[Yamagata Prefecture] It used to be larger than Himeji Castle! Yamagata Castle was called Kasumi Castle because the main enclosure was too hazy to be seen | Restoration is steadily underway to revive its former appearance.

Yamagata City is the prefectural capital of Yamagata Prefecture. Yamagata Prefecture is divided into four regions: Okitama region in the south, Murayama region in the center, Mogami region in the northeast, and Shonai region along the Sea of ​​Japan. I am. Yamagata City belongs to the Murayama region, and was home to the Yamagata Domain during the Edo period.

The Yamagata domain, which was originally worth 570,000 koku, rose to 50,000 koku at the end of the Edo period.

The Yamagata clan was founded by Sengoku feudal lord Yoshiaki Mogami, who fought as part of the Tokugawa army in the Battle of Sekigahara, and received from Tokugawa Ieyasu all of present-day Yamagata Prefecture and the southern part of Akita Prefecture, excluding the Okitama region, as his fiefdom.57 It was one of the largest domains of the shogunate, with a million koku.

That momentum won't last long. In 1622, as a result of a power struggle (the Mogami Riot) in which the Mogami family and their vassals joined in, all of their territory was confiscated by the Edo shogunate.

After the Mogami clan, Tadamasa Torii took over as lord. However, the territory was halved to 220,000 koku, and the former territory was now home to several clans, including the Shonai clan, the Kamiyama clan, the Shinjo clan, the Tendo clan, and the Murayama clan.

Later, Masayuki Hoshina, the son of the second shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, entered the Yamagata domain. However, Masayuki, who was said to be a great prince, also moved to the Aizu domain after seven years, and the lord of the Yamagata domain changed from the Matsudaira clan to the Hotta clan, Akimoto clan, and Mizuno clan in a short period of time. The amount of koku continued to be reduced, and by the end of the Edo period, it was 50,000 koku, less than 1/10 of the original amount.

Yamagata Castle has the largest site north of Edo

Yamagata Castle was built in 1357 by Kaneyori Shiba (Mogami Kaneyori). Later, it was maintained by the 11th generation of the Mogami clan, Mitsuhika Tomonori, who became a daimyo with 570,000 koku, and the moat and stone walls of Ninomaru were renovated by Tadamasa Torii.

Yamagata Castle did not have a castle tower, but had a main castle tower in the center, a Ninomaru on the outside, and a Sannomaru surrounding it. Sannomaru is approximately 235 hectares in area, which is equivalent to 50 Tokyo Domes. It is larger than Himeji Castle (National Treasure/Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture), which is one of the largest in Japan, and is called ``Kajo'' or ``Kasumigajo'' because the main castle is not visible in the haze. I did. However, maintaining this scale seems to have been a source of concern for the Yamagata clan, which had reduced its production to 50,000 koku at the end of the Edo period.

Of the current Yamagata Castle ruins, most of Sannomaru has been turned into an urban area, and there are no buildings left in the Honmaru, Ninomaru, etc. Since the Meiji period, the ruins of the Honmaru and Ninomaru ruins have been maintained as Kajou Park, which has become a place of relaxation for citizens as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot. A baseball field, gymnasium, and museum were also built on the large grounds, and the former Saiseikan main building (currently Yamagata City Folk Museum), a nationally designated important cultural property, was relocated and restored.

Yamagata Castle (Kajo Park) is currently under construction to revive its Edo period appearance.

Yamagata City celebrated its 90th anniversary as a city in 1979, and as a commemorative project, we began the construction of Kajo Park, which aims to recreate the appearance of Yamagata Castle in the past.

Restoration of the Ninomaru Higashi-Ote-mon gate was completed in 1991, and the Honmaru-Ichimonji-mon Otebashi bridge was completed in 2005, bringing back the appearance of the past. Starting in 2012, excavations of the Honmaru ruins will be carried out, and the site will be turned into a plaza where various events will be held. In addition, Honmaru Palace is scheduled to be restored using CG and released as VR.

In 2018 (Heisei 30), the baseball field was demolished, and the site was turned into a ``Historical Plaza.'' In 2023 (Reiwa 5), ​​a plaza will also be developed at the Yamagata Prefectural Gymnasium site, which will be demolished, and ``Kajo Park.'' '' is scheduled to be completed in 2033 (Reiwa 15).

Yamagata Castle＜Information＞

• Facility name: Yamagata Castle (Kajo Park)
• Address: 1-7 Kajocho, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture (Administration Office)
• Phone number: 023-641-1212 (Yamagata City Parks and Greenery Division)
• Opening hours:
• April 1st - October 31st / 5:00 - 22:00
• November 1st - March 31st / 5:30 - 22:00
• Admission fee: Free (however, fees may be required for some facilities within the park)
• Closed days: Open every day
• URL: Kajo Park

Google Map

The few remaining remains of Sannomaru, ``Yamagata Castle Sannomaru Earthwork Ruins''

The only thing that remains of the Sannomaru ruins, which have been turned into an urban area, is the Yamagata Castle Sannomaru Earthwork Ruins. Earthworks are embankment-like hills built to prevent enemy invasion, and Yamagata Castle's earthworks also serve as the banks of the outer moat. The earthworks were built along the outer circumference of Sannomaru, which was about 6.5km long, but only a few 10m of it remains today near Tokamachi.

The Yamagata Castle ruins, including the Sannomaru earthworks, are designated as a national historic site.

Yamagata Castle Sannomaru Earthwork Ruins <Information>

• Facility name: Yamagata Castle Sannomaru earthwork ruins
• Location: Near 1-1 Tokamachi, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture
• Phone number: 023-641-1212 (Cultural Properties Section, Cultural and Creative City Division, Planning and Coordination Department, Yamagata City)
• Free tour
• *There is no dedicated parking lot.
• access:
• Railway/JR Yamagata Station (Yamagata Shinkansen, Ou Main Line, Senzan Line, and Sazawa Line available) Approximately 10 minutes walk from the east exit of Yamagata Station
• Car: Approximately 15 minutes from Yamagata Expressway Yamagata Zao IC

Google Map

Yamagata domain territory that became government-managed land after the Boshin War

During the Meiji Restoration, the Boshin War (1868-1869) broke out between the newly established government and the feudal domains that supported the former Edo shogunate. The battle ended in victory for the new government forces, and with the exception of a small number of domains in Yamagata, such as the Shinjo domain, which joined the new government forces, the domains on the former shogunate side had their territories reduced (reduced territory). /Genpou) or confiscated (Kaiyi/Kaieki).

The Yamagata clan initially fought as a government army, but later joined an organization called the Ouetsureppan Domei, an organization in which the clans of Tohoku and Hokuriku united to fight against the new government army. After the defeat in the war, the retainers were executed and the feudal lord was transferred to Omi Province (Shiga Prefecture). Territories without feudal lords were confiscated and placed under government control.

Yamagata City, the capital of Yamagata Prefecture after the abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures

In July 1871 (4th year of Meiji), the feudal domain was dissolved and the current Yamagata area included Yamagata, Yonezawa, Kaminoyama, Tendo, Shinjo, Oizumi, and Matsumine. Seven prefectures were established. Oizumi Prefecture was a prefecture that included present-day Tsuruoka City, and Matsmine Prefecture was a prefecture that included Sakata City, and in November of the same year, they were merged to form Sakata Prefecture. At the same time, Yonezawa Prefecture was integrated into Okitama Prefecture, other areas were integrated into Yamagata Prefecture, and in 1875 (Meiji 8), Sakata Prefecture was renamed Tsuruoka Prefecture. One year later, Yamagata, Okitama, and Tsuruoka prefectures were integrated to form the current Yamagata prefecture.

Michitsune Mishima was appointed as the first prefectural governor of Yamagata Prefecture, and the prefectural office was located in present-day Yamagata City. Yamagata City was judged to be suitable as a distribution base because the Ushu Kaido Road, the main artery of the Tohoku region, ran through it, and boat transport along the Mogami River was also popular. It is said that the Shonai and Yonezawa clans, which were larger clans, were anti-government, so they placed their prefectural offices in this area, which was government-controlled land.

Michitsune Mishima promotes the modernization of urban areas. In addition to the newly built Western-style prefectural office building, the police station, normal school, Nanzan school, police headquarters, Minamimurayama district office, industrial museum, silk mill, and Saiseikan were all built. However, most of it was destroyed in the Great Yamagata Fire of 1911 (Meiji 44), and only the former Saiseikan Main Building and the former Yamagata Normal School Main Building remain today. The fire also engulfed most of the private houses that remained from the Edo period.