Kōchi Castle

Kōchi CastleШаблон:Nihongo is a castle located in Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.

History

Following the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Kōchi Castle was constructed in what was then the province of Tosa. It was built by Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, who took control of the province after the Tokugawa victory. The castle was constructed as part of the move from Urado to the more defensible Otakasa (alt. Odakasa) area.

Construction was begun in 1601 and was completed in 1611. Much of the original fortress burned down in 1727; it was reconstructed between 1729 and 1753 in the original style. The castle underwent major restoration from 1948 to 1959. Though no battles were fought at the castle, it is noteworthy because the castle is the original structure, and not a post-war replica. It is also the only castle in Japan to retain both its original tenshu, or keep, and its palace. In fact, it is the only castle to have all the original buildings in the honmaru, or inermost ring of defense, still standing.

Otakasa Hill

Two previous attempts were made to build castles on Otakasa Hill. Both failed. The first attempt was by Otakasa Matsuomaru sometime during the late Heian or Kamakura periods. The second was in 1588 by the conqueror of Shikoku, Chosokabe Motochika. The area around the hill at this time was extremely swampy, due to the influx of alluvial sediments from the Kagami River. Consequently, previous builders were never successful in establishing a permanent fortress on the site where Kōchi Castle stands today.

National Treasure Status

As one of only twelve intact castles in Japan, Kōchi Castle was popularly called a National Treasure (国宝) before the 1950 National Treasure Protection Law (文化財保護法施) was enacted. After the law was passed, it was demoted to the status of Important Cultural Asset (重要文化財).

Popular Depictions

Kōchi Castle can be seen in the background of the animated film I Can Hear the Sea by Studio Ghibli, during the class reunion scene.

Structure

Two rivers, the Kagami River and the Enokuchi River, form the outer moat of the castle. The tower is five stories high and sits atop Otakasa Hill, commanding an extensive view of the city. It rises above the Kaitokukan (palace), which was constructed in the Shoin style of the Edo period. The castle retains this structure today and has been fitted with period-appropriate items in the lower rooms.

In addition to a tearoom, Genkan (entrance area), and latrine, the Kaitokukan contains eight traditional rooms, ranging in size from three to twelve tatami. It is surrounded by a veranda on the east and south sides. The Kaitokukan also burned during the fire of 1727, but it was not repaired until 1747, with work completed in 1749.

Visiting

Kōchi Castle is located in downtown Kōchi. The main entrance is directly across from the west entrance of the Obiyamachi shopping area.

Visitors are asked to remove their footwear before entering the building. Slippers are provided.

As the castle is quite old, the tatami rooms are visible but not accessible. There is a small museum area with information entirely in Japanese. This museum houses several cultural artifacts of the Tosa region not native to the castle itself. The upper rooms of the tower are all empty, but visitors are allowed to climb to the top. There is a railing but no net around the balcony.

Handicap access is extremely limited, as the approach to the castle involves many steps. There is no elevator.

The castle grounds are now a public park, and a popular location in spring for hanami. They contain the Prefectural Library and the Kōchi Literary Museum, in addition to statues of notable scions of the Yamanouchi family.

References

Literature

External links

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Tips & Hints
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Todd M
22 October 2013
Castle is only ¥400 for entry per person. Shoes must be removed prior to entry, free lockers are available.
Todd M
22 October 2013
View from the top of the castle is amazing, 360 degree view of Kochi City
Mari Takasima
9 April 2013
大手門と天守閣が一枚の写真に納めることの出来る唯一のお城  山内24万石
Massara Nati …
6 November 2023
享保12年(1727)越前町から出火し城下に広がった大火は城内にも及び、江戸初期の建物はほとんど焼失してしまいましたが、天守は延享4年(1747)に再建されました。高知城は明治の廃城令では二ノ丸御殿、三ノ丸御殿、鉄門などが破却され、昭和20年(1945)の高知大空襲での被害もありましたが、本丸の建造物が完全な形で残る唯一の城であり、天守と本丸御殿の両方が現像する唯一の城でもあります。
K
13 August 2013
高知城・天守では、おしぼりサービスやってます。2013年8月1日から9月29日まで。http://kochipark.jp/kochijyo/20130801/oshibori.html
Mineki Yashiro
16 June 2012
城内は石段が多く、天守閣は狭いので、追手門入った左の無料コインロッカーに絶対に荷物を預けるべし。
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foursquare.com
8.3/10
Patryk Czekaj and 14,930 more people have been here
Map
0.1km from 1 Chome-2-1 Marunouchi, Kōchi-shi, Kōchi-ken 780-0850, Japan Get directions
Fri 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Sat 4:00 AM–5:00 AM
Sun 4:00 AM–5:00 PM
Mon 4:00 AM–5:00 AM
Tue 4:00 AM–6:00 AM
Wed 4:00 AM–5:00 AM

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