Inuyama Castle
| Inuyama Castle | ||
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 Inuyama Castle Tower |
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| Alternative name (s): | Hakutei-jō | |
| Creation time : | 1469 | |
| Castle type : | Hirayamajiro (hill castle) | |
| Conservation status: | Receive | |
| Place: | Inuyama | |
| Geographical location | 35 ° 23 '18 " N , 136 ° 56' 21.4" E | |
| Height: | 80 m TP | |
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The Inuyama Castle ( Japanese 犬山城 , Inuyama-jō ) is located on a hill overlooking the Kiso River in the city of Inuyama , Aichi Prefecture . It owns one of the twelve castle towers that have survived from the Edo period , this (as well as three other) being classified as a national treasure.
history
The first Inuyama Castle was built in 1469 by Oda Hirochika, the younger brother of Oda Toshihiro, Shugo representative in the upper four counties of Owari Province . The castle is said to have been taken over in 1537 by the Oda elders, who were appointed as Shugo representatives in the lower four counties, namely Oda Nobuhide. Nobuhide's younger brother, Nobuyasu, built a castle a kilometer north, but lost it after the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute in 1584. After that, Ishikawa Mitsuyoshi, minister under Toyotomi Hideyoshi , built a castle at the present location, but he lost it after the Battle of Sekigahara . In his place, Ogasawara Yoshitsugu (1548–1616) became lord of the castle and modernized the castle in 1601. The current castle tower dates from this time.
In 1607 Hiraiwa Chikayoshi (1542–1611), general and confidante of Tokugawa Ieyasu, took over the castle. Since this had no descendants, after his death Naruse Masanari (1567-1628) was entrusted with the castle, which he could formally take over in 1616 as sub-caretaker of the Tokugawa Yoshinao, head of the Owari branch. The Naruse remained in the sub-caretaker of the Tokugawa clan ruling Nagoya until the Meiji period. In 1868 Naruse Masamitsu (1836-1903) was appointed daimyo by the new government. With the Meiji Restoration , all feudal property, including the castle, fell to the state.
The castle was damaged in the Mino Owari earthquake in 1891. As a result, it was returned to the Naruse family on condition that they pay for the repairs. In 2004 the castle was handed over to a foundation.
The castle complex
Inuyama Castle is located on a 40 m high hill on the southern bank of the Kiso River. The (1) inner castle (Hommaru), once protected by four watchtowers (yagura) and a castle tower, initially also contained the residence. The castle tower is an example of its early shape with the top lookout on the roof. It has five floors, which when viewed from the outside appear to be three floors. There is also a basement.
The (2) outer bailey (Ni-no-maru) is stepped in line with the undulating environment and is divided into four areas that have tree names: (2a) Momi -, (2b) Sugi -, (2c) Kiri - and (2d) Matsu -no-maru. Later the residence was relocated to the pine area. Below the outer bailey is the San-no-maru with apartments for the higher vassals. As a typical castle town , the planned district of the simple samurai joined further south.
The Confucian scholar Ogyū Sorai was so enthusiastic about the sight of the castle tower over the Kiso River that he named the castle after a poem by Li Bai Hakutei-jō ("Castle of the White Emperor").
After the castle was abandoned in 1868, part of the yagura and gates were left to the population, temples and shrines, so that in the end there were hardly any structures left. The rest was destroyed in the Great Nobi earthquake in 1891, the castle tower was badly damaged. The state then returned the facility to the Naruse family with the condition that the castle tower be repaired. As an exception, the castle came into private ownership.
Remarks
- ↑ 守護 代 , shugo-dai .
- ↑ 付 家 老 , tsuke-karō .
- ↑ 公益 財 団 法人 犬 山城 白帝文 庫. Retrieved November 8, 2017 .
- ↑ Nobi ( 濃 尾 ) stands for the province of Mino 美濃 and Owari 尾張 . The magnitude of the earthquake was 8.
literature
- Owada, Yasutsune: Inuyama-jo in: Miura, Masayuki (Ed.): Shiro to jinya. Tokoku-hen. Gakken, 2006. ISBN 978-4-05-604378-5 .
Web links
- Inuyama Castle at Culture-in-Asia: Description and Photos