[Odate City, Akita Prefecture] Odate played an important role in the Kubota clan during the Edo period. During the Meiji Restoration, it was burnt to the ground by intensive fire from various feudal domains in the Tohoku region.

In the first half of the Edo period, Odate was in trouble due to feudal boundaries.

Odate, known for its Akita dog, Hinai chicken, and Kiritanpo, was located in the easternmost part of the Kubota domain (Akita domain) during the Edo period. To the north was the Tsugaru domain, and to the east was the territory of the Nanbu domain, and disputes were always occurring around the border. In the end, it became a huge uproar that even involved the Edo shogunate.

Currently, Kazuno City and Kosaka Town, which are adjacent to the east of Odate City, are municipalities of Akita Prefecture, but Kazuno City and Kosaka Town were incorporated into Akita Prefecture after the Meiji period, and during the Edo period. It was the territory of the Nanbu domain. For this reason, the Kubota clan had powerful castle lords living in Odate Castle, and they were keeping an eye on the Tsugaru and Nanbu clans.

The center of the boundary dispute with the Tsugaru domain is Yatate Pass on the Ushu Highway.

The Ushu Highway, which connected Edo and the Tohoku region, ran through Odate. you need to cross Yatate Pass, which is not very high at 258 meters above sea level, but is surrounded by a dense Akita cedar forest Yatate Pass has long been the boundary between the two feudal domains, but it seems that no clear location has been determined. ``Yatate Sugi'' a little way down from the top of the pass towards the Tsugaru domain side , and this was once a landmark of the domain boundary. According to legend, during the Heian period, in order to determine the border between Dewa Province (Akita and Yamagata Prefectures) and Mutsu Province (Aomori Prefecture), an arrow was shot at a mountain pass and a cedar tree was struck by an arrow. (Yatatesugi) was said to be the boundary, but when it came time for the two domains to decide on the boundary, the Tsugaru clan insisted that the top of Yatate Pass was the boundary. The Kubota domain had traditionally considered Yatatesugi to be a boundary marker, so it was difficult to decide on one.

A battle to decide borders that lasted 150 years

The two domains had no choice but to entrust mediation to the Edo Shogunate. The shogunate's ruling was that Yatatesugi was the boundary, but even after that, the Tsugaru clan was not satisfied with it and continued to argue. In the end, the Tsugaru domain recognized Yatatesugi as the border, but it was not until 1746, in the middle of the Edo period, that the dispute continued for nearly 150 years.

Since the Meiji period, the prefectural border between Akita Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture has been around Yatatesugi, and Yatatesugi is on the Akita Prefecture side. The Yatate cedar has since been broken or felled, but now the third generation has planted it on the stump of the old Yatate cedar as a symbol of the prefectural border.

Yatate Pass is a treasure trove of Akita cedar. Currently, a promenade is in place, making it a perfect walking course.

The area around Yatatesugi and Yatatetoge is protected as the ``Yasuragi Forest'' and ``Yatatetoge Scenic Forest,' the ``Historical Path Yatatetoge Promenade'' is maintained. A walking course has been created around the Kobashu Kaido road through the forest where natural Akita cedar trees grow, and information signs have been erected at important points, so you can walk safely without getting lost. A convenient starting point is ``Roadside Station Yatate Pass'' along the current Ushu Highway (National Route 7) You can use the parking lot at the roadside station for a walk, and pamphlets with information on the walking route are available inside the building. There are also many wildlife such as bears, so be sure to gather information from the staff who are familiar with the area before walking.

``Roadside Station Yatate Pass'' is attached to the hot spring accommodation facility ``Odate Yatate Heights,'' The shortest distance from the roadside station to Yatatesugi is about 300 meters.

"Odate Yatate Heights" is close to the old Ou Main Line Yatate Tunnel ruins, which was known for its triple steam locomotive runs, and is a convenient lodging facility as a base for sightseeing in Odate City's famous and historic sites. The local cuisine is also outstanding. The natural hot springs containing sodium and calcium chloride will soothe your daily fatigue.

INFORMATON

• Historical Road Yatate Pass Promenade
• Facility name: Roadside station “Yatetoge”/Odate Yatate Heights
• Location: 311 Jinba, Mayor Odate, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0186-51-2311
• Please check the homepage or travel site for accommodation fees.

• <One-day hot spring>
• Usage hours: 10:00-15:00
• Fee (shared room break included): 700 yen for junior high school students and above, 400 yen for elementary school students
• URL: Roadside station "Yatetoge"/"Odate Yatate Heights"
• access:
  • Railway/About 25 minutes by taxi from JR Ou Main Line Odate Station
  • Car: Approximately 7 minutes from Ikarigaseki IC on the Tohoku Expressway, approximately 20 minutes from Odate-kita IC on the Akita Expressway

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The border with the Nanbu domain took over 70 years to resolve.

The border with the southern domain to the east is also difficult to determine. Therefore, officials from the Kubota domain and the Nanbu domain visited Edo many times and held discussions with the shogunate, and it was not until 1677 that an agreement was finally reached.

Odate Castle was spared from demolition as an exception to the Edo Shogunate's One Country One Castle Order.

Odate Castle was built by the Asari clan, who had owned Odate, which was known as Hinai, since the Kamakura period, but the Asari clan lost a battle for family ownership and was discontinued. At one time, the Ando clan of Noshiro established a castle, and the Nanbu domain took possession of the castle.At the end of the Sengoku period, under the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the castle ruled the Akita region based on Akita Castle. It is the residence of the Akita clan (formerly the Ando clan).

In the Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved the Akita clan to Hitachi Province (Ibaraki Prefecture), and in return moved the Satake clan, a feudal lord from Hitachi Province, to Akita. Odate Castle also became the castle of the Satake clan, but since the Satake clan built their castle in Kubota (Akita City) on the Sea of ​​Japan side, they sent their vassals to Odate Castle. At that time, the original lords of Odate Castle rebelled against the Satake clan and a conflict broke out, but in 1610, Yoshinari Oba suppressed the conflict and became the lord of the castle.

In 1615, the Edo shogunate suddenly issued the Ikkoku Ichijorei (one castle per country) law, which stated that each domain (han = country) could only have one castle. Since Kubota Castle was the base of the Kubota clan, Odate Castle was doomed to be abandoned. However, Odate Castle and Yokote Castle were recognized as official castles by the Kubota Domain as an exception. The reason for this seems to be simply that the territory is vast and would be difficult to govern.

Yoshinari Oba, the first castle lord of Odate Castle, was a cousin of Yoshinobu Satake, the first lord of the Kubota domain, and Yoshifusa, the third generation from Yoshinari, was allowed to use the surname Satake. Furthermore, during the 6th generation, Yoshimura, the name came to be called "Satake Nishiie". Since then, the Satake family of Odate has been called "Nishie" or "Onishi-sama."

The Boshin War shocked Odate, which had lived through a peaceful era.

After the boundary issue was resolved, Odate enjoyed a long period of peace until the end of the Edo period. However, the Meiji Restoration caused devastating damage to Odate. The Boshin War broke out in 1868.

In 1867, the Satsuma domain (Kagoshima prefecture) and the Choshu domain (Yamaguchi prefecture) formed an alliance and staged a coup d'état, forcing the 15th Shogun of the Edo shogunate, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, to acknowledge the return of sovereignty to the Emperor (Taisei Hokan). ). The coup d'état was completed bloodlessly, and a new government was established centered on the Satcho clan and the Tosa clan (Kochi prefecture).

However, those who were not satisfied with this rebelled against the new government and clashed with the new government's forces in Kyoto in January 1868. This was the ``Battle of Toba-Fushimi,'' and it was the beginning of the Boshin War. The Boshin War spread across the country as the new government army marched north.

Odate Castle became the front line for the Kubota clan who joined the new government army.

In the Tohoku region, many domains, including the Aizu domain (Fukushima prefecture) and the Nanbu domain, united in opposition to the new government, and together with some domains in Hokuriku they formed the ``Ou-etsu clan alliance'' and fought against the new government's army. I did. The Kubota clan initially participated in the alliance, but was persuaded by the new government forces to withdraw from the alliance on July 4, 1868, and most of the surrounding clans became enemies.

Angered by the Kubota clan's withdrawal, the Nanbu clan launched an attack on the Kubota clan on August 9th. Odate became a battlefield. Odate Castle fell on August 22nd to the Nanbu domain, which initially boasted overwhelming military power, and the castle town was reduced to almost ashes. After that, the Kubota clan army, reinforced by the new government army, made a comeback and recaptured Odate on September 6th. As a result, the Kubota clan suffered only damage to Odate Castle, and the war ended with Kubota Castle intact.

The Odate Castle ruins have been developed as Katsura Castle Park and become a place for citizens to relax.

All the buildings in Odate Castle were burnt down during the Boshin War. The castle ruins have been maintained as Katsura Castle Park Katsura Castle was named after Odate Castle was called "Katsura Castle". Although there are no buildings, part of the original moat and stone walls remain, and many cherry blossoms are planted within the park, which is visited by many local residents and tourists during the spring cherry blossom festival.

INFORMATON

• Facility name: Katsuragi Park
• Location: Nakagusuku, Odate City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0186-43-7072 (Odate City Industry Department Tourism Division)
• Railway: Approximately 10 minutes by bus from Odate Station on the JR Ou Main Line, approximately 1 minute walk from Odate City Hall bus stop, approximately 20 minutes walk from Higashi-Odate Station on the JR Hanawa Line.
• Car: Approximately 30 minutes from Kosaka IC on the Tohoku Expressway

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Odate Hachiman Shrine, where valuable buildings from the Edo period remain

There are almost no buildings left in the old castle town of Odate City, which suffered devastating damage during the Boshin War, but miraculously Odate Hachiman Shrine , which was located at the east end of Odate Castle, was built in the Edo period. It is still standing as it was in the past. The main shrine was built in 1687, and is a very valuable building built in the architectural style of the early Edo period, and has been designated as an important national cultural property.

INFORMATON

• Facility name: Odate Hachiman Shrine
• Location: 1 Yahata, Odate City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0186-42-1328
• Free walk around the grounds
• URL: Odate Hachiman Shrine
• access:
  • Railway: Approximately 35 minutes on foot from Odate Station on the JR Ou Main Line, approximately 25 minutes on foot from Higashi-Odate Station
  • Car: Approximately 10 minutes from Akita Expressway Odate-Minami IC or Odate-Kita IC

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