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Historical Spots in Akoi3j

@Ako castle's construction was very big task whichi lasted 1648
to 1661.
@The construction had a lot of trouble with the selection of site ,
workers , collection of staff, acquistion of ston for construction,
and cost.We can see the wish of the people in a stone carring ,
having that Asano and Ako castle may last for a long time.

-Sannomalia trace of sannomalj-

Stone hedge of Ako Cstle Otemon Gate and Corner turret about Meiji 10

@The other most part of the castle was the sannomal, which encl-
osed part of the north and west . A stone wall was built form Simizu
gate to Sioya gate, of length about 1032 metre.The stone wall was
sorrounded by a white wall of clay. There were various sizes of
cracks. There were also double Sumiyagurabuilt in four parts.
@The permises was built to house karo of high wage and servise,
Yonin and Asikarukashira.These gates stricty defended the castle
from enemy attack .

(1) Outemon Gate

Drawing of old Otemon Gate
Otemon Gate

@Outemom the front gate of the castle, which is also called Otte
gate .
@The gate which remains now was made in the age of shouwa.
At the time , there was a two door gate and a one door gate.
People went through the two door gate to enter the castle .The
two door was connected to the turrent.Usually five ground man
were there.Through the gateof Oute , and to the right side, at
present is piled by a stone wall, but once, There was a two door
gate.The two door gate was big.It has a width of about 14.4 metre
in height . there was a rectangular open space into the Oute gate.
This space called shape of measure .It is said that when the war
began,-a large amount of samurai were sent this space.After the
number of samurai, they sent a large samurai.

(2)Shimizumon@Gate

Shimizumon Gate


@This gate faces the Kumami river in the east. So it was called
"Kawaguchi-gate". This gate was usually closed.
@This gate is very famous, because after this gate ,was open,
Kuranosuke Oishi left with@reluctance.

i‚RjHigatamon Gate

Higatamon Gate


This gate is called Gataguchi gate.Because it faced the sea.This
gate faces the sea to the south. When the tide was on the ebb,
this became Yoshihara.This gate was used , When the enamy
attacked from the sea.

(4)Shioyamon Gate

Shioyamon Gate


@This is Karametemon Gate. Entering the gate, there used to be
Bansho in front of it and a stone fence to the back. On the stone
fence, thereused to be Taiko-Turret. It was used to signal Hanshi.
("Hanshi" meanssoldiers.) Now this is where Ryokan-stone monu-
ments are built.

›Oishitei-Nagaya-Gate

Oishitei-Nagaya-Gate


@Going through Ote-Gate and walking to the south, there is the
Oishitei Nagaya-Gate on the right. This is Nagaya-Gate. The
premises has a@frontage of 50.5 meter and 83 meter deep. It was
a very wide room. In Kyoho 14(1729), a great part of the building
suffered a fire, now, only the Nagaya-Gate remains.
@On March un the 14st year of Genroku, the messanger who bore @
the news of killing knocked on this gate.
@The garden in Oishitei was restored in the 54th year of Showa.
It has a large pond, so many people take their picturein Genroku.
@Probably it was the garden in which Kuranosuke was heart-warmed.

›Genpachi-Nagaya

Genpachi Nagaya(terraced houses)

There is Genpachi-Nagaya the opposite of Oishitei-Nagaya-Gate,
and it is a part of Nagaya-Gate which was Genpachimasanori Kondo's
possession.He was disagree by Kuranosuke Oishi, so he didn't join
the Uchiiri and died.

›A Track of Buke-Premises

Remains of Ako-han's retainers

@In Sannomaru, there were many premises in which the retainers of @
Ako-han lived.

›A Track of Asano-Ako-Hanshi

residence remains of Samurai in Ako Castle

@On April in the 14st year of Genroku(1701), Ako castle was built,
Kuranosuke Oishi, Matasaemon Fujii, Kurobee Ono, Kenpachi
Kondo,Genkei Oishi, Gengozaemon Kataoka,@Dayuu Masekyu
and Jurozaemon Isogai had a premises. (People who has  joined
the Uchiiri.)

›Sumiyagura and Hazama

Sumiyagura(corner turret) Hazama(holes of square,rectangular and round)

@Four turrets were built on the corners of the castle wall of Sanno-
maru.It is said that they were used as a warehouse of arms. The existing
turrets are built in the 30th year of Showa.
@Rectangular holes, trianglar holes and circular holes on the castle wall
are called "Hazama" and they are holes to aim a gun or bow at the enemy.
There used to be 663 holes on Sannomaru.

›Oishi shrine

Oishi Shrine Oishi-Kuranosuke
Museum in Oishi Shrine Asano-Takuminokami

@Oishi shrine was built in the 1st year of Taisho(1912) on the center
of the track of Kuranosukeyoshitaka Oishi's premises and Maatazaemon
Fujii's premises.

›Historical museum

Ako Historical Museum floor of "solt of Ako" floor of Ako-Gishi

@It was opened in April of the first year of the Heisei periode and the
main theme of exhibit was "salt"and "gishi" both of are essential when
we tell the history of Ako. It is located in the site of a rice warehouse
to the east of Shimizu gate in Ako castle. It has a pecuriar appearance
in that it contrasts the arechitecture (white walles )and a tiled modern
architecture.
@A free standing exhibitation consists of four themes . On the first floor
there is the "solt of Ako " which focuses on an implement that produces
salt .It is an important tangible cultural property designated part of the
countrys heritage the second floor there is "The castle and the castle
town of Ako". There are modeles , illustrations and unearthed relics.
The "Ako Gishi" , it is explainated using historical evidence. More over
"The old Ako's water-works" , is explained by uneasthed relics and a
picture.
@Besides, in the Ako Gishi section there is also a picture room named
the "Ako Gishi theater" In addition, a special exhibition is on twice a
year including a projected exhibition that shows the history and culture
of Ako.

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