Kochi Castle
Encyclopedia
is a castle
located in Kōchi
, Kōchi Prefecture
, Japan.
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 innermost ring of defense, still standing.
or Kamakura
periods. The second was in 1588 by the conqueror of Shikoku
, Chōsokabe 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.
(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).
, during the class reunion scene.
The castle figures prominently in the film The Harimaya Bridge
. Key scenes in the movie take place in the courtyard just inside the Oteman Gate, on the top level of the castle itself, and at the entrance to the castle grounds just outside the Oteman Gate.
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.
. 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, however 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 artefacts 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, and 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.
Japanese castle
' were fortresses composed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century...
located in Kōchi
Kochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
, Kōchi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
, Japan.
History
Following the Battle of SekigaharaBattle 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 1600, Kōchi Castle was constructed in what was then the province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of Tosa
Tosa Province
is the name of a former province of Japan in the area that is today Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku. Tosa was bordered by Iyo and Awa Provinces. It was sometimes called .-History:The ancient capital was near modern Nankoku...
. It was built by Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, who took control of the province after the Tokugawa
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
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
Tenshu
thumbnail|250px|right|Matsue TenshuTenshu, , also called Tenshukaku, 天守閣, the central tower or main keep at Japanese castle. It is the most important part of Japanese castle. It began from Sengoku period. Azuchi Castle, built in 1576 by Oda Nobunaga, was Japan's first castle to have a Tenshu....
, or keep
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...
, and its palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
. In fact, it is the only castle to have all the original buildings in the honmaru, or innermost 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 HeianHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
or Kamakura
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
periods. The second was in 1588 by the conqueror of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
, Chōsokabe Motochika
Chosokabe Motochika
was a Sengoku period daimyo in Japan. He was the 21st chief of the Chōsokabe clan of Tosa Province . He was the son and heir of Chōsokabe Kunichika and his mother was a daughter of the Saitō clan of Mino Province....
. 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 TreasureNational treasures of Japan
National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...
(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 GhibliStudio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
, during the class reunion scene.
The castle figures prominently in the film The Harimaya Bridge
The Harimaya Bridge
The Harimaya Bridge is a 2009 film written and directed by American filmmaker Aaron Woolfolk. It was filmed in Kochi Prefecture, Japan and San Francisco, California, U.S.A. The film had a nationwide theatrical release in Japan in 2009 and an independent theatrical release in the United States in 2010...
. Key scenes in the movie take place in the courtyard just inside the Oteman Gate, on the top level of the castle itself, and at the entrance to the castle grounds just outside the Oteman Gate.
Structure
Two rivers, the Kagami River and the Enokuchi River, form the outer moat of the castle. The towerTower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
is five stories high and sits atop Otakasa Hill, commanding an extensive view of the city. It rises above the Kaitokukan (palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
), which was constructed in the Shoin
Shoin
' is a type of audience hall in Japanese architecture that was developed during the Muromachi period. The term originally meant a study and a place for lectures on the sūtra within a temple, but later it came to mean just a drawing room or study. From this room takes its name the shoin-zukuri style...
style of the Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
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
Genkan
are traditional Japanese entryway areas for a house, apartment, or building—something of a combination of a porch and a doormat. The primary function of genkan is for the removal of shoes before entering the main part of the house or building. Genkan are often recessed into the floor, to contain...
(entrance area), and latrine, the Kaitokukan contains eight traditional rooms
Washitsu
, meaning "Japanese-style room", is a Japanese term used as an antonym for the term yōshitsu , meaning "Western-style room." Another term for washitsu is nihonma , and the comparative other term for yōshitsu is yōma ....
, ranging in size from three to twelve tatami
Tatami
A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
. 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 KōchiKochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
. 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, however slippers are provided.
As the castle is quite old, the tatami rooms
Washitsu
, meaning "Japanese-style room", is a Japanese term used as an antonym for the term yōshitsu , meaning "Western-style room." Another term for washitsu is nihonma , and the comparative other term for yōshitsu is yōma ....
are visible but not accessible. There is a small museum area with information entirely in Japanese. This museum houses several cultural artefacts of the Tosa
Tosa Province
is the name of a former province of Japan in the area that is today Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku. Tosa was bordered by Iyo and Awa Provinces. It was sometimes called .-History:The ancient capital was near modern Nankoku...
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, and there is no elevator.
The castle grounds are now a public park, and a popular location in spring for hanami
Hanami
is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms or ume blossoms. From the end of March to early May, sakura bloom all over Japan, and around the first of February on the island of Okinawa...
. They contain the Prefectural Library and the Kōchi Literary Museum, in addition to statues of notable scions of the Yamanouchi family.
External links
- Kōchi Castle official site in Japanese