Hirado Castle
Encyclopedia
was the seat of the Matsuura clan, the daimyo
of Hirado Domain
, of Hizen province
, Kyūshū
. It is located in present-day Hirado city
Nagasaki prefecture
, Japan
. It was also known as .
’s successful conquest of Kyūshū, local warlord Matsuura Shigenobu was granted Hirado County and the Iki Island
to be his domain. In 1599, Matsuura Shigenobu erected a castle called Hinotake-jō on the site of the present-day Hirado Castle. However, he burned the castle down himself in 1613, as a gesture of loyalty towards Shōgun
Tokugawa Ieyasu
, having served in the losing Toyotomi side during the Battle of Sekigahara
. In return, he was allowed to retain his position as daimyō of Hirado Domain under the Tokugawa bakufu.
The present Hirado Castle was constructed in 1704 by order of the 4th daimyō of Hirado domain, Matsuura Takashi with the assistance of the Tokugawa shogunate to be the keystone in seaward defenses of Japan in the East China Sea
region, now that the country had implemented a policy of national seclusion
against western traders and missionaries. The design was partly influenced by the theories of the military strategist Yamaga Soko
. The new construction was completed in 1718, and the castle remained home to the Matsuura daimyō until the Meiji Restoration
of 1868.
In 1871, with the abolition of the han system
, all structures of Hirado Castle were dismantled, with the exception of the northern gate, a yagura
and the moat, and the grounds turned into Kameoka Park, with a Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirits of the successive generations of the Matsuura daimyō. The former residence of the final daimyō, Matsuura Akira
was turned into a local history museum.
In 1962, four yagura, the earthen walls, and the donjon
were reconstructed. The modern donjon is a five-story ferroconcrete structure, and contains a museum with artifacts of the Matsuura clan. One of these artifacts is a 93-cm long including a Japanese sword (tachi) dating from the Asuka period
, which legend states was carried by a general during the time of Empress Jingu’s invasion of Korea. An heirloom of the Matsuura clan, it is now owned by Matsuura Shrine and is a designated as a National Important Cultural Property
(ICP).
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Hirado Domain
Hirado Domain
was a tozama han of Edo period Japan, with its territory extending from northern Hizen Province to the offshore Iki Province...
, of Hizen province
Hizen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...
, Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. It is located in present-day Hirado city
Hirado, Nagasaki
is a city in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The part historically named Hirado is located on the island of the same name. With recent mergers, the city's boundaries have expanded, and Hirado now occupies parts of the main island of Kyūshū...
Nagasaki prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was also known as .
Description
Hirado Castle was built on top of a small, rounded mountainous peninsula facing Hirado Bay, surrounded on three sides by water.History
After Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
’s successful conquest of Kyūshū, local warlord Matsuura Shigenobu was granted Hirado County and the Iki Island
Iki Island
Iki Island is an island lying between the island of Kyūshū and the Tsushima islands in the Tsushima Strait, the eastern channel of the Korea Strait. It is currently part of Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan. The city of Iki is the centre of the local government. The island has three ports.The island’s...
to be his domain. In 1599, Matsuura Shigenobu erected a castle called Hinotake-jō on the site of the present-day Hirado Castle. However, he burned the castle down himself in 1613, as a gesture of loyalty towards Shōgun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, having served in the losing Toyotomi side during the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
. In return, he was allowed to retain his position as daimyō of Hirado Domain under the Tokugawa bakufu.
The present Hirado Castle was constructed in 1704 by order of the 4th daimyō of Hirado domain, Matsuura Takashi with the assistance of the Tokugawa shogunate to be the keystone in seaward defenses of Japan in the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
region, now that the country had implemented a policy of national seclusion
Sakoku
was the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death. The policy was enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate under Tokugawa Iemitsu through a number of edicts and policies from 1633–39 and remained in effect until...
against western traders and missionaries. The design was partly influenced by the theories of the military strategist Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko
was a Japanese philosopher and strategist during the Tokugawa shogunate. He was a Confucian, and applied Confucius's idea of the "superior man" to the samurai class of Japan...
. The new construction was completed in 1718, and the castle remained home to the Matsuura daimyō until the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
of 1868.
In 1871, with the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
, all structures of Hirado Castle were dismantled, with the exception of the northern gate, a yagura
Yagura
Yagura is the Japanese word for "tower" or "turret." The word is most often seen in reference to structures within Japanese castle compounds, but can be used in a variety of other situations as well. The bandstand tower erected for Bon Festival is often called a yagura, as are similar structures...
and the moat, and the grounds turned into Kameoka Park, with a Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirits of the successive generations of the Matsuura daimyō. The former residence of the final daimyō, Matsuura Akira
Matsuura Akira
Count was the 12th and final daimyō of Hirado Domain in Hizen Province, Kyūshū, Japan. He was also the 37th hereditary head of the Matsuura clan, and a noted tea master. His honorary title was. Hizen-no-Kami.-Biography:...
was turned into a local history museum.
In 1962, four yagura, the earthen walls, and the donjon
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
were reconstructed. The modern donjon is a five-story ferroconcrete structure, and contains a museum with artifacts of the Matsuura clan. One of these artifacts is a 93-cm long including a Japanese sword (tachi) dating from the Asuka period
Asuka period
The , was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 , although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period...
, which legend states was carried by a general during the time of Empress Jingu’s invasion of Korea. An heirloom of the Matsuura clan, it is now owned by Matsuura Shrine and is a designated as a National Important Cultural Property
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
(ICP).