthecastle.Builtin1620,thistwo-storytowerisoneoftheoldestbuildingsatOsakaCastle.TheNishisotobori(westoutermoat)is

intheforeground.

TheInuiyagura(northwesttower)istheoldesttoweratOsakaCastle.Itisunusualasthefirstandsecondstoriesareofequalsize.Thestone-droppingwindowshangoverthestonewalltoenabledefenderstodropmissilesontoattackersscalingthewallbelow.Windowshutterswerecovered

inplastertominimizeflammabilityintheeventofanattack.

POINTSOFINTEREST

Thevastgrounds,majesticfan-shapedstonewallsandextensivemoatsallheraldtheimportanceofOsakaCastle.Enclosuresarelaidoutasconcentricringsdelineatedbywetanddrymoats.Thewetoutermoatisdividedbyfourrampsprovidingaccesstotheinnerenclosures.Eachramphasafortifiedgatehouseontheinnerside.Drymoatswereexcavatednearimportantgates,suchastheSakuramon,topreventenemyboatsfromdrawingcloseduringanattack.Thenearbyriverswereusedtofillthewetmoats.Thislayoutisuncommonsinceextensiveearthworkswereneededtocreatetheringofmoats.However,sincethecastlebelongedtothesuprememilitaryleader,anabundantworkforcewas

readilyavailable.BothToyotomiHideyoshiandTokugawaHidetadaexploitedtheresourcesofdaimyoundertheircontrolin1583and1620,respectively.Contributionsbythesedaimyoaremarkedbyfamilycrestinscriptionsonthestonewalls,manyofwhichcanbeseenintheKakushikuruwaintheYamazatomaru.Somedaimyocontributedenormousstones,whichwereemplacedatimportantentrances.ThelargeststoneatOsakaCastle,measuring640sqft(60sqm),issituateddirectlythroughtheSakuramon,thegatewayintotheHonmaru.CalledtheTakoishi(octopusstone),itwaspositionedherebyOkayamadaimyoIkedaTadao.IkedawasalsoresponsibleforthehugestonespositionedattheKyobashiguchi(entrance):theHigoishi,withasurfaceareaof580sqft(54sqm),andtheKyobashiguchi-nibanishi,withanareaof387sqft(36sqm).

ThecorneroftheTenshubaseispreciselycutinthesangizumi(zipper)style.Stone-droppingwindowsprotectthevulnerablecornersofthebase,theeasiestpartofthewallstoscale.

Thisstyleofsemicircularplasterandstoneshootingholeisrarelyseenatothercastles.

Astoneandtimbershootinghole.Thesemicircleatthetopandthefunnel-shapedstoneopeningenabledsoldierstotakeaimatinvaders.

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ThecurrentTenshuisa1931concretereplicaofToyotomiHideyoshi’soriginalkeep,burntdownintheSiegeofOsakain1615.Itsdesignwascopiedfromscreenpaintings.Thesehistoricdepictions,however,showtheTenshuasblack,whereasthereconstructioniswhite.ThecurrentTenshuhaseightfloorsandhousesamuseumonthehistoryofOsakaCastle.Itsitsatopanimpressivebaseofperfectlycutandalignedrocksinthekirikomihagistyleofstonepiling.TokugawaHidetada’sTenshuwasadifferentdesignandwaslocatedelsewhereintheHonmaru.Thiskeepwasdestroyedin1868byTokugawatroopsretreatingfromImperialforces.

AviewoftheInuiyagura(northwesttower),OsakaCastle’soldesttower.Thecornerofitsfan-shapedstonebaseispreciselycutinthesangizumi(zipper)style.

AroundplasteredshootingholelooksdowntheapproachtotheOtemon.

TheKakushikuruwawasanareainthecastlewheresoldierscouldhidefromenemies.Thisenclosurehadonlyonenarrowexit,makingitdifficulttosee.Manycrestsofdaimyochargedwith

buildingthecastleareinscribedonstonesinthewallshere.

Themostcommontypeofdrystonewall,uchikomihagi(roughcutpiling).

ThirteenstructuresatOsakaCastlearedesignatedImportantCulturalAssets:IchibanyaguraandRokubanyagura(1628),theKinzostorehouse(1751),InuiyaguraonthewestoutermoatandSenganyagura(1620),theOtemon,Sakuramon,Tamonyagura,Kinmeisuiwellandanumberofsectionsofthecastlewallsaroundthefrontgate(Otemon).

ThereconstructedTenshuatOsakaCastlehaseightstories,isintheindependentstyleandhas

ThereconstructedTenshuatOsakaCastlehaseightstories,isintheindependentstyleandhasawatchtoweronitsuppermoststory.Thedesignofthis1931concretereconstructionwastaken

fromhistoricscreenpaintingsofToyotomiHideyoshi’soriginalblackkeep.

DIRECTIONS

TherearenumerouswaystogettoOsakaCastle:viathesubway,gettingoffateitherTemmabashiStation,TanimachiStation,MorinomiyaStationorOsakaBusinessParkStation;viatheJRtrainline,gettingoffatMorinomiyaStation,OsakajokoenStationorOsakajoKitazumeStation;viathecitybus,gettingoffatOtemae;viaKeihan,TemmabashiStationandtheAqualiner,gettingoffatOsakajoharbor.EntrytoOsakaCastleparkisfree,withachargetoenterthemuseum.

K

KanazawaCastle1583–1599

anazawaCastlewastheseatofthepowerfulMaedafamilyfrom1583untiltheMeijiRestorationin1868.Withanannualincomeofnearly1,200,000koku,theMaedawerethewealthiestdaimyoaftertheTokugawashogun.TheirinfluencespreadwithseparatefamilybranchesinstalledatToyamaandDaishoji.

KanazawaCastleisprotectedbyriverstotheeastandwest,theSeaofJapantothenorthandtheHakusanmountainstothesouth.Theelevatedsitewasfirstoccupiedin1546bymilitantBuddhistsoftheKyotoHonganjisect.TheirteachingsofIkko-shu,the‘single-mindedreligion,’appealedtomanylocalfarmerswhojoinedthefaith.OdaNobunaga’sarmydefeatedthesemilitantBuddhistmonksin1580afterwhichhisvassal,SakumaMorimasa,erectedacastleonthesite.FollowingOda’sdeathin1582,ToyotomiHideyoshiassumedcontrolofJapanandgaveKanazawacityandpartofIshikawatohisfriendMaedaToshiieinrewardforloyalservice.MaedaenteredthecityofKanazawain1583.

MaedaToshiiewasafiercewarriorknownasYarinoMataza(MatazatheSpearman).HeworkedhiswayupfrombeingOdaNobunaga’spageboyat13,withanincomeof125koku,tobecomeoneofthewealthiestandmostpowerfuldaimyo,withanannualincomeofnearly1,000,000kokuby1599.AlthoughaloyalfriendandallyofToyotomiHideyoshi,hewascarefulnottotakesidesandestablishedanalliancewithTokugawaIeyasubyengaginghisthree-year-oldson,Toshitsune,toIeyasu’sfive-year-oldgranddaughterin1595.Duringthenextsixgenerations,bothfamiliescontinuedtointermarry,withthetwelfth,thirteenthandfourteenthTokugawashogunsdescendantsoftheMaedaclan.

MaedaToshiiewasoneofthefiveregentschargedwithgoverningthecountryinthenameofToyotomiHideyoshi’sson,Hideyori,in1598.However,Toshiiediedthefollowingyear.AftertheBattleofSekigaharain1600,Toshiie’swife,MaedaMatsu,assuredthesafetyoftheMaedaclanbyvoluntarilygoingtoEdoasahostageoftheTokugawa.Toshiie’sheir,

Toshinaga,cleverlysidedwithTokugawaIeyasuagainstUesugiKagekatsuinthemonthsleadinguptothebattle.ForthishewasgiventhefieftakenfromhisbrotherToshimasawhohadfoughtwiththelosingToyotomiloyalists.ToshinagabecamethewealthiestdaimyoafterIeyasu,withanannualincomeof1,195,000koku.HeretiredtoToyamaCastlein1605andwassucceededbyanotherbrother,Toshitsune.

Ishikawamonisoneofthreebarbican-stylegatesatKanazawaCastle.Thisheavilyfortifiedgateisaccessedthroughthecentralpost-and-beamgate.Theinnercourtyardissurroundedbytowersfromwhichdefenderscouldshoot.Ontheleftisatwo-storytower,directlyaheadaone-story

towerandontherightatwo-storygatehousewithiron-plateddoors.

NumerousfiresdestroyedKanazawaCastle.TheTenshubuiltbythefirstlord,MaedaToshiie,intheHonmaru(mainenclosure)wasstruckbylightningandburntdownin1602.Thiswasneverrebuiltandthefunctionsofthefeudal

andburntdownin1602.Thiswasneverrebuiltandthefunctionsofthefeudalgovernmentweremovedtothelowersecondenclosure,Ninomaru.ThesurvivingpalaceintheHonmaruthenburntdownin1620.Itwasreconstructedthefollowingyearbutburntdownagaintenyearslater,in1631.AnewpalacewasconstructedintheNinomaruin1632.Some120yearslater,in1759,anotherfirenearlyguttedtheentirecastle.TheNinomarupalaceandHashizumemonwerereconstructedin1762.In1808,theNinomarupalacewasburntdownyetagainalongwiththeHishiyagura.Bothwerereconstructedshortlyafter.

In1869,thefourteenthMaedalordreturnedhislandandtitletothegovernmenttobeusedasamilitarybarracks.FirerazedtheNinomarupalace,HashizumemonandGojikkennagayain1881.OccupiedbyKanazawaUniversityfrom1949to1995,thesitewaspurchasedbytheIshikawaPrefecturalGovernmentandturnedintoapublicpark.ThecurrentHashizumemon,Gojikkennagaya,Hishiyagura,TsuzukiyaguraandKahokumonhaveallbeenreconstructedusingauthenticmaterialsandtraditionalconstructiontechniques.

Gojikkennagaya,Hashizumemon-tsuzukiyaguraandHishiyagura(inforeground),viewedfromtheSannomaru(thirdenclosure).ThesebuildingsprotectedtheNinomarupalaceandadministrativebuildings.TheHishiyagura(diamondtower)isa56ft(17m)-highthree-storybuildingona38ft(11.7m)stonebase.Itsnamederivedfromitsdiamond-shapedwalls,withanglesof80and100degrees.Thepostsarealsodiamondshaped,requiringsophisticatedconstructiontechniques

duringthe2001reconstruction.TheHishiyagurawasusedasawatchtowerandplacewherethelordmethisvassals.TheGojikkennagayawasastoreforweapons.TheHashizumemon-

tsuzukiyaguraguardedthegatewaybetweentheSannomaruandNinomaru.

AsmallkoraimonallowsentryfromtheSannomaruintotheheavilydefendedcourtyardoftheHashizumemon.

TheKahokumonisthefrontgateleadingtotheSannomaru.LocatedontopofKahokuzaka(Kahokuhill),itcomprisestheIchinomon(firstgate),Ninomon(secondgate),dobei(earthernwallssurroundingthecourtyard)andNiramiyaguradai(watchtower).ThetimbershootingholesbesidetheIchinomonareaccessedbyclimbingthestonesteps.Thesmallopeningisplastered

ontheexteriorwallandbrokenwhenevernecessary.

POINTSOFINTEREST

KanazawaCastlecomprises12enclosures.Fourmajormoatsencirclethesitewithtwosmallermoatsdividingtheinnerenclosures.TheHonmaru,situatedonthehighestground,originallycontainedthreetowersandthelord’sresidence.NextinimportancewastheNinomaruwherethelord’spalacewasbuiltafterfiredestroyedtheHonmaruin1631.TheSannomaruandtheTsurunomaruhadtobecrossedbeforereachingtheNinomaruandHonmaru.Twomasugatamon(barbican-stylegateways)protectedtheNinomaru,Ishikawamonand

Kahokumon.

Thecomplexlayoutcreatedbygates,towers,enclosuresandmudwallsdeterredwould-beattackersandsloweddownintruderswhopenetratedthecastlegrounds.

Seacucumberwalls(namakobei)areafeatureofKanazawaCastle.Thestonetilesaddanextralayerofprotectiontotheplasteredmudwalls.Theroundedraisedplasterbetweenthetilesgivesthesewallsthenameoftheseacucumber(namako).Thesmalltowerhasatrapdooroverhangingthemoat.Thiscanbeliftedfrominsidethetowerandstonesorothersuchmissilesthrowndown

ontointruders.

CASTLESOFTHEMAEDAFAMILY

ArakoMaedaToshiharuwaslordofArakoinOwari(Aichiprefecture).Hewaspaid5,000kokutofightforOdaNobunaga.Hisfourthson,Toshiie,bornin1538,becameapageforOdaNobunagawhenhewas13.Anaggressivefighter,Toshiiewasrewardedaftereachbattlewithadditionalrevenue.By1568hisincomehadgrowntoaround1,000koku.In1579.ToshiiewasnominatedbyNobunagaaslordofArako,replacinghisfather.

NanaoOdaNobunagagaveMaedaToshiietheNotoareain1581,wherehebuiltNanaoCastle.Hereceivedanannualincomeof200,000koku.Theremainsoffieldstonewallscanbeseenatthesite.

KanazawaIn1583,ToshiiewasgrantedKanazawacityandpartofIshikawaforhisloyalservicetoToyotomiHideyoshi.

KomatsuOnhiswayhomefromdefeatingthelordofDaishyojiCastlein1600,Toshiie’sson,MaedaToshinaga,foughtNiwaNagashige,lordofKomatsuCastle.NiwawaslaterremovedfromhispostandKomatsuCastlebecamepartoftheMaedaholdings.AnewcastlewasbuiltatKomatsuin1640forMaedaToshitsune,thethirdlordofKanazawaCastle,toretireto.OriginallyconstructedinaweedyswampsurroundedbytheKakehashiRiver,itwasalsocalledthe‘FloatingCastle.’InmatesfromKomatsuprison,actingongovernmentorders,destroyeditin1872.Onlythestonebaseremains.

ToyamaToyamaCastlewasoriginallybuiltin1543byapowerfulclanledbyMizukoshiKatsuhige.In1581,thegovernorofToyama,SassaNarimasa(appointedbyOdaNobunaga),strengthenedandimprovedthecastledefences.AfterOdaNobunaga’sdeath,NarimasawasunsuccessfulinhiscampaigntodefeatOda’ssuccessor,ToyotomiHideyoshi.ToyamaCastleandthesurroundingareasweregiventoToshinagaMaedain1585.Hiseldestson,

CastleandthesurroundingareasweregiventoToshinagaMaedain1585.Hiseldestson,Toshimasa,tookchargeofthecastlein1597.Itburntdownin1609andlayneglecteduntil1639whenToshitsugu,thesecondsonofToshitsune,movedin.ThirteengenerationsofMaedaruledToyamaoveraperiodof232yearsuntiltheMeijiRestoration.TheTenshuwasdestroyedinairraidsduringWorldWarII.ThecurrentTenshuisaconcretereconstruction.

TakaokaAnewcastlewasbuiltatTakaokaafterToyamaCastleburntdownin1609.Nocastlebuildingsremain,althoughthegroundshavebeenturnedintoaparksurroundedbytheoriginalmoats.

DaishojiMaedaToshitsunesplitKagahanintothreeprovincesin1639,creatingDaishojihaninEnumagun,andToyamahaninEtchuken.Heinstalledhissecondson,Toshitsugi,asthefirstlordofToyamaandhisthirdson,Toshiharu,asthefirstlordofDaishoji,thecastleofYamaguchiMunenaga,whowasdefeatedbyMaedaToshinagain1600.

KahokumontakenfromtheSannomarulookingbackintothecourtyardofthegate.Soldierscouldfiredownontointrudersfromthistwo-storyyaguramon(two-storygatehouse).

TheGojikkennagayaandHashizumemonfromtheNinomaru.

Thetimberstone-droppingwindowswithanundulatinggable(karahafu)areuniquetoKanazawaCastle.

Seacucumberwalls(namakobei),so-namedbecausetheraisedplasterbetweenthetilesresemblestheshapeofaseacucumber(namako),areafeatureofKanazawaCastle.Thestonetilesattachedtoaplasteredwallprovidestrengthandprotecttheplasterfromtheelements.

KanazawaCastleliesbesideKenrokuen,oneofJapan’smostcelebratedgardens.Thefifthlord,Tsunanori,startedthegardens,whichwereexpandedbythetwelfthandthirteenthlords.Threesetsofcontrastinggardenelementswerecreated:spaciousnessandseclusion,artificeandantiquity,andwatercoursesandpanoramas,givingrisetothenameken(combined),roku(six),en(garden).

DIRECTIONS

10minutesbytaxiorbusfromKanazawaStation.20minuteswalkfromthestation.

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T

OkayamaCastle1589–1597

hepowerfulwarlordUkitaNaoieestablishedOkayamaCastlein1573.HissonUkitaHideie,whowasalsoanadoptedsonofToyotomiHideyoshi,beganbuildingthecastleunderthedirectionofToyotomiin1589.Atrustedvassal,hewasappointedoneofToyotomi’sfiveseniorministers.Withanannualrevenueof574,000koku,Ukitawasoneofthemostpowerfuldaimyointhelatesixteenthcentury.However,hispositionchangeddramaticallyaftertheBattleofSekigaharain1600,whenhewasstrippedofhiscastleandlandsandexiledtoaremoteislandsouthofEdoforsupportingthelosingToyotomiside.

Amajorreasonforthewesternarmy’sdefeatattheBattleofSekigaharawasthedefectionofKobayakawaHideaki.KobayakawawasToyotomiHideyoshi’snephewandadoptedson.Beforethebattle,TokugawaIeyasuconvincedKobayakawatoswitchsides,whichhedid,throwingthebattleintoconfusionandsecuringvictoryfortheTokugawa.ThistriumphpavedthewayfortheTokugawa’smilitarygovernmenttoruleJapanforthenext268years.

KobayakawawasrewardedwithUkitaHideie’sprovincesofBizenandMimasaka,worth550,000koku.HemovedintoOkayamaCastlein1600.Itisbelievedhewentmadanddiedtwoyearslater,at25,withoutanheir.HisprovinceswereabsorbedbytheIkedaclan,andIkedaTadatsugu,asonofIkedaTerumasa,whowasthelordofHimejiCastle,tookoverOkayamaCastlein1602.Tadatsugu’sbrothersucceededhimin1615followedbyIkedaMitsumasafromTottori.Mitsumasa’ssuccessorsremainedatOkayamauntil1869.

Topographywasusedtogreatadvantagewhenconstructingacastletominimizecostlyandtime-consumingearthworks.TheAsahiRiverservedasanaturalmoattothenorthandeastof

OkayamaCastle.

Thepaulownia(kiri)wasthefamilycrestofToyotomiHideyoshi.AlliessuchastheUkitaandKobayakawaclansadoptedthiscrestanditisusedhereonaroofridgeendtileatOkayamaCastle.Endtilesarecalledonigawara(monstertiles)astheyoftenfeatureathreateningface.

Likeshachihoko(fish/tigertiles),onigawara‘protect’thecastlefrommisfortune.

TheRokamon(corridorgate)wasusedasapassagewaybetweentheHondan(upperenclosure)andtheOmoteshoin,thefeudalgovernmentofficelocatedintheNakanodan(middleenclosure).

Thegatewasrebuiltinconcretein1966.

Theseven-storyblackTenshuofOkayamaCastleisknownasKarasujo(CrowCastle).TheoriginalAzuchi-MomoyamastylestructuresofOkayamaweredestroyedbyanairraidinWorld

WarII.Thekeepwasreconstructedinconcretein1966.

AslordoftherichBizenprovinces,UkitaHideiebuiltacastlecommensuratewithhislargeincome.Beginningin1589andtakingeightyearstocomplete,theentirecastlecomplexcomprised35towers,21gates,a

tocomplete,theentirecastlecomplexcomprised35towers,21gates,aresidenceandgardenaswellasgovernmentoffices.Theinnerenclosurewasseparatedintotwolevels,theupper-levelHondanandthemiddle-levelNakanodan.TheTenshuandlord’sresidencewerelocatedintheHondan.GovernmentofficesoccupiedtheNakanodan.Aninnermoatsurroundedthisenclosureontwosides.TheAsahiRivercurvedaroundathird.AnoutermoatenclosedtheadjacentNinomaru,neitherofwhichremain.OkayamaCastle’s69ft(21m)-highblackTenshuhasauniquepentagonalshapedbase.Threedifferent-sizedtwo-levelbuildingsarestackedtocreatesixlevels.WhenviewedfromoutsidetheHondan,theTenshuappearstobetwisted,withitsrooflayersoutofline.Asaltstoreattachedtothecentralbuildingaddstothestructure’scomplexity.OkayamaCastleisalsoknownasU-jo(CrowCastle)becauseoftheblacktimberboardsliningtheTenshu,orKinu-jo(GoldCrowCastle)becauseofthegildedtoprooftiles.

TheTsukimiyagura(moon-viewingtower)fromtheouterenclosure.Smallshootingholesatthetopofthestonewallaresetatintervalsbeneaththelargershootingholesintheplasteredwall,

allowingforgreatergunpoweratatime.

TheRokamonfromtheNakanodan.Theslopingpathwayleadstotheouterenclosure.

Aroundshootingholeinthedobei(plasteredmudwall).

POINTSOFINTEREST

ThesitesofmanyofthetowersformerlyintheNakanodanoftheHonmaru

palacearemarkedtogiveanideaofhowwellfortifiedthecastle’sinnerenclosureoncewas.

TheoriginalfoundationstonesoftheTenshuarelaidoutintheareawheretheHondanoncestood.ThesewereemplacedwhentheTenshuwasreconstructedinconcreteafteritsdestructionbyanairraidinJune1945.

TheRokujuuichigangiuemon(gateatthetopof61steps)leadsfromtheHondantotheAsahiRiver.

TheroughlypiledstonewallsontheriversideoftheRokujuuichigangiuemonclearlyillustratehowstonewallsofearlycastleswerebuilt.TheyarequitedifferenttothewallsattheRokamon(corridorgate)built30yearslater.

OkayamaCastlewasbuiltatatimewhenfeudallordsincorporatedlargestonesintocastlefoundationsandstonewallsasawayofshowcasingtheirwealth.ManylargestonesbroughtfromInujimaIslandcanbeseenatimportantgateways.

ThesmallshootingholescarvedoutofthetopstonesofthewallsaroundtheTsukimiyaguraareunusual,althoughsimilareyeletscanbeseenatOsakaCastle.

TwotypesofstonewallbelowtheRokujuuichigangiuemon(Gateatthetopof61steps)revealrenovationstothecastle.Theearlierstonewallontheleftshowsroughfieldstonepiling

(nozurasumi).Thestonesinthelaterwallontherighthavebeencuttosizeandlaidcarefullytolockintoplace(uchikomihagi).

TheAkazunomon(unopenedgate)waslocatedatthebottomofaflightofstonestepsleadingtotheHondanwherethelord’sresidenceandTenshuwerelocated.TheOmoteshoin,thegovernmentoffice,waslocatedinthemiddle-levelNakanodan.Thisgatewascalledthe

unopenedgatebecauseitwasusuallyclosedandaroofedpassageatthenorthernendoftheHondanwascommonlyusedtomovebetweentheHondanandNakanodan.TheAkazumon,

demolishedintheMeijiera,wasreconstructedinconcretein1966.

TheTsukimiyagura(moon-viewingtower)islocatedatthenorthernendoftheNakanodan.BuiltbyIkedaTadakatsuin1620,itwasoneofthebestplacesforviewingthemoon.Itsmainfunctionhowever,wastoprotectthenorthwestcornerofthesecondenclosure.TheTsukimiyagurawas

theonlybuildingtosurvivetheairraidof1945.

DIRECTIONS

A20minutewalkor10minutebusridefromJROkayamaStation.

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I

IyoMatsuyamaCastle1602–1627

n1602,KatoYoshiakirabeganbuildingacastleonKatsuyamaontheislandofShikoku.AsasamuraiinToyotomiHideyoshi’sarmy,KatohaddistinguishedhimselfattheBattleofShizugatakein1583whenhewasonly20.KatothenwentontofightinmanyothercampaignsunderToyotomi.In1595,hewasappointedlordofMasaki,withanannualincomeof60,000koku.AfterToyotomi’sdeath,hejoinedforceswiththeTokugawasideattheBattleofSekigahara.Forhissupporthewasgivenanincomeof200,000koku.KatobuiltanewcastleatMatsuyamaincorporatinganumberofstructuresfromhispreviouscastleatnearbyMasaki.Accordingly,theInuimon(northwestgate),Higashiyagura(easttower),Inuiyagura(northwesttower)andTsutsuimon(Tsutsuigate)datefrom1595.Constructioncontinuedfor24years,butayearaftercompletionKatowastransferredtoAizuinnorthernJapan.Hisreplacement,GamoTadachika,diedsevenyearslaterwithoutanheir.MatsudairaSadayuki,amemberoftheTokugawafamily,wasnextinstalledatthecastle.Matsudaira’sdescendantsremainedatthecastleuntiltheMeijiRestorationwhenitwashandedovertotheImperialgovernment.

TheextensivegroundsofMatsuyamaCastlemakecleveruseofthenaturalterrain.Thetopofthe433ft(132m)-highKatsuyamahillwasleveledtocreatethe984ft(300m)-longmainenclosure,Honmaru.Thisenclosureissurroundedby33ft(10m)-highstonewalls.MidwayuptheheavilyforestedhillistheNinomaru,thesiteoftheadministrativequartersandlord’sresidence.TheSannomaruissurroundedbyamoatandlocatedatthebottomofthehillonthewesternside.RetainersandsamuraiwerehousedintheSannomaruwhileartisansandmerchantslivedoutsidethemoattotheeastandwest.Templeswereclusteredtothenorth.KatoencouragedthepeopleofMasakitomovetotheareabycreatingatax-freecommercialdistrict.

ThecentralenclosureofIyoMatsuyamaCastleisacomplexarrangementoftowers,gatesandwalls.OnthewestarethemainandsmallTenshu.Tothenorthandsoutharecornerturrets.Thesefourtowersareconnectedbycorridorstoformaninnercourtyard,similartotheTenshu

arrangementatHimejiCastle.Aseriesoffourheavilydefendedgatesmustbepassedthroughtoreachtheinnerenclosure.TherampleadstotheIchinomon(firstgate).Thepost-and-beam

koraimongateontheleftistheShichikimonthatleadstotherearoftheHonmaru.

ThemainTenshuandShotenshu(smallTenshu).

MatsudairaSadayukibuiltanewthree-storyTenshuafterhecametoMatsuyamain1634.AnephewofTokugawaIeyasu,Sadayukiwasthefirstshinpan(innercircle)lordpostedtothissouthwesternregionofJapantomonitorthetozama(‘outside’daimyo).Sadayukireducedtheoriginalfive-storyTenshutothree,possiblytounderplayhiscloseconnectionswiththeshogun’sfamily,or

becausethefoundationsmayhavebeentooweaktosupporttheoriginallargerbuilding.Althoughthemaintowerwasreducedinsize,thecastle’sdefensesremainedimpressive.TheapproachtotheHonmaruisasteepclimbfollowedbyaseriesofturns.Specializedentrances,suchasthe‘doorlessgate’and‘hiddengate,’weredesignedtoconfuseinvadersandprovideampleopportunityfordefenderstoattack.ReachingthecentralenclosureinthenorthoftheHonmaru,intruderspassedthroughfurtherheavilyfortifiedgatestoreachthecourtyard,acomplexoftowers,connectingcorridors,gatesandthemainTenshu.Ancillarycourtyardswithlowwalls,numerousshootingholesandseveralmannedtowerscreatedyetmoreproblemsfortheattackers.

Arenjimado(pushoutwindow)intheTatsumiyagura(southwesttower).TogetherwiththeTaikoyagura(drumtower)andtheTaikomon(drumgate),thistowercreatedaformidabledefense

againstenemieswhopenetratedtheTsutsuimon.

TheheavilyfortifiedTsutuimonwiththeroofoftheTonashimon(doorlessgate)atbottomleft.VisitorscouldpassthroughtheTonashimon,thenturnsharplytofacetheTsutuimon.BesidetheTsutuimonisahiddengate,theKakuremon,fromwhichasurpriseattackcouldbelaunched.

Stone-droppingwindowsinthewestwallleadingtoInuimon(northwestgate)andInuiyagura(eastconnectingturretofInuimon).TheInuimonandtowerdefendedtherearentrancetotheHonmaru.The47.5ft(14.5m)-longtimberpaneledtileroofedwallisplasteredontheinsideandhas10

stone-droppingwindows.

Themajorityofthecastlebuildingsburntdownafterthecastlewasstruckbylightningin1784.Thecurrentcomplexwasrebuiltin1852.Severalbuildingsweredestroyedbyairraidsin1945andrebuiltinthe1970s.

Astone-droppingwindowintheTaikoyagura.OverlookingtheTonashimon(doorlessgate),drumsignalsweresentfromthistowertowarndefendersofanenemyapproachingtheinnerenclosure

ofthecastle.

LookingdownfromtheShotenshu(smallTenshu)attheheavilyfortifiedIchinomon(firstgate).Thesmallareathroughthisgatecouldonlyaccommodateafewsoldiers,thusslowingdownan

attackingarmywhowerethenfiredonfromthesurroundingtowers.ToentertheNinomon(secondgate),itwasnecessarytotakeasharpleft-handturn.

POINTSOFINTEREST

ThesophisticateddefensivesystemofMatsuyamaCastledemonstrateshowfarcastlebuildingtechniqueshadadvancedbytheearlyseventeenthcentury.ItisinterestingtocomparetheapproachtotheHonmaruofMatsuyamaCastle(viatheSannomaruandNinomaru)withtheapproachtoHimejiCastle.Anexampleofthecastle’suniquedefenseistheTonashimon(doorlessgate).Situatedalong

theapproachfromtheNinomarutotheHonmaru,itisthoughtthisgatewasleftwithoutadoortoallowtheenemytoenterandthenbecometrappedbythewellfortifiedTsutuimonaroundthecorner.BesidetheTsutuimonisahiddengate,Kakuremon,fromwhichasurpriseattackcouldbelaunched.

ThewalktotheHonmaruthroughtheNinomaruissteepandonecantakeacablecar.However,ifpossible,descendonfootviatheNinomarutotheSannomarutoappreciatethelayoutofthecastlegrounds.

Twonoboriishigaki(ascendingstonewalls)ofgranitelinktheNinomarutotheHonmaru.Thesesheerwallsarequiterare.FoldingorfanwallsenclosetheHonmaru.

ThemuseuminsidethecastleTenshuandsubsidiarytowershasaninformativedisplayofartifactsandinformationrelatingtothecastle.

Shootingholesandpushoutwindows(renjimado)frominsidethethree-storymainTenshu.Thetownbelowtheentirecastlegroundscanbeseenfromthisvantagepoint.

Theuchibei(innerwall)oftheShikirimon.Thiscourtyardwasbuiltfordefenseofthenorthwestarea.

DIRECTIONS

FromJRMatsuyamaStation,itis10minutesbystreetcartoDogoOnsen.GetoffatOkaido,thena5minutewalktakesyoutothecablecarentrance.ThistakesyouuptotheHonmaruandbackagain,althoughitis

entrance.ThistakesyouuptotheHonmaruandbackagain,althoughitispossibletowalkbackdownthroughtheNinomaru.

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R

MatsumotoCastle1590–1614

isingdramaticallyagainstabackdropoftheJapaneseAlps,MatsumotoCastleisoneofJapan’smoststriking.Havingavoideddestructioninthewarsofthelatesixteenthcentury,theMeijiRestorationinthenineteenthcenturyandtheairraidsofWorldWarII,MatsumotoCastleisoneoftheoldestoriginalcastlesinJapan.

ThesiteofMatsumotoCastlewasfirstusedin1504asasub-fortoftheOgasawaraclan.InitiallycalledFukashi,itwasrenamedMatsumotoin1582byOgasawaraSadayoshi.In1590,ToyotomiHideyoshiawardedIshikawaKazumasathedomainofShinano,whichincludedMatsumotoCastle.Ishikawaplannedtorebuildthecastlebutdiedbeforeworkbegan,leavingconstructiontohiseldestson,Yasunaga.

SixdifferentfamiliesoccupiedMatsumotoCastlebetween1590and1869:Ishikawa(1590–1613),Ogasawara(1613–17),Toda(1617–33)andagainfrom1726to1869,Matsudaira(1633–38),Hotta(1638–42)andMizuno(1642–1725).Thefamilycrestsoftheselordsadornrooftilesatvariouspointsonthecastle.

The96.5ft(29.4m)Daitenshu(maintower)appearstohavefivestoriesfromtheoutsidebuthassixstoriesinside.Thethree-storyInuinokotenshutothenorthwestisconnectedtothemaintowerbytheWatariyagura(corridortower)onthesecondlevel.Beingoneoftheearliercastlesand

affiliatedwithToyotomiHideyoshi,MatsumotoCastleisblack.

MatsumotoCastleisaflatlandfloatingcastle(ukishiro).TheUchibori(innermoat)surroundstheHonmaru(mainenclosure)wheretheTenshucomplexandHonmarugoten(palace)arelocated.ThelordofMatsumotolivedintheHonmarugotenandranhisgovernmentheadquartersfromhere.

Risingdirectlyfromthemoat,MatsumotoCastleisanukishiro(floatingcastle).TheroughpilingoftheTenshubaseislesssophisticatedthancastlesbuiltinthefollowing20years,whichsawgreat

advancesinstonewallconstructiontechniques.

Completelyopenontheeastandsouthsides,theTsukimiyagura(moon-viewingtower)wasbuiltforthepopularpastimeofmoonviewing.TheTsukimiyaguraandTatsuminotsukeyagura(east

keep)werebuiltaround1634byMatsudairaNaomasa(1601–66).Matsudairaoccupiedthecastleforfiveyears(1633–38)duringwhichtimearicegranaryandstablefor54horseswere

constructed.

Originallybuiltin1595,theTaikomon(drumgate)wastorndownatthebeginningoftheMeijiera(1868–1912)andrebuiltin1999.Ataikodrumannouncedthetime,thearrivalofvisitorsand

signaledemergenciesfromthisgate.Taikowerealsousedinbattletosendcommands,directivesandcommuniqués.

TheNinomaru(secondenclosure)formedaUshapearoundtheHonmaruandwasalsoenclosedbyamoat.TheNinomarupalace(Kosanjigoten),variousstorehousesandaricegranarywerelocatedhere.Thetwoinnerenclosureswere

storehousesandaricegranarywerelocatedhere.ThetwoinnerenclosureswereenclosedbytheSannomaru(thirdenclosure),whereabout90importantsamuraiwerehoused.The1.4mile(2.2km)-longSotobori(outermoat)surroundedtheentirecastle,accessedbyfourcrossingpointstotheSannomaru.

MatsumotoCastlehasacomplexTenshuarrangementcomsistingofafive-storyTenshuconnectedtoasmalltowertothenorthwestbytheWatariyagura(corridor-styletower)andamoon-viewingtowertothesouth.ThecomplexTenshuarrangementatMatsumotowasrareforcastlesofthe1590s,whichusuallyhadonlyasinglemaintower.

Accordingtolegend,acursewasplacedonthecastlebyapeasantcalledKasukein1686.Protestingataxincrease,Kasukeledafaileduprisingagainstthelordofthecastle.Hewascapturedandsentencedtodeath.Onthedayofhisexecution,Kasukeglaredinresentmentatthecastleandfromthatdayonitbegantolean.Bytheearlytwentiethcentury,theleanwassobadthataropewastiedaroundthemainpillaronthefourthfloorandpulledthroughthewindowtostraightenthestructure.Thismethodappearedtohaveworkedasthecastlenowstandstall,albeitwithropemarksingrainedonthepillar.

ThecastlewasalmostdemolishedintheMeijiperiod(1868–1912)whentheemperorwasrestoredtopower.Happily,itwassavedfromdestructionbylocalcitizenswhoraisedfundstobuyandrestoreitin1911.ThecastlewasdesignatedaHistoricSitein1930,theTenshuaNationalTreasurein1936.

Asenseofopulenceiscreatedwithminimalmaterialsandcolorthroughpattern,proportionandcraftsmanship.Thecarvedwoodenornamentattheapexoftheroofgableiscalledagengyo.Meaning‘topourwateron,’gengyowerealsousedintemplearchitectureasaprotectivecharm

againstfire.

TheTaikomonfrominsidetheHonmaru.

A-bellshapedwindow(katomado)intheDaitenshu.

POINTSOFINTEREST

RopemarksonthecentralpillarinsidethemainTenshu.TherareroundpillarsinsidetheTenshu.Differentfamilycrestsontherooftilesaroundthecastle.

Anishiotoshimado(stone-droppingwindow)intheInuikotenshu(northsmalltower).

TheDaitenshuisconnectedtotheTsukimiyagura(moon-viewingtower)bytheTatsumitsukeyagura.TheHonmaruissurroundedbytheUchibori(innermoat),andtheNinomaru

formsaUshapearoundthis.TheNakaborisurroundedtheNinomaruwhichwas,inturn,surroundedbytheSannomaruandSotobori(outermoat).

DIRECTIONS

A15minutewalkfromMatsumotoStation.

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A

MatsueCastle1607–1611

lawwaspassedin1607forbiddingyounggirlstodanceinthestreetsofMatsue,asmalltownonthewestcoastofJapan.LafcadioHearn,nineteenth-centurywriterandMatsueresident,explainedthatwheneveranymaidendanced,thecastlehill,Oshiroyama,wouldshudderandtheentirebuildingwouldquiver.Itdidsobecauseabeautifulyounggirlhadbeenburiedaliveunderthecastlewallsasasacrificetothegods.Allthatisknownofherwasthatshelovedtodance.

HorioYoshiharuestablishedMatsueCastlein1607.HoriohadbeenavassalofOdaNobunagaandToyotomiHideyoshi,butsidedwithTokugawaIeyasuattheBattleofSekigaharain1600.HewasrewardedwiththeprovincesofIzumoandOki.HorioinitiallygovernedfromTodaCastleinHiroseuntilthemountaincastlecouldnolongeraccommodatetheadministrativeneedsofthegrowingcastletown.HisnextcastleatMatsuewasclosertoseatransportationandlesssusceptibletoflooding.Completedin1611,itwasoccupiedbythreegenerationsoftheHoriofamily.MatsueCastlewassubsequentlypassedtoKyogokuTadataka,whoruledfrom1634to1638.LikeHorio,hehadnosuccessor,socontrolofthecastlewashandedtoMatsudairaNaomasa,TokugawaIeyasu’sgrandson.NaomasawastransferredfromMatsumotoCastleinShinanoprovince,andtengenerationsofhisfamilyruledIzumofromMatsueCastleforthenext230years.

FourbridgesovertheUchibori(innermoat)allowaccesstotheinnerenclosures.

At98ft(30m),theTenshuatMatsueCastleisthethirdtallestoriginaloneinJapanafterHimejiandMatsumoto.ThecastleisalsoknownasChidori-jo(PloverCastle)duetotheshapeoftheirimoyahafu(roofgables)thatresembletheoutstretchedwingsoftheploverbird.Thecastlehas95smallsecretoutletsforgunsinthewallsandanarrowoutletovertheattachedporticoentrance

tothrustspearsontointruders.

TheblackwoodenTenshuofMatsueCastleisoneofthe12originalTenshuremaininginJapan.Althoughwellfortified,thecastlewasneverattackedandwasfortunatetoescapelightningstrikes,theprimaryreasonmanycastlesweredestroyedduringtheEdoperiod.The98ft(30m)-highTenshuappearstohavefivestoriesfromtheoutsidebuthassixinternalfloors,abasementandanolderstyleborogatawatchtower.The24.6ft(7.5m)-highstonebaseisvertical,indicativeoftheolderstyleofgobozumiwallpiling.Longstonesareembeddeddeepintothewall,withthelargersurfaceofthestonesfacinginwardtoformasolidbase.ThistypeofpilingisalsousedatthebaseoftheTenshuatHikoneCastle.

Stone-droppingwindowsguardeachsideoftheportico-styleentrance,whichissealedwithasteeldoor.Smallstonescouldbetakenoutofthewallandthrownthroughthestone-droppingwindowswithoutcompromisingthewall’sstability.Spearscouldbethrustthroughanarrowoblongopeningabovethe

entranceatunwelcomevisitors.BlacktimberboardslinethewallsoftheTenshu.Madeofchestnutwooddonatedbylocalfarmers,thepoorqualitytimberwaspaintedwithpersimmonjuicetoprotectitfrominsects.Moreeconomicalthanwhiteplasteredwalls,Matsue’sblackwallsarealsomoresuitedtothelocalclimate,whichhashighhumidityinsummer,heavysnowfallsinwinterandtyphoonsinearlyautumn.Twoshachihoko(fish-likecreatures)madeofwoodandcoveredwithbronze‘protect’theroofridge.At7.4ft(2.25m)high,theyaresecondinsizeonlytoNagoyaCastle’sfamousgold-platedshachihoko.

Theinteriorofthecastleisquitedark,withminimalopeningstoadmitlight.Thetimberconstructionmakesthecastlesusceptibletofire.UniquetoMatsueCastle,thestairsaremadeofpaulowniatimber,whichdoesnotburneasily.Thismeantoccupantscouldescapeviathestairsin

thecaseoffire.

Themainentrancetothecastleisthroughthebasement,whichissealedwithanirondoor.A79ft(24m)-deepwellinthebasementsuppliedthecastlewithwaterintheeventofasiege.Rice,

saltanddriedgoodswerealsostoredhere.

ManyofthecastlebuildingsweredemolishedontheordersoftheImperialgovernmentduringtheMeijiRestoration.TheTenshuwassoldtoawreakingcompanyin1875foraminorsumbutrepurchasedbylocalresidentstosaveitfromdestruction.TheTenshuwasrenovatedbetween1950and1955.Anumberoftowershaverecentlybeenreconstructed.

POINTSOFINTEREST

ThefeudallordofMatsuemaintainedaround3,000samurairetainers—warriorsinwarandbureaucratsinpeacetime.Theirresidenceswerelocatedaroundthecastlegrounds.Manybukeyashiki(samuraihouses)canbevisitedinthesamuraiquartertoday.ThecastletownofMatsuewaslaidoutwithmerchantsonthenorthbankoftheOhashiRiverandartisansonthesouthbank.Templesinthesouthcouldbeturnedintoanarmedcampintheeventofwar.Asettlementforgunnerytroopsinthesouthformedthefirstlineofdefenceforthecityandcastle.

TheMinamiyagura(southturret).Thereweretentowerslocatedonthewallssurroundingthecastle.Soldierscouldrunalongcorridorsbetweentheturrets.Thistowerwasreconstructedin

2001alongwiththeNakayagura(innertower)andTaikoyagura(drumtower).

Timber-lineddobei(mudwalls)withshootingholesrunalongthestonewallsrisingfromthemoat.

Theinsideofthedobeiareplasteredandtheshootingholestimber-lined.Thetileroofprovidesprotectionfromweatherandgunfire.

MinamiyaguraandNakayagura.TheTaikoyaguraisinthedistance.TheUchibori(innermoat)surroundstheinnerenclosures,theHonmaruandNinomaru.Theinnerandoutermoatsarefed

bynearbyLakeShinji.

ThestairsatMatsueCastlearemadeofpaulowniawood.Paulowniaisverylightanddifficulttoburn.Inwaritwaspossibletoliftthestairstoimpedeanadvancingenemyandinfireitwas

possibletoexitviathem.Eachstepis4in(10cm)thickand5ft(1.6m)wide.

Renjimado(pushoutwindows).

ThebaseoftheTenshuisinthegobozumistylewherelongstonesareembeddeddeepintothewall.Althoughthestonesappeartobestackedrandomly,theirlengthandcarefulplacement

ensureaverystablewall.

DIRECTIONS

FromJRMatsueStationthebustoMatsuejoOtemaetakes10minutes.Alternatively,itisa20minutewalktothecastle.

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J

KochiCastle1601–1603

ustpriortotheBattleofSekigaharain1600,Chiyo,thewifeofYamauchiKatsutoyo(1545–1605),sentherhusbandaletterconcealedinthechinstrapofamessenger’shat.YamauchiwasavassalwhohadservedunderOdaNobunagaandToyotomiHideyoshi.TheletterrelayedvitalinformationaboutToyotomiloyalistforcesandsuggestedherhusbandswitchallegiances.Fortuitously,KatsutoyotookheradviceandfoughtonthewinningTokugawaside.Inrecognitionofhisservice,KatsutoyowasmadefirstlordoftheprovinceofTosain1600.HebeganconstructingKochiCastlethefollowingyear.LocatedonOtakasakahill,themainbuildingswerebuiltwithintwoyearsandthewholecastlecomplexwascompletedby1611.SixteenconsecutivegenerationsoftheYamauchifamilyruledTosaoverthefollowing270years.Today,inrecognitionofherwisdom,abronzestatueofChiyowatchesovertheapproachtothemaincitadel.

BeforeYamauchiKatsutoyoarrivedin1600,TosawasruledbythewarlordChosokabeMotochika.Chosokabehadarrivedin1588andbuiltacastleonOtakasaka(Otakahill),replacingtheoriginalwatchtowerandmudrampartserectedonthesiteinthefourteenthcenturybytheruralwarrior,OtakaMatsumaru.ChosokabeabandonedthissitesoonafterduetofloodingandmovedtoUrado.AsretributionforsupportingtheToyotomisideattheBattleofSekigahara,Chosokabewasstrippedofhiscastle,landsandrevenueof222,000koku.WhenYamauchiKatsutoyocametoTosaheundertookworkstopreventthefloodingandbuiltKochiCastleonOtakasakain1601.Destroyedbyfirein1727,mostofthecastlewasrebuiltin1753.FollowingtheMeijiRestoration,thecastleandgroundswereredevelopedintoaprefecturalpark,savingthebuildingsfromdemolition.FifteenoftheremainingbuildingshavebeendesignatedImportantNationalCulturalAssets.ThewholeareaisdesignatedaHistoricSite.

Lying145ft(44.4m)abovesealevel,the60.7ft(18.5m)-highTenshuappearstohavefourstoriesbutactuallyhassixlevelsinside.Intheborogatastyle,ithasawatchtowerontopwithanexteriorwalkway.Ironspikes,knownas‘ninjarepellants,’runaroundthecastleabovethetopof

thestonebase.Auniquefeaturearewarriorwindows(mushamado).Thesehorizontalslatwindowsinthelowplasteredwalls(dobei)surroundingtheHonmaruprovidedlookoutsfor

samurai.

Thetwo-storyOtemon(maingate)ofKochiCastlewasoriginallybuiltaround1610andrebuiltin1664.Itisabox-stylegate(masugatamon).Themainpillarsaremadeofzelkovaandreinforcedwithcopperplates.Thegateisorientedsothatitisnotpossibletoseeintothecastlegrounds.

TheOtemonsurvivedthefireof1727,makingitoneoftheoldeststructuresatthecastle.

TheHigashitamon,TsumemonandRokamon.TheHigashitamon(eastcorridor)leadsfromtheTenshutotheTsumemon(guardroomor‘trickgate’),so-calledbecauseitdidnotleadtothenextenclosureatgroundlevelasitappearsto,confusingintruderswhowouldbeattackedbyguardswhentheyreachedthisdeadend.Toaccessthenextenclosure,theNinomaru,itwasnecessarytoturnrightandascendthestairs.TheTsumemonwouldthentakeonetotheHonmaru(innerenclosure)wherethelord’sreceptionsuite(Seiren)andTenshuwerelocated.Thelord’spalace(Goten)waslocatedintheNinomaru,butwasdestroyedbyfirein1727,alongwithmanyofthe

othercastlebuildings.

POINTSOFINTEREST

ThearrangementofbuildingswithintheHonmaruisuniquetoKochiCastle.HonmarugotenorSeiren,thelord’sreceptionrooms,areadjacenttothemaincitadelorTenshu.Thesebuildingswereusuallylocatedinlesserenclosures,suchastheNinomaru.AlthoughtheTenshuisaseparatebuildingthatcanbeisolatedintheeventoffirebyclosingthethick,plastereddoors,itispossibletostepdirectlyfromtheHonmaruseirenintotheTenshu.TheHigashitamonisalsolocatedbesidetheTenshu,allowingmovementthroughaseriesofcorridortowersenclosingtheHonmaruwithoutsteppingoutside.

Thebox-shapedareainfrontoftheOtemonissurroundedbystonewallstoppedwithlowtimberwalls.Samuraicouldfireuponintrudersfromtheprotectionofthesewalls.

Nailcoverings(kugikakushi)attheOtemonareoftencalledbreastironware(chichikanamono)becauseoftheirresemblancetothefemalebreast.

Acopper-platedshachihokoontheroofridgeoftheTenshu.

AlthoughthelayoutofthecompoundsofKochiCastleappearsstraightforward,withthemainenclosureatthehighestpointandthesecondandthirdenclosuresdescendingdownthehill,theapproachtothecastleisdeceptive.AfterpassingthroughtheTetsumon(irongate),andturningtothelefttogouptheflightofstonesteps,thepathtotheNinomaruwashiddenbehindwallslinedwithshootingholes.InvadershadnochoicebuttoproceedstraightaheadtowardtheTsumemon(guardroomor‘trickgate’).BuiltoverawaterlessmoatconnectingtheHonmaruandNinomaru,theentrancewascalledatrickgatebecauseanenemywhosucceededinbreakingthroughwouldendupinasquareoutsidethemaincitadel.EntrywasonlypossiblefromtheNinomaru,whichrequiredarightturnbeforereachingtheTsumemon.

Metalspikeslinethetopofthestonewallsforextradefense.Slattedwindows(mushamado)intheplasteredmudwalls(dobei)gavesoldiersintheHonmaruanexcellentviewoverthecastlegrounds.StoneguttersprotrudefromthewallstochannelKochi’shighrainfallawayfromthefoundationstopreventthewallsweakening.Lettersengravedonthestonesliningthewalls,totheleftoftheOtemon(maingate),representindividualsinvolvedintheconstructionofthecastle.

KochiCastleisparticularlyattractivebecauseofitscontrastingblackwallsandwhitetrim,blackgatesandwhiteplasteredwalls,decorativemonsterendtiles(onigawara),copper‘dolphin’tiles(shachihoko)androofingarrangementsofdormergables(chidorihafu)andundulatinggables(karahafu).

UniquetoKochiCastleisthelord’sreceptionsuite,theSeiren,attachedtotheTenshu(behind).Itconsistsofaguardroom,anentrancehallandseveralotherchambers.Thefloorofthemainchamberisraisedforthelordtositonwhenreceivingguests.Onthewestsideisasmallroom

wherewarriorshidshouldtheybeneededtoprotectthelord.

IronplatingwithcoppernailcoveringsonthedooroftheOtemon.

ThetimberlatticeofthewindowintheHigashitamonisplasteredforfireproofing.Theraindoor(amado)couldbeslidacrossforfurtherprotection.ThiscorridortowerleadsfromtheTenshuto

theTsumemon.

Thelord’sreceptionsuitewasbuiltintheshoinstylewithtatamimattingandshojiandfusuma(thickpaperscreens)dividingrooms.Ornatelycarvedtransomsabovethehorizontalbeamabove

thescreens(nageshi)allowairflowwhenthefusumaareshut.

DIRECTIONS

KochiCityissituatedinthesouthoftheislandofShikoku.Takingtwo

KochiCityissituatedinthesouthoftheislandofShikoku.TakingtwoandahalfhoursbytrainfromOkayama,thejourneythroughthemountainsandalongsidethegorgesofShikokuisspectacular.Thecastleisa10minutetaxirideor20minutewalkfromKochiStation.

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S

Bitchu-MatsuyamaCastle1575,1683

ituated1,411ft(430m)abovesealevel,Bitchu-MatsuyamaisJapan’shighestsurvivingcastle.FromitsvantagepointonheavilyforestedMtGagyu,thecastlecommandsthesurroundingarea.

Afortwasfirstconstructedintheareain1240byAkibaSaburoShigenobu.WhenMimuraMotochikabecamethefeudallordoftheregioninthelatesixteenthcentury,thatstrongholdwasenlargedtoencompassthecastle’scurrentsite.WiththehelpoftheMoriclan,MimuraconqueredtheentireBitchuarea,butwaslaterforcedfromthecastleafterbetrayingtheMori.In1600,KoboriMasatsuguandhissonMasakazucametotheareaonordersoftheTokugawashogunate.TheyweresucceededbyMizunoyaKatsutakain1681,whorebuilttheTenshu,towersandgatesandbuilttheOnegoya,anadministrativebuilding,onthesouthernsideofthemountain.In1744,ItakuraKatsuzumibecamelordofthecastleandwassubsequentlyfollowedbyeightItakuralordsthrough126years.

Bitchu-Matsuyamaisasmallcastlewithanoriginaltwo-storyTenshu,severalreconstructedtowersandoriginalplasteredmudwalls(dobei).ItsappealliesinitslocationonthepeakofMtGagyu,withstunningviewsoverthesurroundingmountains.Thecastlemakesinterestinguseofthetopography,withthestonewallsandtowerbasesappearingtogroworganicallyoutofthenaturalrock.

At1,410ft(430m)abovesealevelandsurroundedbymountains,theisolationofBitchu-Matsuyamarenderedlargecastlebuildingsunnecessary.Thetwo-storyblackandwhiteTenshu,althoughsmall,hasacommandingviewofthesurroundingarea.ThetowerssurroundingtheHonmaruareprotectedbyfan-shapedstone-droppingwindowsattheircorners,asseenontheGonohirayagura(fifthone-leveltower)intheforeground.Theundulatingroof(karahafu)ofthe

stone-droppingwindowoftheTenshuaddstothebeautyofthisremotecastle.

Shootingholesintheplasteredmudwalls(dobei)atopthestonewall.

Thenaturaltopographyhasbeenusedingeniouslytocreatealabyrinth-likeapproachtotheHonmaru,thehighestpointofthecastle.Thehillhasbeencarved,thenfacedwithstone,creating

wallsandsteps.Naturalstoneandrockfaceareincorporatedintothisdesign.

ThecurrentTenshudatesfromtherenovationbyMizunoyaKatsutakain1681.Quitecompact,itisdominatedbyalargestone-droppingwindow(ishiotoshimado)atitscenterwithanundulatingroofgable(karahafu).Slattedwindowssurroundthewalls,andagabledroof(irimoyahafu),itssidesextendingtotheedgesoftheroof,sitsatopthesecondlevel.Thewallsareacombinationofblacktimberpanelingandwhiteplaster.

Attherearofthecastle,pasttheMizunotemongateruins,aretheBanshoenclosureandterracedenclosurescalledtheAihatakekidoRuins.TheseleadtotheTenjinenclosures,theruinsofanoutlyingfortthatformedpartofthe

theTenjinenclosures,theruinsofanoutlyingfortthatformedpartofthecastle’snortherndefenses.Afurther656ft(200m)alongaretheearthworkruinsoftheoriginalOomatsuyamaCastledatingto1240.

TheordertoabolishcastlesearlyintheMeijiera(1868–1912)leftBitchu-MatsuyamaCastleinruins.Acitizen’sgroupwasformedin1929topreservethecastleandrepairthetower.FurtherrestorationandrepairshavecontinuedunderTakahashiCity.Bitchu-MatsuyamaCastlewasdesignatedanImportantCulturalPropertyin1950.Twotowers,fourgatesandsomemudwallswerereconstructedin1995.

NaturalterrainhasbeenusedtogreateffectatBitchu-Matsuyama,withtheTenshu,wallsandtowersrisingfromthesheerrockface.TheNijuyagura(two-storytower)appearstogrowoutof

therock.

TheGonohirayagura(fifthone-leveltower)andtheRokunohirayagura(sixthone-leveltower)flankthegatewaytotheHonmaru.

StepsleadingtotheGonohirayagura.

POINTSOFINTEREST

Bitchu-Matsuyamahasoneofthe12originalTenshuremaininginJapan.Itssmall,squatshapeandappearanceofgrowingoutoftherockyoutcropmakeitaninterestingadditiontothisgroupofsurvivingTenshu.

aninterestingadditiontothisgroupofsurvivingTenshu.Theeffortrequiredtoreachthiscastlerevealshowinaccessiblemountain

castleswere.Theisolation,interestingbuildingsandstunningview,however,arewellworththeeffort.

TheTenshuanddobeiwithroundandrectangularshootingholes.

TheHigashimon(eastgate)isthesidegateleadingtotheHonmaru.

DIRECTIONS

LocatedinTakahashi,Okayamaprefecture,thetrainfromOkayamatakesaboutonehour.FromTakahashiStationtakeataxihalfwayupthemountaintothecarparkandthenwalkuptothecastlesite.Itispossibletowalkbacktothetownfromthecastleinabout1.5hours.

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O

InuyamaCastle1535,1601–1620

nahilloverlookingtheKisoRiver,InuyamaCastlecommandedtheborderbetweenOwariandMinoprovinces.Establishedin1535byOdaNobuyasu,theuncleofOdaNobunaga,itsstrategicpositionincentralHonshusawitplayanimportantroleintheeventsleadinguptotheunificationofJapanduringtheWarringStatesperiod(1477–1575).

PriortotheKomakicampaignin1584,IkedaTerumasatookthecastleforhislord,ToyotomiHideyoshi,givingToyotomiastrategicadvantageoverhisrival,TokugawaIeyasu.Tokugawasubsequentlyretreated,leavingToyotomitoruleJapanuntilhisdeathin1598.IkedaTerumasalaterformedanalliancewithTokugawaIeyasubymarryinghisseconddaughter.HefoughtontheTokugawasideattheBattleofSekigaharain1600,forwhichhewasrewardedwiththeprovinceofHarimaandHimejiCastle.

InuyamaCastle’s62ft(19m)-highTenshuisoneofthemosthandsomeofthe12survivingTenshuinJapan.Itswatchtoweraffordsasuperbviewovertheriverandsurroundingcountryside.Fromtheexteriorthereappearstobethreelevels,butinsidetherearefour,plusanothertwowithinthestonebase.Thefirstfloorcontainsaguardroom,twostorageroomsandlivingquartersforthelord.Warriorswouldhideintherearoftheroomtoprotecttheirlordfromdanger.Thesecondfloorhasshelvesonthreewallstostoreweapons.Bell-shapedwindows(katomado)andamixofundulatinggables(karahafu,kirizumahafuandirimoyahafu)addtothebeautyoftheblackandwhiteTenshu.

ThestrategiclocationofInuyamaCastlebesidetheKisoRiverincentralHonshumadethisahotlycontestedsiteinthelatesixteenthcentury.Assuch,thecastlechangedhandsmorethanoncebetweenTokugawaandToyotomiloyalists.In1617,afterasuccessionoflords,theNaruse

clanmovedinandremainedatthecastleuntilitwastakenfromthembythenewMeijigovernmentin1871.Theythenretookpossessionin1895,makingInuyamatheonlyprivately

ownedcastleinJapanformanyyears.

Theolderborogata-styleTenshuhasawatchtoweraffordingstunningviewsofthesurroundinglandscape.Appearingasthreelevels,therearefourlevelsinsidetheTenshu,withanothertwoin

thestonebase.

Thetimbereavesarethicklyplasteredtoprotectagainstfire.Windowspushoutwardsandshootingholesremaincloseduntilneeded.

AconcretereconstructionoftheHonmarumon(gate)leadingtotheHonmaru(mainenclosure).TheTenshuandstonewallsaretheonlyoriginalbuildingsleftatInuyamaCastle.MostoftheotherbuildingsweretorndownwhentheMeijigovernmenttookpossessionin1871.Amajor

earthquakein1891wroughtfurtherdestruction.

TheKisoRiverasviewedfromtheTenshu.Windowscompriseaslidingshojiscreentoadmitlightandkeepoutdrafts,timberslatsandtimbershutterdoors.

ThereissomedisagreementastowhenandwhereInuyamaCastle’sTenshuwasbuilt.SomebelievethattheTenshuwasoriginallybuiltatKanayamaCastle,furtheruptheKisoRiver,in1537,dismantledin1599andshippedtoitspresentsite.ThiswouldmakeInuyamaCastletheoldestsurvivingTenshuinJapan.Theold-styleborogatawatchtowerontopoftheTenshusupportsthistheory.Restorationworkcarriedoutinthe1960s,however,suggeststhattheTenshuwasbuiltbetween1601and1620.

LookingattheHonmarufromtheTenshu.Thetwo-storybuildinginthemiddleisthereconstructedHonmarumongate.

LeavingthecastledownthesteephillbetweentheHonmarumonandtheKuromon.

TheuppermostroomonthefourthflooroftheTenshuiscalledtheKooran(highrailsroom).Witha360-degreeviewfromthesurroundingveranda,thisroomwasusedasalookout.Theblackkatomado(flowerwindow)isnotafunctioningwindow.Suchattentiontoaestheticsrevealsthe

castlewasmuchmorethanafortress.

An11.8ft(3.6m)-widecorridorsurroundsthecentralinnerroomsonthefirstandsecondfloorsoftheTenshu.Thesecorridorsarecalledmushabashiri(warriorsrunning)andwerewideenoughtoaccommodateanumberoffast-movingwarriorsinatimeofattack.Thecentralroomonthefirstfloorwasdividedintoaguardroom,twostorageroomsandtheJodannoma,whichhadaraised

floorandwasusedaslivingquartersforLordNarusewhenhewasstayingatthecastle.Weaponswerestoredintheinnerroomonthesecondfloor.

Asuccessionoflords,comprisingtheOda,Ikeda,Nakagawa,NagaoandOgasawara,residedatInuyamauntil1617.TheNaruseclanthentookpossessionandremainedatthecastleuntilitwastakenfromthemin1871.Atthistime,allthestructuresexcepttheTenshuweredestroyed.

ThecastlewasreturnedtotheNarusefamilyin1895ontheconditionthatthedamagewroughtbytheGreatNobiEarthquakeof1891wasrepaired.FormanyyearsitwastheonlyprivatelyownedcastleinJapan,untilrecently,whenitwassoldtothecityofInuyamaandtakenoverbyAichiprefecture.

POINTSOFINTEREST

Thestunninglocationofthecastle’shandsomeTenshuonthehilloverlookingtheKisoRiver.

TheoriginalTenshu.Theviewfromthewatchtower.

ThestonepilingusedatInuyamaisnozurazumi,themostbasicandoldeststyleofstonewallconstruction.Fieldstonesarepiledroughly,limitingtheheightandgradientofthewall.

DIRECTIONS

A15minutewalkfromInuyamaYuenStation.

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H

HiroshimaCastle1589–1599

iroshimaCastlewasestablishedbyMoriTerumotoin1589.OneofthewealthiestandmostpowerfuldaimyoinJapan,MoriruledhisnineprovincesthattodaycompriseHiroshima,Shimane,YamaguchiandpartsofTottoriandOkayamaprefecturesfromthere.

Mori’spowerlayinthewestofJapan.HissupportwascrucialtoOdaNobunagainhisquesttounifyJapaninthelatesixteenthcentury.ToyotomiHideyoshiwasresponsibleforgainingthesupportofthewesternprovincesforOda,ataskthattookfiveyearstoaccomplishfromhisbaseatHimejiCastle.HeeventuallygainedMoriTerumoto’sallegianceafterthewatersiegeofTakamatsuCastlein1582.MoribecameoneofToyotomi’strustedvassalsandwasappointedoneoffiveregentstogovernJapaninthenameofHideyoshi’sson,Hideyori,uponToyotomiHideyoshi’sdeath.MorisupportedtheToyotomiloyalistsduringtheBattleofSekigaharain1600,butdidnottakepartinthebattle.Aspunishmentfortakingthewrongside,hewasforcedtocedemostofhisterritoryandhisincomewascutfrom1,200,000kokuto360,000koku.HewassenttotheremotecoastaltownofHagiwhereheestablishedanewcastle.

HiroshimaCastlewasgiventoFukushimaMasanoriofKiyosu,anotherallyofToyotomiHideyoshi.Afterfloodsdamagedthecastlein1617,FukushimasoughtpermissionfromtheTokugawashogunatetorepairthecastle.Afterwaitingtwoyearswithoutareply,hewentahead.Aspunishmentforalteringthecastlewithoutpermission,hewasremovedtothelessprofitableprovinceofKawanakajimainNagano.HiroshimaCastleandtheeightBingocountieswerethenpassedtoAsanoNagaakira.TwelvegenerationsoftheAsanofamilythenheldthispositionfor250yearsuntiltheMeijiRestorationin1868.

Followingtheabolitionoffeudaldomainsandtheestablishmentofprefecturesin1871,thecastleservedasamilitaryfacility.ItwasdesignatedaNationalTreasurein1931butwasdestroyedbytheatomicbombin1945.TheTenshuwasreconstructedinconcretein1958andisnowamuseumhousingartifactsofHiroshimaandtheoriginalcastle.

Awatchtoweronthefifthlevelofthe85ft(26m)-highTenshugivesvantageoverthesurroundingarea.Asaflatlandcastle,heightwascrucial.Themaintower,plusthebase,is125ft(38m)tall.

EntrytotheNinomaru(secondenclosure)isviatheNinomaruomotemon.TheHirayagura(one-leveltower)isontherightofthegate.

Thestonepilingofthe39ft(12m)-highTenshubaseisquiterough,indicatingthatHiroshimaCastlewasbuilttowardthebeginningofthemajorcastlebuildingperiodof1576–1615.

TheNinomaruomotemon(frontgatetothesecondenclosure)wasreconstructedin1991usingtraditionalmaterialsandconstructionmethods.

TheTamonyagura(longtower)andthetwo-levelTaikoyagura(drumtower)linethestonewallsurroundingtheHonmaru(innerenclosure).Adrumwaskeptheretosoundthehourandsend

surroundingtheHonmaru(innerenclosure).Adrumwaskeptheretosoundthehourandsendsignals.TheUchibori(innermoat)surroundstheHonmaru.

InsidetheNinomaruomotemon.

TheTenshuwasreconstructedinconcretein1958aftertheoriginalwasdestroyedbytheatomicbombonAugust6,1945.

POINTSOFINTEREST

AnObikuruwasurroundstheHonmaruatHiroshimaCastle.Thisisanarrowenclosurethatencirclesalargerenclosure.Itisnamedafteranobi,thewaistbandwornaroundakimono.

Thefoundationsoftheeastandsouth-connectedkeepsseenbesidethereconstructedindependentTenshugiveanideaoftheoriginalTenshu’sform.

Hiroshimaisablackcastle.Manycastlesbuiltbefore1600werefinishedin

ablacklacquermadefrompineresin,blackink(sumi)andJapaneselacquer.Thisprotectsthetimberfromtheelementsandinsectinfestation.

Originallycoveringanextensivearea,HiroshimaCastlewassurroundedbythreemoatsandtheOtagawaRivertothewest.AftertheMeijiRestorationin1868,theouterandmiddlemoatswerefilledinandnowmostoftheoriginalcastlegroundsareoccupiedbycitybuildings.TheremainingUchibori(innermoat),HonmaruandNinomaruweredesignatedaNationalHistoricSitein1953.

DIRECTIONS

HiroshimaCityisonthemainShinkansenLine.Thecastleis10minutesbybusortramfromJRHiroshimaStation.GetoffatKamiyacho,thenitisa15minutewalktothecastle.

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P

MarugameCastle1587

erchedontopofKameyamahillontheislandofShikoku,MarugameCastleoverlookstheBingonadaSeatothemainislandofHonshu.FirstusedbytheNaraclanduringtheMuromachiperiod(1338–1573),thesitenowhousestheremainsofthecastleestablishedin1587bywarlordIkomaChikamasa.AfterbuildinganothercastleatnearbyTakamatsu,ChikamasahandedMarugameCastletohisson,IkomaKazumasa,whoturneditintoaformidablestronghold.Kazumasawasunabletoremainatthecastle,however,duetotheTokugawashogunate’sIkkokuichijoreilawof1615,whichrestricteddaimyotoonecastleperprovince.MarugameCastlewasdismantledin1615.

Thecastlewasgivennewlifein1641whenasmallpartofwesternSanukiwasgiventoYamazakiIeharuforbraveryduringthe1638ShimabaraRebellion.Yamazaki’snewfiefincludedthesiteofMarugameCastle,whichherebuiltbetween1641and1644.Itisbelievedthatmostofthestonewallsdatefromthistime.Fourteenyearslater,thecastlewaspassedtotheKyogokuclan,whofurtherimproveditbyaddingtheOtemoncomplex.TheKyogokuclanremainedatMarugameCastleuntiltheMeijiRestoration.Firerazedmanyofthebuildingsin1869beforetheImperialgovernmentdestroyedmuchofwhatremainedthefollowingyear.

MarugameCastleutilizesthenaturalrockyterrainofKameyamaasitsfoundation.TheHonmaruandTenshuarepositionedonthehighestpointofthehill,whichiscarvedtocreatesuccessivedescendingenclosures.Enclosuresatthebaseofthemountainhousethepalace,gardens,ridinggroundsandmaingate.Chiefretainers’mansionswerelocatedatthefrontandrearentrancestothecastleandsamuraihousesintheinnerareaoftheoutermoat(filledinduringtheMeijiera).Today,thethree-levelTenshuisoneofonly12originalTenshuremaininginJapan.TheOtemon,originallybuiltin1670,andtheTenshuwererestoredin1950.

TheOteninomonisapost-and-beam(koraimon)gate.Uponpassingthrough,youenteracourtyardandturnrighttogothroughtheOteichinomon,atwo-storyyaguramon.

TheKyogokuclancontrolledthecastleforover200years(1658–1868).Theirfamilycrestcanbefoundonendtilesthroughoutthecastlegrounds.

Marugameisathree-levelsotogata-styleTenshu.Smallbutbeautifullyproportioned,itsvantagepoint217ft(66m)abovesealevelnegatedtheneedformultiplelevels.

TheOteichinomonwasconstructedbytheKyogokufamily,whocametothecastlearound1658.

POINTSOFINTEREST

TheareaaroundtheGenkansakigomon(gatetothepalaceenclosure),andtheBanshonagaya(guardhouse).

Impressivestonewallsreinforcingthesteephill.

Layeredenclosurescarvedoutofthehillcreateahashigokaku-stylelayout,withtheHonmarubeingatthehighestpoint,followedbytheNinomaru,thentheSannomaru.TheTenshuof

Marugameisoneofonly12originalTenshulefttodayinJapan.

DIRECTIONS

10minuteswalkfromMarugameStation(YosanLine).

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N

NagoyaCastle1610–1628

agoyaliesontheTokaidoHighway217miles(350km)westoftheTokugawashogunate’shomeprovincesaroundEdoand112miles(180km)eastofToyotomiHideyori’sheadquartersatOsaka.In1610,TokugawaIeyasuorderedtheconstructionofNagoyaCastletosecurethisstrategicpositionandwardoffattacksfromOsaka.FollowingthedefeatofthewesternforcesloyaltoToyotomiHideyoshiattheBattleofSekigahara,daimyoonthelosingsidehadtheirlandsconfiscatedorreduced,resultinginthousandsofsamuraibecomingronin—wanderingwarriorswithoutalordorstipend.Thedisplaceddaimyoandroninmostlylivedinthewest,readytosupportToyotomiHideyoriifcalledupon.Thus,whileHideyoriwasaliveandensconcedatOsakaCastle,aconstantthreattotheTokugawaleadershipremainedinthewest.

Amaleandfemalekinshachi,(goldenshachihoko)adorntheroofridgeoftheDaitenshu.Standing8.5ft(2.6m)highandweighingover2,646lb(1,200kg),thesedolphin/tigerornaments

arecoveredin18caratgold.

ThecurveinthewalloftheDaitenshubasehelpsdistributethemassiveweightoftheTenshuoveralargerarea.Steeplyinclinedwallsweremorepronetocollapsethanfan-shapedones

(ogikobai).

NagoyaCastlewasbuiltforTokugawaIeyasu’sninthson,Yoshinao,whoestablishedtheOwaribranchoftheTokugawafamily.TheOwariweretheforemostoftheTokugawafamily’sthreelineages(sanke)andlivedhereuntiltheMeijiRestoration.DesignedbyNakaiMasakiyo,whowasinvolvedintheconstructionofNijo(1603),Fushimi(1602),Edo(1593–1636)andSumpu(1607)castles,NagoyawasthelastcastletobebuiltontheordersofTokugawaIeyasu(1542–1616).Nakaicombinedthelatestcastlebuildingtechniqueswiththevastresourcesof20daimyotocreateamassivesymbolofTokugawapower.Incredibly,thecastlewascompletedintwoyears.

Situatedonaflatlandsite,thecastlelackedheightandtopographyforitsdefense.Significantfortificationswerethusbuilttothwartenemyattacks.TheskilledcastleengineerKatoKiyamasawasresponsibleforthestonewallconstruction.ThewallssupportingtheTenshuarecalledfanwalls(ogikobai)becausetheupperpartofthewallcurvesoutwardlikeafan.Thisspecializedtechniquewasusedtopreventthewallswellingandcollapsing.ItisalsocalledKiyomasa-styleCrescentStonewallafterKatoKiyomasa,whousedthesesweepingwallsathisowncastleatKumamoto.ThecornerstonesoftheTenshu

basebeartheinscriptionsofthedaimyoinchargeofconstruction.ThoseofKatoandhisretainerscanbeseenonthenortheastcorner.

Theseven-storyconcreteDaitenshuofNagoyaCastledominatesthesurroundingarea.TheoriginalTenshuof1612wasdestroyedbyaUSbombinMay1945.Planstorebuildthe

DaitenshuanditsconnectedKotenshu(smallTenshu)intimberarecurrentlyunderway,withanestimatedcompletiondateof2026andacostof50billionyen.

OriginallycalledtheNishinomaruenokidamon,thistwo-storytowergateisa1959reconstructionofthemaingatewhichburntdownin1945.

TheNinomaruhigashininomon(Ninomarueastsecondgate).OriginallyconstructedastheeastgateoftheNinomarugoten,itwasrelocatedtothissitein1972.

AcombinationofdryandwetmoatssurroundenclosuresatNagoyaCastle.TheUchibori,adrymoat,surroundstheHonmaru(innerenclosure)andawetmoat,Sotobori(outermoat),surroundsthecastlecomplex.Therearefourmainenclosures:theHonmaruatthecenter,theNishinomaru(westernenclosure),theNinomaru(secondenclosure)totheeastandtheOfukemarutothenorth.TheTenshuandHonmarugotenarelocatedintheHonmaru.AsecondpalacewasconstructedintheNinomaruin1617forthelordtoliveinandadministerlocalgovernment.ThepalacehadtwoNohdramastages.Performanceswereheldtocommemorateafeudallord’ssuccessiontoafiefdomandtocelebratethebirthofanheir.IntheearlyyearsoftheMeijiera,theNinomarueastgardenwasleveledandthepondfilledintomakewayforanarmybarracks.Thecastlewasfinallyreopenedtothepublicin1978.

Themassiveseven-story,plaster-coveredtimberTenshuwasconnectedviaacorridortoasmallerTenshu.Atthetimeofconstruction,itwasthelargestTenshuinJapan,withthebiggestfloorarea.NagoyaCastlereliedonitssizeratherthanbeautytoimpress.Itsonlyconcessiontodecorationarethetwohugegildedshachihokoontheroofridges.Cleverdevicessuchashiddenshootingholesandstone-throwingwindowsformedpartoftheTenshu’sdefensesinthecaseofasiege.Secretstoreroomshidrice,moneyandwells.TheTenshuandHonmarugotenweredestroyedinairraidsin1945andlaterrebuiltinconcretein1959.TheHonmarupalaceisbeingreconstructedusingtraditionalmaterialsandmethods,andisdueforcompletionin2018.

POINTSOFINTEREST

Thekinshachi,thegoldendolphintilesontheroofridgeofthemainTenshu.Thedolphinsareplatedin18caratgold0.04in(0.15mm)thick.Eachisunique.Themaleis8.6ft(2.62m)high,weighs2,805lb(1,272kg)andhas112scales.Thefemaleis8.5ft(2.58m)high,weighs2,680lb(1,215kg)andhas126scales.

Familyinscriptions(kuromon)inthestonewalls.Theserepresentthedaimyoresponsibleforaparticularsectionofastonewall.

ThelargeKiyomasastoneintheHonmaruwasdonatedbyKatoKiyomasa,thelordofKumamoto.Knownforhisskillinbuildingcastlewalls,KatowasresponsibleformuchofthewallbuildingatNagoyaCastle.Itissaidhestoodonalargerocktodirecttheselectionandplacementofindividualstones.

TheHonmarugotenpalace,whichisbeingreconstructedusingoriginaldrawings,paintingsandrecords.

ThenarrowwalkwayandsmallirondooroftheDaitenshuweredesignedtoimpedeaninvadingarmy.

Theoriginalseventeenth-centuryTatsumiyaguraoverlooksthedryUchibori(innermoat)andprotectsthesoutheastcorneroftheHonmaru.OneofthreecornertowerstosurvivethebombingduringWorldWarII,theothersaretheHitsujisaruyagura(southwesttower)andtheInuiyagura

(northwesttower).

Adrymoatwithwallsinnozurazumi(roughfieldstonestyle)surroundstheHonmaru(innerenclosure).VariouskindsofstonewallconstructioncanbeseenatNagoyaCastle,themost

sophisticatedbeingtheTenshubaseandatimportantgateways.

TheOmoteshoin(mainhall)ofthereconstructedHonmarugotenwasusedforofficialaudiences.Theraisedfloorareathroughtheslidingfusumawasreservedfordaimyoandotherimportantguests.TheHonmarugotenwasoriginallybuiltin1615.Asecondpalacewasconstructedinthe

Ninomaruin1617wherethelordlivedandadministeredlocalgovernment.

DIRECTIONS

Subway

MeijoLine,getoffatShyakusho(CityHall).TsuramaiLine,getoffatSengencho.

Bus

SakaeNo.13,getoffatNagoyajoSeimonMae.KeyRouteBusNo.2,getoffatShyakusho.TakeaNagoyaSightseeingRouteBuscalledMe-guru.

Train

MeitetsuSetoLine,getoffatHigashiOte.

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E

EdoCastle1593–1636

doCastlewastheheadquartersoftheTokugawashogunatefrom1603to1868.DuringtheTokugawareign,theoncebackwaterfishingvillageofEdogrewtobecomeoneofthemostpopulousandthrivingcitiesintheworld,knowntodayasTokyo.OtaDokan(1432–86),thechiefretaineroftheUesugiclan,builtacastleonthissitein1467.ItwasseizedbyHojoUjitsunaofOdawarain1524andheldbytheHojountiltheyweredefeatedbyToyotomiHideyoshiin1590.HideyoshithenofferedTokugawaIeyasutheHojo’seightKantoprovincesinexchangefortheTokugawaancestrallandsofMikawaandTotomi.ThischangeinterritoryshiftedTokugawaIeyasu,thesecondmostpowerfulwarlord,149miles(240km)eastofToyotomi’spowerbaseintheKinaidistrict.WithTokugawaremoved,ToyotomiwasabletoconsolidatetheleadershipofJapan.BeingconsignedtoabackwaterenabledTokugawatodevelophisnewterritorywithoutbeingobligedtoparticipateinanyofHideyoshi’scostlyKoreancampaigns.HeusedthisstrengthtohisadvantageattheBattleofSekigaharain1600,andinhisfinalbattlestodefeattheToyotomihouseatOsakain1615and1616.

LocatedinthecenterofJapanontheeastcoastofthemainislandofHonshu,Edoliesatthejunctionofthethreemainhighwaysofthetime:theTokaido,NakasendoandKoshiKaido.Itsprimepositionbesidetheseafacilitatedtradeandtransport,whilethevastKantoplainarounditensuredagoodsupplyoffood.

TokugawaIeyasucommencedbuildinghiscastleherein1593.Appointedshogunbytheemperorin1603,heemployedaccomplishedcastlearchitectTodoTakatoratodesignacastlefitfortherulerofthecountry.Drawinguponincumbentdaimyo,hebuiltahugecastleencircledbya10mile(16km)-longoutermoat.A3mile(5km)innermoatfedbytheSumidaRiverprotectedtheinnerenclosureofthecastle.Thegroundsweredividedintosixenclosures:Kitanomaru(northenclosure);Honmaru,whichhousedtheTenshuandofficesoftheshogunate;NinomaruandSannomaru,whichheldresidencesofretainers;

Nishinomaru,thelivingquartersofthepastshogunandtheheir;andFukiage,whichheldgardens.Therewere38gatesandnumeroustowersandbridges.Ieyasu’sgrandsonIemitsucompletedthecastlein1636,thesameyearEdowasofficiallymadetheadministrativecapitalofJapan.KyotoremainedtheImperialcapital.

TheFujimiyagurawasusedasasubstituteTenshuafterthemainTenshuwasdestroyedbyfirein1657.TheshogunwatchedfireworksatRyogokuandoverTokyoBayfromthistower,anditwasalsopossibletoseeMtFujifromhere,henceitsname.Situatedinthesoutheasterncornerofthe

Honmaru,itistheonlythree-storytowerremainingof11intheinnercitadel.

TheTenshudai(Tenshubase)islocatedinthenorthcorneroftheHonmaru.Itis135ft(41m)wide,148ft(45m)longand36ft(11m)high.A131ft(40m)-highfive-storyTenshustoodonthis

base,makingEdoCastle’sTenshuthetallestinJapanat167ft(51m).Builtin1607,themagnificenttoweradornedingoldornamentsburntdownjust50yearsaftercompletion.Witha

secureholdonpower,therewasnoimmediateneedtorebuildandalternativetowersinthecastlegroundswereusedaslookoutsduringtheEdoera(1603–1868).

TheSakuradamonislocatedonthesouthernperimeterofthecastlegrounds.Amasugatamon(box-stylegate),itismadeupofasimplepost-and-beamgate,astonewalledcourtyardanda

heavilyfortifiedtwo-storytowergate.

TheTatsuminijuyagura(southeasttwo-storytower)ontheKikyobori(moat)guardedthedistantKikyomon,whichledtotheNinomaru.

DaimyowereallocatedlandwithintheoutermoatofEdoCastletobuildelaboratemansionsinwhichtoresidewhileondutyattheshogun’scourteveryalternateyearunderthesankinkotaisystem.FamilymemberswereleftinEdoashostagestoensureadaimyo’sloyalty.Themansionscontainedbarracksforthedaimyo’sretainers,homesforclanofficials,anaudiencehallandlivingquartersofthedaimyo’sfamily,fireproofstore-housesandbeautifulgardens.Lesservassalsoftheshogunwereassignedareasoutsidethecastlegrounds.

MerchantsandcraftsmenwereenticedtoEdobyamplebusinessopportunitiesandmoderatetaxes.Landtothesouthandeastofthecastlewasexclusivelyreservedforthem.In1610,Edowasathrivingtownof150,000people,andby1700itwasthelargestcityintheworld,withoveramillioninhabitants.

FushimiyagurawasrelocatedfromFushimiCastleafteritwasdismantledintheearlyseventeenthcentury.TheWestern-stylestoneandironbridgeintheforegroundreplacedthetimberEdo-era

bridge,Nishinomarushimojobashi,intheMeijiera(1868–1912).ThisbridgeleadstotheNishinomaruwheretheshogun’slivingquarterswerelocatedandwheretheImperialpalace

stands.

Thebaseofthetwo-storysecondgateoftheSakuradamonhasperfectlycutstones(kirikomihagi)ofvariouscolors,whichfittightlytogetherwithoutmortar.Themostsophisticatedandexpensivetypeofstonewallpiling,itisseenmorefrequentlyatEdoCastlethanatanyothercastle,aresult

oftheTokugawamakinguseoftheresourcesofoutsidedaimyo.

In1867,TokugawaYoshinobu,thefifteenthheadoftheTokugawashogunate,handedpowerbacktotheImperialcourtatNijoCastleinKyoto.EdoCastlewasoccupiedbyImperialforces.In1868,EmperorMeijimovedtheImperialcourtfromKyototoEdoCastleandnamedthenewcapitalTokyo(easterncapital).

POINTSOFINTEREST

Bothstone-facedwallsandearthembankmentscanbeseenatEdoCastle.Thesouthernandwesternsidesarefortifiedbyhighearthembankmentsplantedwithpinetreestopreventerosion.Thenorthernandeasternembankmentsofthepalacegroundsarefacedwithstone.AhugenumberofstoneswereshippedfromtheKansaiandIzuregions.StoneswereunloadedonthebeachwhereTokyoStationnowstandsandtransportedtothesitebyoxorhorse.

Thestonebasesofmostofthegatesandtowersareconstructedwithprecisioncutandinsertedstonewithoutgapsortheneedformortar(kirikomihagi).ExtensiveuseofthisexpensivetypeofstonepilingwasaproclamationofTokugawawealth.

TheTenshuofEdoCastlewasbuiltontheordersofthesecondshogun,Hidetada,in1607.Itunderwentmassiverepairsin1622beforecompletionin1638ontheordersofthethirdshogun,Iemitsu.Thefive-story,167ft(51m)-

highstructure,builtofhinoki(cypress),dominatedthecity.Unfortunately,only19yearslater,in1657,themagnificenttowerburneddownintheGreatFireofMeireki,whichrazedmostofEdo.Itwasneverrebuilt.TheTenshudai(baseofthemaintower)islocatedinthenorthcorneroftheHonmaru.Rising36ft(11m),itis134ft(41m)wideand147ft(45m)long.Thebasecompriseslight-coloredstonesfromShodoIslandintheSetoInlandSeaanddarkstonesfromIzu.

TheextensivemoatsystematEdoCastlecoversatotalareaof4,304,000sqft(400,000sqm).Madein13sections,themoatswereonaverage4ft(1.25m)wide.

EdoCastleduringthecherryblossomseason.

DIRECTIONS

TheOtemonentrancetotheKokyoHigashiGyoen(eastgardens)isashortwalkfromOtemachiStationontheChiyoda,Tozai,Marunouchi,HanzomonandMitaSubwayLines.Itcanalsobereachedina10–15minutewalkfromTokyoStation.TheeastgardensareontheformersiteoftheHonmaruandNinomaru.

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P

MaruokaCastle1576

roblemsstabilizingthestonewallsofMaruokaCastlearoseduringitsconstructionin1576.Itwasdecidedthatahumanpost(hitobashira)wasneededasasacrificetoappeasethegods.AblindpeasantwomancalledOshizuagreedtobeahitobashirainexchangeforhersonbeingtakeninbythelordandmadeasamurai.Oshizustoodstillasthestoneswerelaidaroundher,slowlycrushinghertodeath.Thelord,however,neverfulfilledhispromiseandwhenthemoatfloodsitissaidtobethetearsofOshizu.

ShibataKatsutoyowasthefirstlordofMaruokaCastle.HewasunabletofulfillhispromisetoOshizubecausehewastransferredtoNagahamaaround1582.KatsutoyowasthenephewofoneofOdaNobunaga’stopvassals,ShibataKatsuie.AfterOdawaskilledin1582,ShibataKatsuieandToyotomiHideyoshiviedfortherighttotakeOdaNobunaga’splace.ToyotomiconvincedKatsutoyotosidewithhimagainsthisuncle,andmovedhimtoHideyoshi’soldcastleatNagahama.

MaruokaCastleisoneofthelastLateWarringStates(1560s–1570s)styleofcastlebeforethemoderncastlewasdevelopedduringthefreneticcastlebuildingperiodof1576–1615.The

independenttimberTenshuhastwolevelsandawatchtower.Locatedonalowhill,ahighstonebasewasemployedforextraheight.Beinganearliercastle,techniquesofstonewallpilingwerestillintheirinfancyandroughfieldstonepiling(nozurazumi)wasused.Unfortunately,thistypeof

stonewallconstructionisnotsuitableforasteeplyinclinedwall,whichwouldaccountfortheinstabilityofMaruoka’sTenshubase.

OntherightsideoftheTenshuisatimberslattedstone-droppingwindow(ishiotoshimado).Thesestone-droppingwindowsareuniquetoMaruokaCastle.Timberslatsenableddefenderstoshootatanenemy,whilethefloorcouldbeliftedforrocks,hotsandandwatertobethrowndownon

anyonescalingthewalls.

AccesstotheTenshuisviaasteeprampwithstonesteps.

MaruokaCastlesubsequentlyhad17lordsruleuntiltheMeijiRestoration.ItwasnicknamedKasumigajo(MistCastle)becauselegendsaysthatfogwouldcloakitintimesofwar.

AlthoughbuiltintheMomoyamaperiod(1575–1600),theTenshuisindicativeofafortressfromtheWarringStatesperiod(1477–1575),withaviewingplatformonthetopfloor,thintimberwallsandastonetiledroof.TheTenshubaseisquitehighandsteepandusesrandom-stylestonepiling(nozurazumi).

AsquareshootingholeviewedfrominsidetheTenshu.InlinewithJapaneseaestheticideasofallowingmaterialstoagenaturally,thetimberhasbeenleftraw.However,exposedtimbermadethecastlemoresusceptibletofireandforthisreasonlatercastlesusuallyhadtheirshootingholes

plastered.

Theroundstoneroofeaveendtile(nokimarugawara)iscarvedwiththetomoepatternofthreecommas.Thetomoeevokestheimageofsprinklingwaterandoftenhassmalldotssurroundingthethreecommas.Thispatternisoftenusedonhousesto‘protect’thebuildingfromfire.The

stonerooftiles,stoneendtilesandstoneshachihoko(fish/tigerornament)areauniquefeatureofMaruokaCastle.

TheTenshusurvivedboththeEdoandMeijierasuntil1948whenanearthquakeleveledthebuilding.In1955,itwasrebuiltusing80percentoftheoriginalmaterials.

POINTSOFINTEREST

StonerooftilesmadeofShakudanistoneandstoneshachihako(fish/tigerornament)ontheroof.

Thecastlewalls,stone-droppingwindowsandshootingholesareallmadeoftimber.

Borogata-styleviewingplatform.Hitobashira(humanpost).

DIRECTIONS

FromAwara-onsenStationontheHokurikuLinetaketheKeifukubustoHon-MaruokaandgetoffatShiro-iriguchi.Busesrunhourlyandtake20minutes.BusesalsorunhourlyfromFukuiStation.

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S

HirosakiCastle1603–1611

omedistancefromKyoto,innorthernHonshu,liesHirosaki.AlthoughitslocationshieldeditfromthepowerstrugglestakingplaceincentralHonshu,theareaexperiencedseveralyearsoffightingamonglocalwarlordsinthelastquarterofthesixteenthcentury.OriginallycontrolledbytheNambuclan,fightingbeganin1571whenamemberofasubordinatebranchoftheclan,OuraTamenobu,revolted.TamenobupledgedloyaltytoToyotomiHideyoshiin1590,whosupportedhimasanindependentwarlord.OurasubsequentlychangedhisnametoTsugaruTamenobu.HesupportedHideyoshiattheBattleofOdawarain1590andparticipatedintheKoreanExpeditions.HeswitchedallegiancesbeforetheBattleofSekigaharain1600,joiningforceswiththeTokugawaside.Forhissupport,OurawasgrantedanincreaseinhisterritoryandgivenpermissiontoretainHirosaki.Althoughbesetbyanumberofdisturbances,uprisingsandincompetentmanagement,theTsugaruclankepttheirdomainthroughouttheEdoerauntiltheMeijiRestorationin1868.

TsugarubeganconstructiononHirosakiCastlein1603butdiedin1608leavinghissonTsugaruNobuhiratocompleteit.Thefive-storyTenshuintheHonmaruburntdownin1627afterbeingstruckbylightening.In1810,itwasreplacedwithathree-levelTenshurelocatedfromtheNinomaru.

TheextensivegroundsofHirosakiCastlecovernearly124acres(50ha)andhouseanumberofuniquebuildings.Therearefiveoriginalyaguramon(towergates),threetowers,aTenshuandaguardhouse.Extensivemoatssurroundthefourmainenclosures:theHonmaru,Ninomaru,SannomaruandNishinomaru.Today,thegroundshavebeenturnedintoapublicpark,withtheTenshuhousingamuseumofsamuraiartifactsandotheritemsrelatingtothecastle’shistory.

POINTSOFINTEREST

HirosakiisoneofthebestpreservedcastlesinnorthernJapan.Severalimportantculturalpropertiesdatefrom1611:Otemon,Higashimon,Tatsumiyagura,Hitsujisaruyagura,Ushitorayagura,Minamiuchimon,Higashiuchimon,Kitamon,

Hitsujisaruyagura,Ushitorayagura,Minamiuchimon,Higashiuchimon,Kitamon,TenshuandYorikibansho.

TheHigashiuchimon(eastgate)guardstheentrancetotheNinomaru(secondenclosure).Theabsenceofwallsoneithersidesuggeststimeswererelativelystablewhenthisgatewasbuilt.

Inauniqueprocedurecalledhikiya,the400ton(406,420kgTenshuwasliftedoffitsbasein2013toenablerenovationworkstothestonebaseandsurroundingwalls.Twenty-sevenjackselevatedtheTenshu4in(10cm),andthenoveraperiodof10weeksthefullyintactbuildingwasmovedhorizontallytothecenterofthemainenclosure230ft(70m)away.Itisscheduledtobereturned

toitsoriginalsiteby2020.

Thefivetowergatesareinastylerarelyseenatothercastles.Thetwo-storytimberyaguramonarefree-standinganddevoidoftheusualstonebaseoradjacentstonewallusedforadditionalstrength.Earthembankmentswithlowtimberwallscreatemasugatabox-shapedgatewaysattheKitamon(northgate)

andOtemon(maingate).Eachgatehasasmallguardwindowonthelowerfloorandanextendedslattedwindowonthesecondfloorforsamuraitoshootatintruders.Theroofsofthegatesaresteepduetohighsnowfall.

Therearethreeoriginaltowersinthecastlegrounds.Likethegates,theseareinastylenotcommonlyseenatothercastles.Threestorieshigh,setonalowstonebaseonearthembankments,theyappearsquatcomparedtothetypicaltwo-storycastletower.Thewhiteplasteredwallsaredevoidofdecoration,asarethethreerooflayers.Thesecond-storyroofhasanunusualirimoyagable,wherethesidesextendrighttotheedgeoftheroofcorners.

TheTenshuintheHonmaruhastwodifferentfaces.FromoutsidetheHonmaru,theTenshuiswellproportionedandgraceful.Stone-droppingwindowsaretoppedwithsweepinggables(kirizumihafu)andevenlyspacedwindowsrunbetweenwhiteplasteredbands.FrominsidetheHonmaru,however,theTenshuisquiteutilitarian,withflatwalls,nogablesandgroupedwindowswithplaincoppershutters.

TheOtemon(maingate)isafree-standingtwo-storyyaguramonguardingtheentrancetotheSannomaru(thirdenclosure).Amasugata(box-shaped)gatewayiscreatedbythetimberandplasteredmudwallsextendingfromthegatetoformacourtyardontheinsideoftheOtemon.Theselowtimberwallssitatopearthembankments.Itisunusualtoseeearthembankments

withoutstonefacingatimportantgateways.

DIRECTIONS

A25minutewalkfromHirosakiStation.

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A

WakayamaCastle1585

fterToyotomiHideyoshisubjugatedKishuprovincein1585,heorderedhisyoungerbrother,Hidenaga,tobuildacastleonMtOkayama(nowknownasMtTorafusu).TodoTakatoraoversawtheconstructionofthecastle.WakayamawasthefirstofmanysignificantcastlesTododesignedoverthenextfourdecades.

HidenagawastransferredtoKoriyamaCastlewithinayearandKuwayamaShigeharu,aretainerofToyotomiHideyoshi,wasinstalled.AftertheBattleofSekigahara,AsanoYoshinagawassenttoWakayama.Asanoincreasedthesizeofthecastle,createdtheinterconnectedTenshu,builtaresidenceintheNinomaruandchangedthemaingatefromtheOkaguchimontotheIchinohashimon.In1619,AsanoNagaakirawastransferredtoHiroshimaCastleandgiventheeightBingoprovincesstrippedfromFukushimaMasanorifordefyingtheTokugawashogunate.

TheTokugawashogunatethensentTokugawaYorinobu,thetenthsonofTokugawaIeyasu,toWakayamaCastle.Asoneofthesankehouses(threeTokugawahousesfromwhichtheshogunwaschosen),WakayamaCastlebecamethemostimportantfortresstowatchoverthewesternprovinces.DescendantsoftheTokugawafamilyremainedatthecastleuntiltheMeijiRestoration.Theeighthshogun,Yoshimune,andthefourteenthshogun,Iemochi,camefromWakayamaCastle.

After1871,whenthefeudalsystemwasabolishedandthecountrydividedintoprefectures,thecastlebecameanarmylookout.In1900,itwasopenedtothepublicanddesignatedanHistoricSitein1931.Destroyedinanairraidin1945,itwasrebuiltinconcretein1958.

WakayamaCastleisoneofthefewcastlestohaveaninnercourtyardcreatedbyinterconnectingtowerstoamainTenshu.HimejiCastleisanotherexample.Themainthree-levelTenshu(Otenshu)isconnectedtotheKotenshu,asmallkeepononeside,andtoanextendedcorridor(gamon)leadingtotheTenshuninomon.ThisgateislinkedtotheNinomonyagura(secondgatetower),whichisjoinedbyacorridortotheInuiyagura,whichconnectstotheDaidokoro

kitchenandbacktotheKotenshu.Originally,thecastlewascoveredinblacktimberpanelingtypicalofearlycastlesandthosebuiltbysupportersofToyotomiHideyoshi.In1798,TokugawaHarutomi,thetenthlord,orderedthecastle’sexteriorchangedtowhiteplaster.ThismayhavebeenforgreaterfireproofingortoalignitwiththeotherTokugawacastles,whichwereusuallywhite.In1846,thecastlewasstruckbylightninganddestroyed.UnlikeothercastlebuildingsdestroyedduringtheEdoperiodthatwerenotrebuiltduetolackoffunds,necessityorpermissionfromtheshogunate,WakayamaCastlereceivedspecialpermissionandwasrebuiltin1850.

TheIchinohashi(firstbridge)andOtemon(frontgate)leadingtotheNinomaru(secondenclosure).

TheOtenshu(mainkeep).OntherightistheKotenshu(smallkeep)andasingle-levelcorridorleadingtotheInuiyagura(notshown).TheInuiyagurawasconnectedbyacorridortothetwo-

leadingtotheInuiyagura(notshown).TheInuiyagurawasconnectedbyacorridortothetwo-levelNinomonyagura.ThistowerprotectedtheKusunokimon(gatetotheTenshu).Another

corridorconnectedthisgateandtheOtenshu,thuscreatinganenclosedcourtyardatthecenteroftheTenshucomplex.

TheOhashiroka(corridorbridge)enabledthelord,hisretainersandladiesinwaitingtocrossbetweentheNinomaruandNishinomaruwithoutbeingseenfromtheoutside.Thistypeofinclined

bridgeisunusual.Itwasreconstructedin2006.

InsidetheOhashiroka.

TheOkaguchimonwasoriginallyusedasthemaincastlegate.DuringtheAsanoperiod,itsnamewaschangedtoKarametemon(reargate)andtheIchinohashigomonwasusedasthefrontgate.TheOkaguchimonwasrebuiltbytheTokugawain1621andsurvivedtheairraidsthatdestroyed

therestofthecastlein1945.ItwasdesignatedanImportantCulturalPropertyin1957.

POINTSOFINTEREST

LanternbaseinthestonewalloftheInuiyagura.Enormouscurvedstone-droppingwindows.ClosedcourtyardcreatedbytheconnectedTenshuandtowers.CoveredcorridorgateconnectingtheNinomaruandSannomaru.Longsteps(gangi)forsoldierstoclimbtothetopofawalloverlookingthe

moatquicklyandenmasse.Differenttypesofstonewallpiling:roughfieldstonepiling(nozurazumi),

roughlycutandinsertedstones(uchikomihagi)andpreciselycutandfittedstones(kirikomihagi).Theearliestwallsusedtheroughestpiling,laterwallsuchikomihagiandimportantgatewayskirikomihagi.

DIRECTIONS

FromJRWakayamaStationabustoKoenmaebusstoptakes15minutesorittakesabout30minutestowalk.

B

FukuyamaCastle1619

y1616theTokugawahadeliminatedtheToyotomihouseandsubjugatedthedaimyointhewesternprovinces.Mostofthesedaimyo,however,hadnotsupportedtheTokugawaattheBattleofSekigaharain1600andsubsequentlysidedwiththeToyotomiatthesiegesofOsakaCastlein1614and1615.ThewesterndaimyoremainedaconstantthreattotheTokugawashogunatethroughouttheEdoera(1603–1868),anditwaspressurefromrebelliousforcesinthewestthatfinallyledtotheTokugawadownfallin1868.

Tomonitorrecalcitrantwesterndaimyo,theTokugawastrengthenedexistingcastlesandbuiltnewcastlesatstrategicpointsalongtheSanyoHighway.HimejiCastlewassignificantlyenlargedandstrengthenedbetween1601and1617.MoriTerumoto,aToyotomiloyalistandfounderofHiroshimaCastle,131miles(210km)westofHimeji,wasremoved.TrustedretainersoftheTokugawashogunwereinstalledatbothcastlesandimmediatelyrelievediftheirloyaltycameintoquestion.

Aspartofthisstrategy,theTokugawashogunateorderedMizunoKatsunaritobuildacastleatFukuyama,midwaybetweenHimejiandHiroshima,in1619.Katsunaribuiltaseven-storyTenshuonasmallhill.ManybuildingsweretakenfromFushimiCastlenearKyotoandreconstructed,includingFushimiyagura,Sujiganegomon,Tsukimiyagura(moon-viewingtower)andYudono(bathhouse).Someofthemsurviveintheiroriginalcondition.Doublemoatssurroundedthecastle,fedbyaninlettotheSetoInlandSea.

TheMizunoclanremainedatFukuyamauntil1700,afterwhichMatsudairaTadamasaoccupiedthecastlefrom1700to1710.TheAbeclanfollowedandruledtheareaforthenext164years.

Fromtheexterior,theTenshuappearstohavefivestoriesbuthasseveninside.Eachfloorgetsprogressivelysmallerinthesotogatastyle,indicativeoftenshubuiltinthelatteryearsofthe

moderncastlebuildingperiod(1576–1615).TheoriginalTenshuof1622burntdownduringWorldWarIIandwasreconstructedinconcretein1966.IthousestheFukuyamaCastleMuseum.

TheoriginalYuudono(bathhouseorhall)wasrelocatedfromFushimiCastlein1619.ItwasburntdownduringWorldWarIIandrestoredtoitsoriginalstatein1966.ThefamilycrestofToyotomi

Hideyoshi,whobuiltFushimiCastlein1594,iscarvedinthewoodendoors.

TheFushimiyagurawasoriginallytheMatsunomaruhigashiyaguraofFushimiCastle.Itwasdismantled,movedtoFukuyamaandrenamedin1619.Atwo-storyturretwithaborogata-stylewatchtower,itsurviveddemolitionduringtheMeijiRestorationandtheairraidsofWorldWarII.It

hasbeendesignatedanImportantCulturalAsset.

TheTsukimiyagura(moon-viewingtower)islocatedinthesoutheasterncorneroftheHonmaru.Althoughitiscalledamoon-viewingtower,itwas,infact,awatchtower.Itoriginallycamefrom

FushimiCastlebutwasdestroyedinthe1870saftertheMeijiRestoration.Itwasreconstructedinconcretein1966.

Morethan10stripsofironarenailedtothecornersofthepillarsanddoorsoftheSujiganegomon.Stillinitsoriginalstate,thisgateisbelievedtohavecomefromFushimiCastlein1619.Totheleftofthegateisalowwallwithshootingholes,slattedwindowsandatiledroof.Warriorsobserved

andfiredonintruderstryingtoenterthecastlefrombehindthesewalls.

TheYudonobathhouse.

TheMizunofamilyoccupiedFukuyamaCastlefrom1619to1700.Theirfamilycrestcanbeseenintheroundeaveendtiles(nokimaruguwara)throughoutthecastle.

TheTenshuislocatedintheHonmaruatthehighestpointinthecastlegrounds.Thelowerouterenclosuresaredelineatedbystonewallslinedwithlowplasteredmudwalls(dobei).

DetailofAzuchi-MomoyamastylecarvingintheKaramonatNishiHonganjiTemple,Kyoto.ThisgateisbelievedtohavecomefromFushimiCastle.

RemnantsofFushimiCastleFushimiCastlewasconstructedin1594toprotectKyotofromthesouthandasaplaceofretirementforToyotomiHideyoshi.Located25miles(40km)fromOsaka,itwaspossibletoseeafiresignalfromToyotomi’smaincastleatOsaka.Ornatecarvings,brightcolorsandtheuseofgoldleafwereusedinabundanceinthelavishinteriors.Thecastleisfamousforitsgold-platedtearoominwhichHideyoshiissaidtohaveentertainedtheemperor.Plumtreeswereplantedatthecastle,givingthesitethenameMomoyama(PlumMountain).TheelaboratestyleoftheAzuchi-Momoyamaperiod(1576–1600)derivesitsnamefromFushimiandAzuchi(1576)castles.

Thecastlewasdestroyedinanearthquakein1595andanotherbuiltneartheoriginalone.Hideyoshi,however,diedsoonafteritscompletion.

AfterHideyoshi’sdeathin1598,FushimiCastlewastakenoverbyTokugawaIeyasubeforehemovedtoOsakaCastlethefollowingyear.FushimiCastlewasoneofthefirsttargetsoftheToyotomiloyalistsleadinguptotheBattleofSekigaharain1600.AttackedbyKobayakawaHideaki,itwasundersiegefor11daysandbravelydefendedbyToriiMototadabeforeheadmitteddefeatandcommittedritualsuicide(seppuku).KobayakawalatersidedwithTokugawaIeyasuatSekigahara,resultinginthedefeatoftheToyotomiloyalists.

In1602,TokugawaIeyasurebuiltFushimiCastlebutitwasdismantledin1623.ManyofitsbuildingsweredistributedaroundJapan,anditispossibletoseeremnantsofFushimiCastleatEdoCastle,NijoCastle,NishiHonganjiinKyotoandFukuyamaCastle.

AftertheMeijiRestoration,themoatswerefilledinandmanytowersweredestroyed.TheTenshuandbathhouseweredestroyedinWorldWarIIairraids,butFushimayaguraandSujiganegomonsurvived.DrystonewallswerelaterremovedtomakewayforFukuyamaStation,whichrunsalongsidethecastle.TheTenshuwasrebuiltinconcretein1966.

POINTSOFINTEREST

TheoriginalandunusualShorou(belltower).ThefourbuildingsfromFushimiCastle,twoofwhichremainintheir

originalcondition.ThereconstructedYudonobathhousewasoriginallyfromToyotomi

Hideyoshi’sFushimiCastlebuiltin1594.TheToyotomifamilycrestiscarvedonthedoorsoftheYudono.

StepsleadingtotheareabehindSujiganegomon.

Round,squareandrectangularshootingholeslinetheplasteredmudwalls.

DIRECTIONS

5minuteswalkfromJRFukuyamaStation.

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L

HagiCastle1604

ocatedinaremotecorneronthewestcoastofJapan,HagiCastlewasthehomeoftheMoriclan.PriortotheBattleofSekigaharain1600,theMoriwereoneofJapan’swealthiestandmostpowerfulfamilies.AsretributionforsupportingthelosingsideatSekigahara,TokugawaIeyasuconfiscatedsixoftheMori’seightprovinces,togetherwiththeircastleatHiroshima.OrderedtomovetoHagi,theMori’sincomedroppedsharply,from1.2millionkokuto360,000koku.

Havinglostterritoryandmostofhisincome,MoriTerumotobeganbuildingacastleatHagiin1604.ThisbecamethebaseoftheMoriclanforthenext260years.Aschoolforrevolutionarysamuraiwasestablishedhere,withmostofthegraduatesplayinganimportantroleinoverthrowingtheTokugawashogunatein1867.In1863,MoriTakachikamovedtheadministrativefunctionsofthedomaintoYamaguchi.ManyofthecastlebuildingsatHagiweredismantledandthecastleabandonedintheMeijiera,after1868.

Hagiisanexcellentexampleoftheuseoflocationandtopographyfordefense.Thecastletownissituatedonapentagonal-shapedislandsurroundedbytheMatsumotoRiver,theHashimotoRiver,theAbuRiverandtheSeaofJapan.A2,428ft(740m)-longoutermoatseparatedtheSannomaru,containingretainerandsamuraihouses,fromtherestofthetownwheremerchants,lower-rankingsamuraiandartisanslived.ThenarrowstreetsoftheSannomaruarelinedwithplasteredmudwalls,atimberNagaya(barracks)andavarietyofgates.Theyweredesignedtoconfuseaninvadingarmythroughsharpturns,deadendsandhighwallsthatobstructedvision.DuringtheEdoera,samuraiwerepermittedtohavewallssurroundingtheirhouseandafrontgatebefittingtheirrank.Virtuallyintact,thetownisaremarkableremnantofanEdo-eracastletown.

ThecastlewasbuiltonandaroundMtShizuki,asmallpeninsulaextendingintothesea.Twoenclosureswithmultiplewatchtowersweresitedontopofthe470ft(143m)-highpeak.TheHonmaru,Tenshuandadministrativebuildings

werepositionedatthebase.AmoatseparatedtheNinomarufromtheHonmaru.Anextensivewall,theJugandobeialongtheseafront,protectedthecastlefromseaborneinvasion.

Builtin1845andoriginallylocatedintheSannomaru,theHananoeteahousewasmovedtoShizukaParkin1889.ManypoliticaldiscussionswereheldherebetweendaimyoandvassalsintheyearsleadinguptotheMeijiRestoration.ThesouthernsamurailedbytheMoriweretoplay

animportantroleinoverthrowingtheTokugawashogunatein1867.

AviewoftheUchibori(innermoat)fromthebaseoftheTenshu.Afive-story,47ft(14.4m)-highTenshuwaslocatedonthisbaseatthefootofMtShizuki.Builtin1604,itwasthesymbolofHagi

Castlefor270yearsbeforebeingdemolishedin1874aftertheMeijiRestoration.

POINTSOFINTEREST

Althoughtherearenoextantbuildings,thesizeoftheTenshubaseandstonewallsrevealthesignificantscaleoftheoriginalcastle.

stonewallsrevealthesignificantscaleoftheoriginalcastle.Alongwallofstairs(gangi)besidetheTenshubaseforwarriorstoascend

quickly.EnormousrockswithchiselmarksintheTsumenomarushowhowrocks

weresplitforbuildingwallsandbases.SamuraihousesandmudwallsliningthestreetsintheSannomaru.Merchanthousesinthecastletown.

Alongwallofsteps(gangi)besidetheTenshuenabledwarriorstoascendthewallspeedilyandenmasseifattacked.

TheKitanosoumon(northgate).TherewerethreemaingatesatHagiCastle:theKitanosoumon,Nakanosoumon(middlegate)andHiyakonosoumon(maingate).Thesegateswereclosed

overnight,prohibitingpassagewithoutapermit.

overnight,prohibitingpassagewithoutapermit.

DIRECTIONS

AlthoughHagiisremoteandtakestimetoreach,itiswellworththeeffort.Itslocationonthecoastisstunning,withunspoiltbeachesandsurroundingmountains.Thetownisextremelywellpreservedandthecastleruinsextensive.Thecastleisa15minutebusor10minutetaxiridefromHagiStation.

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P

TakedaCastle1441,1577

erched1,158ft(353m)abovesealevel,TakedaCastlesprawlsoverthetopofthemountainoverlookingthesurroundingTajimaregioninnorthHyogo.Thissitewasfirstusedinthemid-fifteenthcenturywhenlocaldaimyoSozenYamanaorderedtheconstructionofacastletoprotecttheTajimaareafromwarlordsinHarimaandTanba.Hisretainer,OtagakiMitsukage,builtthecastlein1441andwassubsequentlymadeitslord.Originallyasimplemountainfortofearthworksandwoodenpalisades,thetopofthemountainwasleveledtopermituninterruptedsurveillanceofthenearbymountainsandadjoiningvalleys.

Overacenturylater,in1577,ToyotomiHideyoshiseizedthecastle,placingitunderthecontrolofhisyoungerbrother,ToyotomiHidenaga.Toyotomireinforcedtheearthworkswithstonewallsandstonebases,ontopofwhichaTenshuandtowerswereerected.TwolordsfollowedHidenaga—KuwayamaShigeharuandthefinallordofTakedaCastle,AkamatsuHirohide.AkamatsufoughtonthewesternsideattheBattleofSekigaharain1600butswitchedsidesaftertheTokugawavictory.HetookpartinanattackonTottoriCastleandwasaccusedofsettingfiretothetown.Toatone,hewasforcedtocommitseppuku.TakedaCastlewasabandoned.Mountaincastleswerenowredundantasfightingbetweenrivalwarlordshadceaseduponthecountry’sunification.Theseremotesiteswerealsoinconvenientaslordsneededtobeclosertotheburgeoningcastletownstoeffectivelyadministertheirdomain.

TakedaCastleisdividedintofourparts:Kitasenjo(northarea),Minamisenjo(southarea),Hanayashiki(westarea)andthecentralareawheretheTenshuwaslocated.Allexcellentvantagepoints,thesesitescontaintheHonmaru(mainenclosure),Ninomaru(secondenclosure),SannomaruandMinaminomaru(southenclosure).Thelord’sresidencewaslocatedatthefootofthemountain,thefoundationsofwhichhaverecentlybeendiscovered.Thecastle,whichissaidtoappearlikeasleepingtiger,isnicknamedTorafusu-jo(TigerCastle).

TheTenshudai(Tenshubase)islocatedintheHonmaru(centralenclosure).

Mountaincastleswereeffectivelylookoutsandonlyusedasalastlineofdefense.Battleswereusuallyfoughtonopenground.AsJapanunifiedinthelatterquarterofthesixteenthcentury,daimyoneededtobeclosertothepeopletoruleefficiently.Castlesbecameanadministrative

centeraswellasafortress.Consequently,themountaincastlewasrenderedobsoletebytheendofthesixteenthcentury.ThisviewofthetownbelowisfromtheNinomaru(secondenclosure).

POINTSOFINTEREST

Thestonebasesoftowers,stonewallsandtheTenshuprovideagoodindicationofhowthecastleoncecoveredthetopofthemountain.ThestonewallsdatefromthelatesixteenthcenturyafterthecastlewastakenbyToyotomi

fromthelatesixteenthcenturyafterthecastlewastakenbyToyotomiHideyoshi.Priortothis,thewallswereearthenramparts.

ThetowerbaseintheMinamininomaru(southernsecondenclosure)isconstructedofroughfieldstonepiling(nozurazumi).

DIRECTIONS

FromthebackofTakedaStationthetrekupthemountaintothecastlesitetakesabout45minutesor15minutesbytaxiorshuttlebus,followedbya10minutewalktotheentrance.

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L

FortGoryokaku1857–1864

ocatedinHakodateonthenorthernislandofHokkaido,FortGoryokakuwasthefirstWestern-stylefortressbuiltinJapan.Goryokaku,meaning‘pentagon,’isafive-pointedstar-shapedfortressenclosedbyamoat.BasedontheEuropeanfortressesconstructedbyFrenchmilitaryengineerSebastianVauban(1633–1707),itwasdesignedbyJapanesescientistAyasburoTakedain1857andcompletedin1864.Geometricfortresseswerebuiltinthisstyleduringthenineteenthcenturyasadefenseagainstmodernweaponry.

Lyingonashelteredbay,thecityofHakodatewasaninternationaltradingportpriortotheseventeenthcentury.ItclosedaftertheTokugawashogunateceasedallforeigntrading,leavingonlythesouthernportofNagasakiopen.Hakodatereopenedin1854afterCommodorePerrydemandedJapantradewithAmerica.ThetownsoonprosperedasmerchantsarrivedfromtheUnitedStates,Holland,Portugal,Germany,Switzerland,Denmark,Italy,Austria,Hungary,SpainandHawaii.

TheTokugawashogunateorderedtheconstructionofafortatHakodatein1857asadefenseagainstthethreatposedbyRussiatothenorth.TheshogunateoversawthetradingactivitiesofHakodateandtheadministrationofHokkaidoprovincefromwithinthefort.

Notlongafteritscompletion,FortGoryokakuwastestedasamilitarystrongholdwhenitbecamethelastholdoutoftherebelshogunateforcesstandingagainsttheJapaneseImperialArmy.ThelastbattleoftheBoshinWar(1868–69)wasfoughthereinApril1869.ThedefeatoftheshogunateforcesatGoryokakusignaledtheendoffeudalJapanand700yearsofsamurairule.ThefortwasdesignatedaSpecialHistoricSiteandisnowapublicpark.

POINTSOFINTEREST

Thestar-shapedfortisuniqueinJapan.AsthelastfortbuiltbytheTokugawashogunate,italsomarksthesitewheretheirrulefinallyended.

TheBugyosho(MagistratesOffice).

ThestarshapeofthefortisvisiblefromthenearbyGoryokakuTower.

Therearethreebridgescrossingthemoatintotheinnerenclosure:Ichinobashi,Ninobashiand

Therearethreebridgescrossingthemoatintotheinnerenclosure:Ichinobashi,NinobashiandSannobashi.

TheformerMagistratesOffice(Bugyosho)hasbeenreconstructedinthecenterofthefort.Theoriginalbuildingwasdemolishedin1871.

Abird’s-eyeviewofthefortressispossiblefromtheobservationdeckofthenearbyGoryokakuTower.

The1,500cherrytreesplantedwithinthefortgroundsmakeHakodateapopularspotinspring.

DIRECTIONS

FromHakodateStation,takethetramtoGoryokakuKoenMae,10minutes.Thefortressisanother10minutesonfoot.

Stonewallslinethemoataroundtheinnerenclosure.

Colorkeyonpage37

Japan’s100MostImportantCastles

GlossaryBakufumilitarygovernmentorshogunateBanshoguardhouseBorogatatypeoftenshuwithalookouttowerBushiwarrior,samuraiChidorihafutypeofroofgableresemblingtheoutstretchedwingsofachidori(plover)Daimyo

highestrankingsamurai;daimyowerelordsofadomainorregionwithanannualincomeinexcessof10,000kokuofrice.

DaitenshumaintowerDegoshimadolatticedbaywindowDobeilow,plaster-coveredearthwalltoppedwithasmalltiledroof;setatopstonewallsand

interspersedwithshootingholesDomainareaoflandcontrolledbyadaimyoDokuritsushikiindependenttenshuDoshinentypeofcastlelayoutwiththemainenclosureatthecenterandthesecondandthirdenclosuresarrangedinconcentricringsarounditDozostorehousemadeoftimber,mudandstrawandcoveredwithplasterFukugoshikiattachedtenshu

GengyodecorationattheapexofagableGobozumisophisticatedformofrandomstonewallpilingwherelongrectangularstoneswereembeddeddeepintotheearthforstabilityGotenpalace

Hakoboribox-shapedmoatHafugableHashi(bashi)bridgeHashigokakucastlelayout,withthemainenclosureattheapexofahillfromwhichthesecond

andthirdenclosuresdescendlikestepsHashirapillarHatayaguraflagtowerHeilowwallssurroundingcastleenclosuresHigashieastHirajirocastleonaplainHirayaguraone-leveltowerHirayamajirocastleonahillsurroundedbyaplainHitsujisaruyagurasouthwesttowerHonmarumainenclosure/baileyHori(bori)moatIdoyaguratowerforhousingawellInuiyaguranorthwesttowerIrimoyatwo-sidedroofwithaclosedtriangulargableatoppositeendsIrimoyahafugablein

whichthetwosidesextendtotheedgesoftheroofIshistone/rockIshiotoshimadostone-droppingwindow;protrudingwindowwithatrapdoorbuiltoutoverthe

stonewallfordefenderstodropstones,boilingwateroroilonattackersscalingthewallsIshigakistonewall

-josuffixmeaningcastle,Himeji-joKagamienormousstonesplacedatimportantentrancesKanpakuImperialregent;titlegiventoToyotomiHideyoshiwholedthecountryattheendofthesixteenthcentury.

KarahafuundulatingroofgableKarametereargateofacastle

Karamonpost-and-beamgatewithacuspedgableKatomadobell-shapedwindowKawaratileKirikomihagicutandinsertedmasonry,themosttechnicallyadvancedformofstonepiling;

preciselyhewnstoneswerecarefullyalignedtocreateawallwithoutgapsKitanorthKotenshusmalltenshuKoenparkKokumeasurementofrice;onekokuwasconsideredsufficienttofeedamanforayear.Koraimonpost-and-beamgatewitharoofextendingoverthefrontpostsandgate,plustwo

subsidiaryroofsovertherearsupportsKurastorehouseKuruwaenclosure/bailey(seemaru)MadowindowMarucircle,enclosure/bailey(alsocalledkuruwa)Masugatamonseriesofgateswhichcreatea

box-shapeddefenceMinamisouthMizutemonwatergateMongateMushamadowarrior’swindow;slattedwindowthroughwhicharrowscouldbeshotNagaya

tenementhouseNamakobeiseacucumbertiling;thekindoftilingusedtostrengthenplasteredmudwalls;the

rounded,raisedplasterbetweenthetilesresembleseacucumbersNawabarilayoutofthecastle

NinomarusecondenclosureNinomonsecondgateNijuyaguratwo-leveltowerNishinomaruwestenclosureNokimarugawararoundeaveendtileswhichusuallydisplayedthecrestofthelordofthecastle

NokihiragawaradecorativeflattileliningtheroofedgebetweentheroundeaveendtilesNozurazumirandomkindofstonewallpilingusingfieldstones(seeransekizumi)NunozumitypeofstonewallpilinginwhichthestonesarepreciselysquaredandfittedinevenrowsOginokobaifan-shapedstonewalls

OhiromaaudiencehallOnigawaragargoyle-like‘monster’tilesontheeavecornersOtemonmaingateRansekizumitypeofrandomstonepiling,alsocallednozurazumiorfieldstonepilingRenkaku

castlelayoutwiththemainenclosureinthecenterwiththesecondandthirdenclosuresoneithersideRenketsushikicompoundtenshu

RenjimadopushouttimberwindowSamashootingholeforarchers,gunnersorspearmenSannomaruthirdenclosureSanjuyagurathree-leveltowerSangizumizipper-likearrangementofrectangularstonesatthecornersofstonewalls

Shachihokomythicaldolphin-likecreaturesontheapexofroofgablesShirocastleShogunmilitaryleader;themostpowerfuldaimyoSeirenreceptionroomsSotogatamultilevelstyleoftenshuwhereeachfloorhasthesameshapebutdecreasesinsize

towardthetopSumiyaguracornertowerTaikoretiredregent

TaikobeidrumwallwherethesidesbulgeoutlikeadrumTaikoyagurasignaldrumtowerTamonyaguraextendedone-storytowerTatsumiyagurasoutheasttowerTeiengardenTeiritsushikiconnectedtenshuTennoheavenlysovereignoremperor;theImperialleaderofJapanTenshumaincastletower;

donjonTenshudaiearth-filledstonefacedbaseofthetenshuTepposamagunshootingholeTeppoyaguraguntowerTsukimiyaguramoon-viewingtowerTsujibeisoilwallUchikomihagimostcommontypeofpilingusingindividualrocksroughlyhewnintoshapeby

hammerandchiselUkishirocastlesurroundedbywater;‘floatingcastle’UshitorayaguranortheasttowerUzumimonsmallopeninginastonewallWatariyaguracrossingorconnectingtowerNishiwest

YagenboriU-shapedmoatYaguratowerorturret;arrowstorehouseYaguramontwo-storytowergatewithanopeningon

thegroundfloorandguardhousewithfiringpositionsonthefirstfloorYakuimonsimplegatewithasingleroofcoveringYamajiromountaincastle

YamazamaarrowshootingholeYashikimansion

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OsakaCastle