Historical Spots in Ako（2）3. Ako castle ruins
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| Sumiyagura(corner turret) |
Ako castle's history begins with Mitsuhiro Okabu Zennokami,
who was the most powerful family in western-Harima built the
simple castle called Old Kariya castle in the northern area about
500 years ago.
In 16c, Ako castle was transferred to the present area, and the
area where the old castle place became the castle town. After the
war of Sekigahara (in 1600), Mr. Ikeda entered, and ruled over
thewhole country of Harima. Then, A local magistrate, Hanzaemon
Tarumi built a castle which consisted only of the keep of a castle
around the same spot as now. The then Nozurami (piled up with
natural stone) is discovered by the excavation in the keep of the
castle.
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| Otemon Gate about Meiji 18 |
The present Ako castle was built by Mr. Asano. After the fall
of the Asanos, however, Mr. Nagai and Mr. Mori went by, and most
of the buildings were destroyed and most of the moats were buried
in 1874, after Haihanchiken (To do away with a fewdal domains and
to put prefectures). However, we can recall the then state of Ako
castle with viewing remains of the castle wall, ruins' research and
restored ruins. The keep of the castle which was removed for
thehigh school building was discovered after excavations. Although
the excavation couldn't find out about buildings in the Edo period,
it found that there were many devices in the pond, garden and
water-works.
After the research, pond and the keep of the castle were restoredand
repaired and the place became a historic spot park. Now, thegate of
the keep of the castle restored.
When Ako castle was built, in the period of Mr. Asano, three
thousand warriors and their families, five thousand people other
than warriors lived in this town where the northwest of Ako castle.
The castle town was also built to protect Ako castle.
-Ｕntill the castle was built-
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| Castle Town of Ikeda Period |
Whtat still remains Ako castle now was built in 1645.The age
was dominated by the third general Iemitu Tokugawa.Nagamasa
Asano was daimiyo of 53500 goku who changed Ikeda.He move
Hitachinokuni kasama to Ako. Asano was granted permission from
the general to build. Ako castle ,also known as Kariya castle. The
castle's planner and supervise was Kondo Saburou Zaemon Masa-
zumi ,Who was a scholar of Koshu . It is said that the the Ninom-
mura mon modification was made by Soko Yamaga.
The reason Asano elected this plase to build the castle was due
to the castle being by hills on three sides ,bordered by the Kumani
river in the east and facing the sea in the south . It was convenient
place for defend. In addition , in Sanindomfrom Takatori pass and
suse saka, Hozako pass. In the west , continue to conpira. This
built doesnt not make sense.Highroad to Bizenkatagami by way of
Toriuchi pass ,and therewas cannal for Sayo. Whichi Flows through
the center of Ako,called Kumami river . It is through that the castle
was built on the basis of poritics and economics and defence.
-Structure of castle-(moat and stone wall)
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| Moat and Stone hedge |
The depte of moat is one length (About 3 meater ) around the
gate of Otemon. The structure is to harden the castle faced
Kumami river in the east ,and there were the fields of Yoshi from
south to east. When the tied flowded, the waves rolled up on the
castle wall . And When the tide ebbed , there were the fields of
yoshi. This configuration made it impossible to attack from south ,
and east ,west. So castle wall was built and the moat was surrounded
only northeast to northwest.
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| Cross Section of Ako Castle Wall |
They selected a place to built the
castle ,Which was easy to guard and was still flat located on a surface.
The stone wall is important for defence.The total extent of the stone
wall is about 304kan (547 meater).The highest point of height is
3kan 5shak (about 6.3 meater). This point is at the east side of
Hanebashi gate. Almost all of ishizumi is Uchikomihagi(The way of
making this is of strike the face of the stone with a stick untill the
stone's face becomes flat.The stones one then piled ,Between the
stones ,smaller stones are put into the crack.)
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| Engraved seal of Stone hedge |
The stone pile's depth is twice the length of the width.A lot of
small stones are stuffed at the back .They are there to make sure
the stone wall does not crash down.It is said that the rocks for this
stone wall were granite and ryumongan.carried from Mount Yamasaki,
to the north of station Ako and around Sento in Tenwa.
