Historical Spots in Ako（5）

-The trace of the inner citadel-

Honmarumon Gate about Meiji 10

○The stone wall, the gate , the turrent
　The highest stone wall is the wall in the middle of Hanebashi
gate which is 6.9 meter.(The outsideof the inner citadel's is shorter
than it by 30 cm . The outside of the outside of inne citadel's wall
is shorter than it by 160cm.)

stone wall of Hanebashimon Gate

　Most stone walls are made by striking a stone's face with a maul,
and driving a stone into between one stone and another stone, and
arranging the face of the wall.
　There are three entrances to the inner citadel, which are called
the inner citadel's gate,the Umayaguchi gate, the Hanebashi gate
(the emergency exit). The inner citadel's gate is the front door.
the wideth of which is 4meter and there were always four or five
gatekeepers positioned. There and there were always closed (The
gate was called the kitchin's gate in the piriod that dominated by
the Moris.) The back gate , Hanebashi gate is a small emergency
exit, which spanned a Hanebashi -a bridge of which the bridge girder
can fold up in half-for the outside of inner citadel, outward.
　The length of the inner citadel's castle wall is about 540 meter.

○The northeast turret

stone wall of northeast turret

　The turret of inner citasel was only the northest turret.It was a
double turret and it seems that it was built for watch town.It is
said the stone wall of Ako castle was begun from here in January,
1649.

○The trace of premises of the castle's head

drawing of reproduced garden in Honmaru

　The trace of premises of the castle's head, (the front palace
where administrator discussed state, and the inner part palace
where the load and his family rest.) Bansho which is watchhouse,
warehouses, the castle base which is the base to make the castle
tower, Sensui which is a pond to see and park.

○The castle tower

Tenshudai Pedestal and the cross section

　The castle tower wasn't built, but the castle base was built.It
is because of a big construction period that lasted thirteen years,
a lack of money (Mr. Tokugawa ordered his men to make the floor
of Kyoto ancient lmperial palace),and at this time he didn't see
the need for the castle tower.

-The change of the keep of the castle-

old school building of Ako High School

　The inner citadel of the castle's buildings were destroyed in
　1878 and the ground was become a field.　In the Taisho period,
Jiro Yamagata, who was the governor of Hyogo Prefecture, made
a plan to establish a junior high school (it was the old system Japan)
in the keep of the castle to advance an education which made use
of the heart of Ako soldiers.
　In 1927, Hyogo Prefectural Ako junior high school was established,
and in 1928. Ako junior high school's building was built in thekeep
of the castle.
　Hyogo Prefectural Ako junior high school was changed the name
to"Hyogo Prefectural Ako high school" in 1948, and till August,
1983,many students of city and prefecture concentrated on their
studies.
　After that, the school building was built in the trace of Higashihama
salt field and now, all buildings were destroyed.

reproduced grand pond in Honmaru