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The pride of the six Tohoku prefectures: "Constructed in peacetime, yet with a sturdy structure!" Kubota Castle, located in a prime location in front of the station [Akita City, Akita Prefecture]
The pride of the six Tohoku prefectures: "Constructed in peacetime, yet with a sturdy structure!" Kubota Castle, located in a prime location in front of the station [Akita City, Akita Prefecture]
Kubota Castle , built on the small Shinmeiyama mountain .
After the Battle of Sekigahara, Satake Yoshinobu, who was transferred from Hitachi, built this castle as a territory, and the Satake clan served as the castle's lord from then until the Meiji Restoration.
I decided to visit Kubota Castle, which is located in a prime location in front of Akita Station.
In addition, the term "nawabari" in the context of a castle does not refer to the "territory" of an animal or anti-social forces, but rather to the overall design of the castle (the layout of the moats, stone walls, earthen ramparts, moats, and trenches).
Kubota Castle (Akita City: One of Japan's 100 Great Castles)
Kubota Castle is located in the center of Akita city, and Yaru Castle or Kakone Castle , and is sometimes confused with Akita Castle, where the ancient Dewa provincial government was located.
Looking at the Otemon Gate moat, where a promenade has been built from the site of the Otemon Gate, you can see lotus flowers blooming all over the moat.
The main and second baileys of the castle ruins have been converted into Senshu Park
The castle had almost no stone walls and was surrounded by moats and earthen ramparts. One theory is that this was done out of consideration for the shogunate, or that it was because castles in the eastern provinces were built with earthen ramparts rather than stone walls, but the truth is unknown.
The Honmaru Shinryougu Corner Tower, also known as a mock castle tower
Furthermore, no castle tower was built in the main castle, and the reasons given for this include the worsening financial situation due to the transfer of the domain and consideration for the shogunate.
Satake Yoshinobu, the first lord of Kubota Castle
Satake Yoshinobu (owned by Tentokuji Temple) Source: Wikipedia
The Satake clan is a noble family descended from Minamoto Yoshimitsu, the third son of Minamoto Yoriyoshi, known for the " Battles of Zenkunen and Gosannen " and the younger brother of Minamoto Yoshiie.
Under the Toyotomi government, Hitachi Mito's 545,800 koku of rice yield made it the eighth largest feudal lord in terms of rice yield, but the 19th head of the family, Yoshinobu, did not take a clear stance at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 (Keicho 5).
As a result, the shogunate ordered him to move from Mito, Hitachi to Dewa in exchange for the territory of Akita Sanesue, and he moved to Minato Castle, which was located in what is now Tsuchizaki, Akita City.
However, Minato Castle, built by Saneki, a small feudal lord with a fief of around 50,000 koku, was too small for the Satake clan's vassals to enter, so Yoshinobu abandoned Minato Castle and built Kubota Castle instead.
Lord Satake Yoshitaka, lord of the Akita domain during the Boshin War (National Diet Library Digital Collection) Source: Wikipedia
Yoshitaka was adopted from the Soma family and fought in the Boshin War as the 12th lord of the Kubota domain, and served as lord of the castle until the return of the domain and people to the emperor in 1869.
The Satake and Soma clans actively exchanged adoptions for a long time, so it is no exaggeration to say that they were practically related, and it is believed that there was no resistance to adoption within either clan.
Bronze statue of Satake Yoshitaka at the site of the main castle
During the Boshin War, the Kubota Domain was swept away by an invisible current and sided with the new government forces, and its territory was invaded by the Shonai and Morioka Domains of the Oshu-Uetsu Alliance.
The Shonai clan soldiers were particularly fierce in their fighting spirit, and they advanced to within 12 kilometers of Kubota Castle, but the Sendai and Yonezawa clans surrendered, forcing the Shonai clan soldiers to retreat.
As a result, Kubota Castle and the surrounding area were spared from the ravages of war, but it is not widely known that many key locations within the domain were turned into battlefields.
From the Shoho Castle Map: "Diagram of Kubota Castle, Akita County, Dewa Province" Source: National Archives of Japan Digital Archive
Kubota Castle is laid out using the Asahi River (a tributary of the Omono River) that flows through Akita City as its moat, and the topography of the small hill-like Shinmeiyama mountain on the left bank of the river.
Although the remains of the Otemon Gate have been maintained, only a small stone wall remains of the Otemon Gate, which is said to have been two gates, and there is no trace of the Kamidobashi Bridge.
It is said that Bridge the Otemon Moat , and a monument to the former Otemon Gate now stands there.
Stone walls remaining at the site of the Otemon Gate
The northern part of the outer moat that remains today is Sannomaru, and you can enter from Meitokukan-koji, which connects to it, or Nakadobashi Bridge on the west side.
The spacious "Sannomaru" is now lined with public facilities and schools.
Akita Arts Theatre Milhas, built on the site of Nakadobashi Bridge and Sannomaru
To the west and north of the Otemon Gate was once the Sannomaru area, where samurai residences were lined up.
The current site of Sannomaru is home to the Kirara Library Meitokukan (Akita City Central Library), Akita Arts Theatre Milhas, Akita City Cultural Creation Center, and Kokugakukan High School.
Meitokukan Alley runs alongside the Kirara Library Meitokukan (Akita City Central Library) (the former Otemon Gate is in the background)
Sannomaru also includes the area where the Akita General Health Center and the Akita Prefectural Cardiovascular and Brain/Spinal Center are located, and these were once surrounded by an outer moat, but most of it has now been filled in.
Ninomaru, the key point in castle defense
Senshu Park Guide Map
The official route to Ninomaru is to cross Karaganebashi Bridge north of the Otemon Gate and enter through the Kuromon Gate. Other routes include Matsushitamon Gate to the south, Umayamon Gate (Fujomon Gate) and Domon Gate (Kitamikomon Gate) to the north.
The Kuromon Moat, located outside the Ninomaru, with the remains of Karakanebashi Bridge visible in the background (the Akita Prefectural Cardiovascular and Brain and Spinal Cord Center will be built on the site of the Sannomaru).
Ninomaru was large and large enough to accommodate a large number of castle soldiers, so it must have been extremely difficult for the attackers to take it.
Well-constructed earthworks continue on both sides of the masugata from the Kuromon Gate site to the Ninomaru site.
The Ninomaru bailey housed important castle facilities such as the accounting office, the border office, the Anrakuin prayer hall, the bell, the storehouse, and the stables.
The remains of the Ninomaru citadel. Behind it is the Satake Museum.
Additionally, to the north of Ninomaru is Iyataka Shrine, known for granting academic success and other benefits, and many locals visit the shrine to pray during the New Year's visit and exam season.
The long, winding Uramonzaka slope stretches from the Ninomaru. As the siege soldiers passed through this slope, they were bombarded with bullets and arrows from all sides.
The main routes used to climb from Ninomaru to Honmaru were the eastern route from Uramonzaka to the Uramon Gate, and the southern route from Nagasaka to Nagasakamon Gate (Ninomon Gate) and then to the Omotemon Gate (Ichinomon Gate).
After passing through the masugata and going up the hill, you will come to the back gate. The fountain you can see below is Kogetsu Pond.
Both gates have long, narrow slopes onto which attacks from the defenders pour down from the earthen ramparts on both sides, and there are also masu-gata (winding passages) built in areas known as "tiger's mouths" before and after the gates to slow down movement.
This is the southern route. The gate between Nagasakamon Gate and Omotemon Gate is a square shaped gate.
If you go up the long "Nagasaka Slope" next to the shop at the site of the Ninomaru, the first thing you will see is the "Nagasaka Gate."
This was the main entrance to the castle, and the Gobangashirabeya, responsible for guarding the gate, was located here, while the Omonogashira Gobansho, which was on guard against intruders, was located below the main gate, providing for tighter defenses.
You can go inside the Omonogashira Gobansho and take a tour.
Just below the main gate is the Omonogashira Gobansho, which served as a waiting area for the gatekeepers of the Nagasaka Gate. This building escaped the spread of the numerous fires that broke out and is the only building within the castle that has remained intact since its construction, and is a designated cultural property of Akita City.
Go through the main gate (Ichinomon) and you will come to the remains of the main castle.
The main gate was reconstructed based on archaeological findings, archaeological research into remaining drawings and other documents, and is a magnificent and imposing two-story wooden gate with a tiled roof.
The remains of the main enclosure and the modern face of Kubota Castle, the "Osumiyagura (New Corner Tower) of the Main Enclosure"
The main gate seen from between the Honmaru Yawata Akita Shrine and the bronze statue of Satake Yoshitaka
The large site of the main castle is now home to the Yawata Akita Shrine and a bronze statue of Satake Yoshitaka, and is surrounded to the north by the Obiguruwa (belt enclosure).
To get here, we had to climb much more hills than we expected, and it became clear to us why Kubota Castle is considered a "flatland castle."
Akita city seen from the remains of the main castle. There is a huge difference in elevation.
The castle lord's residence, the palace, and the government office were located here, surrounded by the Tamon Nagaya and wooden fences, and a turret-style room called Odashi Shoin was built on the highest point, Reisendai, which protruded from the southwest corner of the main castle.
A view of the tea ceremony room from the ruins of the Odashi Shoin in Reisendai
In addition to Reisendai in the southwest, there is another elevated area within the Honmaru where the three-story, three-story Honmaru Shinbyougu Corner Tower stands. The tower standing here is one of eight corner towers that are said to have existed within the castle, and was restored in 1989 (Heisei 1) to the northwest corner of the Honmaru to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Akita City's establishment.
The restored Honmaru Shinryougu Corner Tower
The original Osumiyagura is a two-story tower, but the Honmaru Shinhyogu Sumiyagura has an additional third floor as an observation deck with a panoramic view of the city, and in place of the currently closed Satake Museum, it displays materials related to the history of the castle and the Satake clan (admission is charged).
What about the defenses to the west and north of Kubota Castle?
If you look at the guide map of Senshu Park, you can see that the west and north sides are slightly elevated, and beyond that there is a steep slope.
Both Ninomaru and Sannomaru are located from east to south of the castle, so the west and north sides may appear weak at first glance, but Satake Yoshinobu skillfully laid out the territory.
On the west side, the area between the Asahi River and the outer and inner moats forms the "Nishi-no-maru" (West enclosure), and there is a large difference in elevation between it and the Honmaru.Furthermore, there is the "Tamon Nagaya," which is like a belt moat, between the "Honmaru Shin-hyougu Corner Tower" and the "Odashi Shoin," making the terrain extremely difficult to attack.
Looking from "Tamon Nagaya" towards the "Iris Garden" below, you can see the considerable difference in elevation and the steep slope of the earthworks.
Additionally, on the north side, which serves as the rear entrance, there is the Kitanomaru, built on a small hill that is now a residential area. This served as a secondary castle, and the Asahikawa River that meanders below it serves as an outer moat, making it a natural fortress.
It is believed that the western and northern sides were used as emergency escape routes for the castle lord in case of an emergency.
Kubota Castle Ruins <Information>
Facility name: Kubota Castle Ruins
Address: 1-4 Senshu Park, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 018-866-2154 (Akita City Hall Construction Department, Parks Division)
Phone number: 018-832-1298 (Akita City Hall, Board of Education, Kubota Castle Osumiyagura)
Opening hours: Osumi Yagura 9:00-16:30 (Admission fee applies; please check the official website for details)
Business hours: Shop 9:00-16:00
Closed: Osumiyagura is closed from December 1st to March 31st of the following year (please check with the store for closing days)
Kubota Castle was built after the end of the Sengoku period, and because it is located in a prime location in Akita City, it was previously thought to be a flat castle that would be easy to capture.
However, when you actually climb up to the main castle, you can see the difference in elevation like a mountain castle, and you can sense that even though it was built in a peaceful era, the layout of the castle was designed with defense in mind.
I am a former Edo guy who loves Morioka, loves the six prefectures of Tohoku, and loves history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing. We'll introduce you to some interesting, delicious, and good things about Tohoku!
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