|
|
Destinations... Japan Travel Guide The Yamasa Institute |
|
|
|
|
Destinations... Japan Travel Guide The Yamasa Institute |
|
|
|
Edited by: Declan Murphy Recommended: Suggested Itineraries Favorite Shiga moments... Best ways to get there Shiga Photogallery Newsgroups: fj.rec.travel.japan, Alt-FAQ Bulletin Boards: Fun/Clubs/Nightlife  Accommodation/Discounts
|
Hikone Castle and the adjacent Genkyu-en Garden comprise the centerpiece of Hikone city. The city's rise in prominence during the Tokugawa shogunate began with the construction of the castle in the early 1600's. Most of the structures on the site were declared Important Cultural Assets in 1951 with the main tower being designated a National Treasure in 1952. It is one of only 4 original castles so designated, along with Himeji in Hyogo, Inuyama in Aichi and Matsumoto in Nagano, as well as the Shogun's Ninomaru Palace inside Nijo Castle in Kyoto.
As Sawayama Castle had been destroyed in 1601 during the aftermath of the battle, Ii Naomasa planned to construct his own castle on the same site as Sawayama but passed away in 1602 due to complications arising from the wounds he received at the battle before he could start his project. His son, Ii Naotsugu, requested permission to move the castle from Sawayama to the current site closer to the lake, and upon receiving permission began building Hikone Castle in 1603. Having become shogun by this time, Tokugawa Ieyasu sent the Minister of Construction and twelve lords from seven provinces to assist with the project which took a total of twenty years.
Tokugawa Ieyasu also wanted to erase any memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi as well as limit the power of other lords now under his command. One of the measures he took was to initiate a "one castle per prefecture" rule. This meant that many castles had to be disassembled. As a result, parts of Kotani, Otsu, and Sawayama Castles, amongst others, are believed to have been incorporated into the construction of Hikone Castle.
Though not as grand others such as Himeji Castle, Hikone Castle more than makes up for its smaller size with its breathtaking natural surroundings. Its outer walls were constructed in a style called gobo-zumi which, at first glance, does not impress with its use of large boulders on the lower walls and resulting gaps. However, upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the gaps have been filled with smaller stones that actually give the wall excellent stability and keeps them intact during earthquakes. The strength of these walls is underlined by the fact that they have survived for over 400 years.
Only two of the four moats that were part of the original castle layout still exist. The defensive capabilities of neither the moat nor castle walls were ever tested in battle due to the long period of peace in the Edo period.
 |
| Hikone Castle |
The first thing visitors encounter upon entering the castle's grounds is the Hikone Hakubutsukan (Hikone Castle Museum). The items that are exhibited come from the Ii family. They include permanent exhibits of armor, swords, weapons, Noh costumes, and other such articles. There is also a reconstruction of the administrative and living quarters of the family as well as a Noh stage. In addition to the regular exhibits, every month features a special exhibit that emphisizes certain aspects or characteristics of life in Hikone during the Edo Period (1600-1867).
Also within the museum are several documents that have yet to be completely studied or translated. A good deal of the documents are thought to be related to the opening of Japan to the West through the treaties signed at towards the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate. This feat was accomplished by Ii Naosuke, the thirteenth lord of Hikone and head of the shogunal governing body. He was assassinated at the Sakurada-mon Gate of Edo Castle in March 1860, in response to his negotiation of the treaties permitting foreign traders into Japan for the first time since the early 17th century.
The castle's main tower was constructed in a "post and beam" style that gives the structure more strength and flexibilty to withstand earthquakes. Beams are joined together by wooden pegs rather than with iron nails or spikes which tend to crack and/or split wooden beams during the violent movement of an earthquake. In contrast, wooden pegs are more flexible and tend to expand slightly from the friction caused by an earthquake, making the fit between the beam and peg much tighter and the structure more stable.
Inside the castle, note the rectangular, circular and triangular openings in the outer walls. Known as "sama", these openings were for weapons to use in defence of the castle. The triangular sama was used for guns, the circular for cannon and the rectangular for bow and arrow defense. It is very difficult to see these "windows" from the outside as some of the openings were hidden by the roof gables while others were covered up. A marvelous view of Lake Biwa can be seen from the west side of the castle's third story.
 |
| Hikone Castle |
Genkyu-en garden is located to the east of the Hikone Castle and across from the inner moat. Genkyu-en Garden was built in 1677 by Naooki Ii, the fourth lord of Hikone. The garden is designed in the Chisen-kaiyu style, meaning it is centered around a pond. It was modeled after the garden of the detached palace of Emperor Hsuan Tsung (685-762) of China's Tang Dynasty. It is filled with plants and trees that provide different colors throughout the year.
The garden was where the lord of the castle entertained his guests. From the Rakurakuen buildings that comprised the family's residences, they enjoyed the view of the garden laid out before them and the castle overlooking from above.
Open 8:30am- 5:00pm Fee (including Hikone Castle): adults 500 yen, elementary and junior high students 200 yen
Tours - The Japan Discovery Tours visits Hikone Castle.
Click here for more information regarding when Discovery visits this destination.
Photographs and contributions
Do you have good photographs or a story to share about Shiga prefecture? Please share it with us.
Bulletin Boards & Newsgroups
Fun/Clubs/Nightlife
Accommodation/Discounts
fj.rec.travel.japan, Alt-FAQ
Disclaimer and Request:
Opening hours, prices, booking procedures, schedules etc are subject to changes beyond our control. This site is just a guide, and we advise that you always check and confirm in advance. Suggestions, additions and correction of errors are always welcome. Please contact us.
|
www.yamasa.org content is created and maintained by
Declan Murphy and the students and
staff of the
Yamasa Institute's Multimedia Studio. This site is copyright Yamasa - All rights reserved.
C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
