| Hikone Castle | |
|---|---|
彦根城 | |
| Hikone, Shiga-ken, Japan | |
 Tenshu of Hikone Castle | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Hirayama-styleJapanese castle |
| Controlled by | Ii clan (1622–1874) Japan (1874–present) |
| Condition | Largely intact. Inner Palace rebuilt in 1987. |
| Location | |
  Hikone Castle Hikone Castle Show map of Shiga Prefecture Hikone Castle Hikone Castle (Japan) Show map of Japan | |
| Coordinates | 35°16′35″N136°15′06″E / 35.27639°N 136.25167°E /35.27639; 136.25167 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1603–1622 |
| Built by | Ii Naokatsu |
| In use | 1622–1876? |
| Materials | Wood, stone, plaster, tile |
Hikone Castle (彦根城,Hikone-jō) is anEdo-periodJapanese castle located in the city ofHikone,Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It is considered the most significant historical site in Shiga. The site has been protected as aNational Historic Site since 1951.[1] Hikone is one of only twelve castles in Japan with its originaltenshu, and one of only five castles with buildingslisted as National Treasures.
Hikone Castle is located one kilometer fromLake Biwa due toland reclamation, but originally the castle was directly on the lakeshore, and the north and east sides were surrounded by water. The Hikone area is in easternŌmi Province, and the site was a natural bottleneck on the route of theTōsandō (later theNakasendō) highway connectingHeian-kyō with the eastern provinces. Strategically, it was a vital point in protecting the capital from attack from the east. In theSengoku period, this area was controlled by theAzai clan, who were based in northern Ōmi, and who built a castle called Sawayama Castle approximately two kilometers from this site. The Azai were defeated byOda Nobunaga, who assigned Sawayama Castle to his generalNiwa Nagahide. UnderToyotomi Hideyoshi, this closest advisor,Ishida Mitsunari was entrusted with the castle. After Ishida Mitsunari was defeated at theBattle of Sekigahara in 1601,Tokugawa Ieyasu appointed his generalIi Naomasa asdaimyō of a new domain centered at Sawayama Castle.[2]
Ii Naomasa was one of the most capable and trusted of Ieyasu's generals, noted not only for his military prowess, but also for his diplomacy and strategies. At first, he used Sawayama Castle, but was not happy with its situation. The castle was considered obsolete and had weak defenses as it was divided between hilltop and hillside areas. Furthermore, it was formerly the stronghold of the enemy leader and had strong associations with the former regime. Therefore, Ii Naomasa decide to relocate his seat to a new location on the shores of Lake Biwa, constructing a new castle per the latest contemporary design.[2] The site was previously occupied by a Buddhist temple called Hogon-ji which had been built in 1080 and which was a popular pilgrimage site for the worship ofKannon.[3]
Hikone Castle consists of two concentric water moats surrounding a 100 meter hill called "Mount Konki". The hill itself is divided roughly into three sections, with the "Kane-no-maru" enclosure in the southeast, the "Nishi-no-maru" enclosure in the northwest and the "Honmaru", orinner bailey in the middle. Dry moats protect these inner enclosures and are crossed by bridges. The faces of the moats were protected by stones. Originally front gate was "Otemon" gate facing westward, but later the "Sawaguchi" gate facing southeast which connected to Nakasendō became the main gate.[2]
To save time and expense, the Ii clan scavenged many stones and buildings by demolishing all other fortifications in their territory and bringing the materials to Hikone. The three-storytenshu located at the center of the castle was brought from Ōtsu Castle. Originally built in 1575, the exterior has an older style of decoration on each roof, and the overall structure appears short and stout, as it was modified from what was originally a five-story tower. The "Tenbin yagura" was brought fromNagahama Castle. It is a gate with two two-storyyagura watchtowers on either side, which protect the dry moats in front of the gate. The "Nishinomaru Sanju Yagura" was brought fromOdani Castle.[4]
However, due to injuries which he had suffered in battle, he died in 1602 when construction had just begun. The castle was finally completed under his sonIi Naokatsu in 1622 after 20 years of construction. The castle was used as the administrative center ofHikone Domain. Often considered the foremost of thefudai daimyō, the Ii clan served in many important positions within theTokugawa shogunate. During theBakumatsu period, thetairōIi Naosuke was virtual ruler of the country during a time of very weak and ineffectual shoguns. However, his acquiescence in ending Japan'snational isolation policy under pressure from the western powers led to his assassination by pro-Sonnō Jōi forces in 1860. The finaldaimyō of Hikone,Ii Naonori grew increasingly dissatisfied with the hostile treatment still accorded Hikone Domain by the shogunal administration, which was dominated by the Hitotsubashi faction which had been hostile to Ii Naosuke. He also came to the realization that shogunate's military system and equipment was now obsolete compared with theSatchō Alliance. Although Hikone Domain had been one of the strongest supporters of the Tokugawa shogunate, he was among the first to support the imperial cause in theBoshin War. During theBattle of Toba-Fushimi, although Hikone forces were stationed atOsaka Castle, they did not join the shogunal army, but simply marched home. The domain later took part in combat against the pro-shogunateŌgaki Domain, and in other locations. The newMeiji government confirmed him as imperial governor of Hikone. When the new government ordered the dismantling of all feudal-era fortification nationwide, Hikone Castle was spared by a direct request fromthe emperor himself, who was touring the area. This preserved Hikone Castle intact. Today it remains one of the oldest largely original-construction castles in Japan.
In 1934, the grounds of the castle were planted with over 1,000Yoshino cherry trees. The castle and its grounds were donated by the Ii clan to the city of Hikone in 1944. DuringWorld War II, the city of Hikone was scheduled for destruction by an air raid on the night of August 15, 1945, but theend of the war occurred at noon that same day and the bombing was not conducted.
The main keep of Hikone Castle, along with its attached Tsuke Turret and Tamon Turret, were designated as aNational Treasure by theMinistry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture in 1952.[5]
Several other structures have been accordedImportant Cultural Property status. Like the main keep complex, most of these structures are actually complexes of two or more connected buildings:
Major repairs were undertaken to thetenshu from 1957 to 1960, and on the variousyagura from 1960 to 1968. In 1987, thedaimyō palace was restored as the "Hikone Castle Museum". Further repairs to the castle were undertaken from 1993 to 1996. On April 6, 2006, Hikone Castle was selected as one ofJapan's Top 100 Castles by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006.[11]
The castle is about a 15-minute walk fromHikone Station on theJR WestBiwako Line.[2]
Media related toHikone Castle at Wikimedia Commons
100 Fine Castles of Japan by region | ||
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| Hokkaido | .svg) | |
| Tōhoku | ||
| Kantō | ||
| Chūbu | ||
| Kansai | ||
| Chūgoku | ||
| Shikoku | ||
| Kyūshūa | ||
a includingOkinawa. | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
