It's so big that the main castle is hazy and you can't see! Yamagata Castle, known as Kasumi Castle [Yamagata Prefecture]

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.

The Yamagata Domain was later joined by Hoshinama Masayuki, a son of the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada.

However, Masayuki, who was said to be a great ruler, moved to the Aizu domain in seven years, and the lord of the Yamagata domain changed from the Matsudaira clan to the Hotta, Akimoto, and Mizuno clans in a short period of time. The stone height continued to be reduced, and by the end of the Edo period it reached 50,000 koku, less than 1/10 of the original.

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 does not have a castle tower, with the main castle in the center, Ninomaru outside, and Sannomaru surrounding it. Sannomaru is approximately 235 hectares, and the Tokyo Dome is about 50.

It was broader than Himeji Castle (National Treasure/Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture), one of Japan's largest scale, and was called "Kasumigajo" or "Kasumigajo" because the main castle is hazy and invisible.

However, maintaining this scale seems to have been a source of trouble for the Yamagata Domain, which had lost 50,000 koku at the end of the Edo period.

Most of the current Yamagata Castle ruins of Sannomaru have become urban areas, and no buildings remain in the main castle or Ninomaru.

From the Meiji period onwards, the remains of the main castle and the Ninomaru statues have been developed as Kajokouen, and have become a place for citizens to relax as a famous cherry blossom spot.

In addition, a baseball field, gymnasium, and museum were built on the large grounds, and the former Seiseikan main building (now Yamagata City Local Museum), a nationally designated important cultural property, has also been 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.

The restoration of the Ninomaru Higashi Daitemon Bridge and the Honmaru Ichimon Mondai Bridge in 1991 (Heisei 3) was completed, and the old form is now revived.

Starting in 2012 (Heisei 24), excavations will be conducted on the site of the main castle, and the former site will be a square where various events will be held as the "Honmaru Goten Square." In addition, the Honmaru Goten is scheduled to be restored through CG and released as a 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 remaining remains of the Sannomaru ruins, which have been transformed into a city, is the Yamagata Castle Sannomaru earthen rampart.

Earthen ramparts are small embankments built to prevent enemy invasion, and the earthen ramparts of Yamagata Castle also form the banks of the outer moat. The earthen ramparts were built along the outer periphery of Sannomaru, which was about 6.5km long, but only 10m remaining is still around 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 born government and the domain that defended the former Edo Shogunate.

The battle ended with the victory of the new government forces, and with the exception of a small number of domains in Yamagata, including the Shinjo domain, which joined the new government forces, the former shogunate's domains were reduced (de-stolen/genpoured) and confiscated (improved/kaieki).

The Yamagata Domain initially fought as a government force, but later, the Ouetsu Domain Alliance, the Hokuriku domains of Tohoku, joined together and joined an organization that fought against the new government forces, and after the war the lord was executed and the domain lord was forced to move to Omi Province (Ouminokuni/Shiga Prefecture) (Tenpou).

The territory without the feudal lord was confiscated and became the land controlled by the government.

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

The domain was dismantled in July 1871 (Meiji 4) when the domains were abolished and established prefectures, and seven prefectures were located in the current Yamagata area: Yamagata Prefecture, Yonezawa Prefecture, Kamiyama Prefecture, Tendo Prefecture, Shinjo Prefecture, Oizumi Prefecture, and Matsumine Prefecture.

Oizumi Prefecture was the prefecture that mostly contained the current Tsuruoka City and Matsumine Prefecture, and Sakata City was merged in November of the same year. At the same time, Yonezawa Prefecture was integrated into Okitama Prefecture, and the rest of the regions became Yamagata Prefecture, and in 1875 (Meiji 8th year), Sakata Prefecture was renamed Tsuruoka Prefecture.

Then, a year later, Yamagata Prefecture, Okitama Prefecture, and Tsuruoka Prefectures merged to become what is now Yamagata Prefecture.

Mishima Michitsune as the first prefectural ordinance (governor) of Yamagata Prefecture , and the prefectural office was located in what is now Yamagata City.

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, has completely changed its landscape due to Mishima Michiyo after the Meiji Restoration.

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/27874

Yamagata City was developed as a castle town of the Yamagata Domain and was a commercial city that developed through the trade of the safflower, a specialty. Yamagata Prefectural Government Office (National Designated Important Cultural Property/Currently Yamagata Prefectural Local Museum [Bunshokan]) was rebuilt in 1920. © Travel to Yamagata Yamagata Castle, located at the center of its journey, is very large, with Sannomaru, located on the outside, about 235 hectares, and Tokyo Dome, which is about 50 units. The merchant town is built outside the Sannomaru, but the main castle, which stands in the center of Yamagata Castle, is hazy and invisible, so it was called "Kajou" or "Kasumigajou." It was held in July 1871 (Meiji 4) after the Meiji Restoration...

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Yamagata City is home to the Ushu Kaido, a major artery in the Tohoku region, and the Mogami River is also popular in boat transport, making it a suitable base for distribution. Furthermore, it is said that the prefectural office was established in this area, which was the government's control, as the Shonai and Yonezawa domains, which were large domains.

Mishima Michiyo is pushing for modernization of urban areas. The newly constructed Western-style prefectural office building, as well as a concentrated collection of police stations, Normal School, Nanzan School, Police Station, Minamimurayama District Office, Kangyo Museum, Silk Mill, and Seiseikan.

However, most of the fire was burned down in the Yamagata Hokkaido Great Fire in 1911 (Meiji 44), and only the old Seiseikan main building and the former Yamagata Normal School main building are still in its entirety. The fire also swallowed most of the remaining private homes since the Edo period.