During the late Heian period and Muromachi period, the area of modern Kuwana was known as Jūraku-no-tsu (十楽の津) and was a major seaport on Ise Bay, controlled by a guild of merchants. The poet Socho described it in 1515 as a major city with over a thousand houses, temples and inns. The port was protected by three fortifications, (Higashi Castle, Nishi Castle, Misaki Castle) which made up what was known as the “Three Castles of Kuwana”. During the Sengoku period, the area came under the influence of the Ikkō-ikki movement centered at Nagashima. After the Ikkō-ikki were exterminated by Oda Nobunaga, the Kuwana area was awarded to his general Takigawa Kazumasa. After Nobunaga's death, Takigawa opposed Toyotomi Hideyoshi and lost his territories. For a time, Oda Nobukatsu held the area, but was dispossessed by Hideyoshi following the Battle of Odawara. In 1595, Hideyoshi assigned Ujiie Yukihiro a 22,000 koku domain, but he was dispossessed by Tokugawa Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara. Tokugawa Ieyasu realized the strategic importance of Kuwana in the ongoing struggle against the Toyotomi clan in Osaka due to its location at the mouth of Nagara River on the western side of the Nagashima delta area formed by the Kiso River, Nagara River and Ibi River. This meant that any travelers on the vital Tōkaidō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto had to pass through Kuwana in order to take a boat from Kuwana port to Atsumi Peninsula in Owari Province, as there were no bridges.
Ieyasu reassigned Honda Tadakatsu from Otaki Castle in Kazusa Province to Kuwana and ordered him to construct a large fortification on the riverbank on what was roughly the site of the old Higashi Castle. Under the Honda, Kuwana-juku developed as a prosperous post town.
Structure of Kuwana Castleedit
The castle Honda constructed was roughly triangular, protected on one side by the Kiso River. Within, the inner Bailey of the castle was rectangular, measuring 150 by 60 meters, and contained a four-roof, six-story tenshu and three three-story yagura watchtowers at each corner. Smaller secondary and tertiary enclosures surrounded the inner area forming a buffer zone for defense rather than a residential zone as in most other castles. The whole was surrounded by low stone walls and 24 two-story yagura, 12 one-story yagura and 46 gates. The western area of the castle, from which any attack was anticipated to come, was further protected by a water moat
Historyedit
In 1616, the Honda were transferred to Himeji Domain, and Kuwana Domain came under the control of a cadet branch of the Matsudaira clan, who would rule Kuwana throughout the remainder of the Edo period. The castle burned down in a fire of 1701, which also destroyed most of the surrounding castle town. The Tokugawa shogunate did not grant permission for the tenshu to be rebuilt, and the rest of the castle was restored on a much smaller scale
In 1928, the inner bailey and a portion of the Ni-no-Maru second bailey with some remnants of stone walls and moats were made into a public park, the Kyūka Park (九華公園, Kyūka-kōen) and the castle ruins became a Mie Prefectural Historical site in 1942.[1] The current structures include two reconstructed yagura. The castle site is a 20-minute walk from Kuwana Station.
Literatureedit
De Lange, William (2021). An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles. Groningen: Toyo Press. pp. 600 pages. ISBN978-9492722300.
Schmorleitz, Morton S. (1974). Castles in Japan. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co. pp. 144–145. ISBN0-8048-1102-4.
Motoo, Hinago (1986). Japanese Castles. Tokyo: Kodansha. p. 200 pages. ISBN0-87011-766-1.
Mitchelhill, Jennifer (2004). Castles of the Samurai: Power and Beauty. Tokyo: Kodansha. p. 112 pages. ISBN4-7700-2954-3.
Turnbull, Stephen (2003). Japanese Castles 1540-1640. Osprey Publishing. p. 64 pages. ISBN1-84176-429-9.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kuwana Castle.
Kuwana-jo Castle (Kyuka Park)
Notesedit
^"桑名城跡" [Kuwana-jo ato]. Mie Prefectural Cultural Properties Databaselanguage=Japanese. Mie Prefecture. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
December 15, 2023
kuwana, castle, 桑名城, kuwana, japanese, castle, located, kuwana, northern, prefecture, japan, period, home, branch, matsudaira, clan, daimyō, kuwana, domain, castle, also, known, Ōgi, 扇城, asahi, 旭城, 桑名城kuwana, prefecture, japanreconstructed, yagura, show, prefe. Kuwana Castle 桑名城 Kuwana jō is a Japanese castle located in Kuwana northern Mie Prefecture Japan At the end of the Edo period Kuwana Castle was home to a branch the Matsudaira clan daimyō of Kuwana Domain The castle was also known as Ōgi jō 扇城 or Asahi jō 旭城 Kuwana Castle桑名城Kuwana Mie Prefecture JapanReconstructed Yagura of Kuwana CastleKuwana CastleShow map of Mie PrefectureKuwana CastleShow map of JapanCoordinates35 03 52 65 N 136 41 55 4 E 35 0646250 N 136 698722 E 35 0646250 136 698722Typeflatland style Japanese castleSite informationOpen tothe publicyesConditionpartially reconstructedSite historyBuilt1601Built byHonda TadakatsuIn useEdo periodDemolished1873Foundations of the tenshuSeaward walls of Kuwana Castle Contents 1 Background 2 Structure of Kuwana Castle 3 History 4 Literature 5 External links 6 NotesBackground editDuring the late Heian period and Muromachi period the area of modern Kuwana was known as Juraku no tsu 十楽の津 and was a major seaport on Ise Bay controlled by a guild of merchants The poet Socho described it in 1515 as a major city with over a thousand houses temples and inns The port was protected by three fortifications Higashi Castle Nishi Castle Misaki Castle which made up what was known as the Three Castles of Kuwana During the Sengoku period the area came under the influence of the Ikkō ikki movement centered at Nagashima After the Ikkō ikki were exterminated by Oda Nobunaga the Kuwana area was awarded to his general Takigawa Kazumasa After Nobunaga s death Takigawa opposed Toyotomi Hideyoshi and lost his territories For a time Oda Nobukatsu held the area but was dispossessed by Hideyoshi following the Battle of Odawara In 1595 Hideyoshi assigned Ujiie Yukihiro a 22 000 koku domain but he was dispossessed by Tokugawa Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara Tokugawa Ieyasu realized the strategic importance of Kuwana in the ongoing struggle against the Toyotomi clan in Osaka due to its location at the mouth of Nagara River on the western side of the Nagashima delta area formed by the Kiso River Nagara River and Ibi River This meant that any travelers on the vital Tōkaidō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto had to pass through Kuwana in order to take a boat from Kuwana port to Atsumi Peninsula in Owari Province as there were no bridges Ieyasu reassigned Honda Tadakatsu from Otaki Castle in Kazusa Province to Kuwana and ordered him to construct a large fortification on the riverbank on what was roughly the site of the old Higashi Castle Under the Honda Kuwana juku developed as a prosperous post town Structure of Kuwana Castle editThe castle Honda constructed was roughly triangular protected on one side by the Kiso River Within the inner Bailey of the castle was rectangular measuring 150 by 60 meters and contained a four roof six story tenshu and three three story yagura watchtowers at each corner Smaller secondary and tertiary enclosures surrounded the inner area forming a buffer zone for defense rather than a residential zone as in most other castles The whole was surrounded by low stone walls and 24 two story yagura 12 one story yagura and 46 gates The western area of the castle from which any attack was anticipated to come was further protected by a water moatHistory editIn 1616 the Honda were transferred to Himeji Domain and Kuwana Domain came under the control of a cadet branch of the Matsudaira clan who would rule Kuwana throughout the remainder of the Edo period The castle burned down in a fire of 1701 which also destroyed most of the surrounding castle town The Tokugawa shogunate did not grant permission for the tenshu to be rebuilt and the rest of the castle was restored on a much smaller scaleDuring the Bakumatsu period Kuwana was ruled by Matsudaira Sadaaki key supporter of the Tokugawa clan in the Boshin War and younger brother of Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu Domain However in his absence while fighting the Satchō Alliance in northern Japan the castle was surrendered to imperial forces without a battle It was set on fire by troops of the Meiji government and after the Meiji Restoration its stone walls were demolished to form part of the breakwater at Yokkaichi Port In 1928 the inner bailey and a portion of the Ni no Maru second bailey with some remnants of stone walls and moats were made into a public park the Kyuka Park 九華公園 Kyuka kōen and the castle ruins became a Mie Prefectural Historical site in 1942 1 The current structures include two reconstructed yagura The castle site is a 20 minute walk from Kuwana Station Literature editDe Lange William 2021 An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Groningen Toyo Press pp 600 pages ISBN 978 9492722300 Schmorleitz Morton S 1974 Castles in Japan Tokyo Charles E Tuttle Co pp 144 145 ISBN 0 8048 1102 4 Motoo Hinago 1986 Japanese Castles Tokyo Kodansha p 200 pages ISBN 0 87011 766 1 Mitchelhill Jennifer 2004 Castles of the Samurai Power and Beauty Tokyo Kodansha p 112 pages ISBN 4 7700 2954 3 Turnbull Stephen 2003 Japanese Castles 1540 1640 Osprey Publishing p 64 pages ISBN 1 84176 429 9 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kuwana Castle Kuwana Castle Jcastle Profile Kuwana jo Castle Kyuka Park Notes edit 桑名城跡 Kuwana jo ato Mie Prefectural Cultural Properties Databaselanguage Japanese Mie Prefecture Retrieved August 20 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kuwana Castle amp oldid 1178337036, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
