Azuchi Castle (Ruin): May 4, 2019

I visited the ruin of Azuchi Castel in Omihachiman City in Shiga Prefecture during my Nakasendo Walk.

The castle is very important in Japanese history.

It was built in 1576 by Oda Nobunaga, who lead unifying the divided nation. He is seen as a hero who opened Japan’s early modern period.

Azuchi Castle was constructed as a center of his regime.

A six-storied main tower was built on the top of Mt Azuchi of about 200-meter high. Such a big mountain castle had never been constructed before.

A town was developed under the mountain. Fewer regulations were imposed on the merchants there to encourage free trade-based business.

The castle was burned later. Only the basic stones remain today.

I climbed stone stairs from the foot of the mountain. The first 180 meter of the stairs is straight. The part is called Otemichi. Stone walls remain at the sides of the stairs. (See also the the top photo)

I sometimes stopped and looked back; then, felt the size of the castle and the stairs. (See also the 2nd photo)

The stairs started to turn left and right as I moved up.

There stands trees at the sides of the stairs. (See also the 3rd photo)

With nearly 30-minute walk, I arrived the top of the mountain. The total steps are more than 400.

The main tower was in this place.

There spread rice fields under the mountain. I could see Lake Biwa over the fields. (See also the 4th photo)

The castle stood at the side of Lake Biwa about 450 years ago.

There is a statue of Oda Nobunaga in front of the JR Azuchi station.

They provide a video show in the railway station. It gave me the images of the Azuchi Castle and the town 450 years ago. It was fantastic. (See also the 5th photo)

Nakasendo Walk (31) Samegai(61/69)-Banba(62)-Toriimoto(63): May 4, 2019

I continued my Nakasendo Walk from Samegai, the 61th shukuba station from Nihonbashi. As　reported in the previous article, the station is famous for its clean water.

There is a shop of local products next to the railway station building. The found the store stressing Samegai’s clean water. (See the top photo)

Leaving the shukuba station, I moved westwards. I found affluent water flowing in the artificial creeks along Nakasendo.

I passed the crossing point of Meishin and Hokuriku moter Highways; found an industrial zone over a milestone.

I entered Banba, 62th shukuba station.

There stands Rengeji Temple along Nakasendo.

It was established earlier than 13^th century (A legend says that it was originally built by Prince Shotoku in the 7^th century). It now belongs to Jodo sect.

About 430 soldiers of Kamakura shogunate government committed suicide here in 1333 when they lost the war with an anti-shogunate government troops. Memorial monuments were built later to console their spirits. (see also the 2nd photo from the top)

I enjoyed beautiful countryside scenes in the area.

I walked forwards and crossed over a small pass called Surihari Pass.

Old Nakasendo remains in some parts.

I entered Hikone City from Maibara City before arriving in Toriimoto, the 63th station. A welcome monument of Hikone City was waiting me. (See the 3rd photo)

Toriimoto’s drug stores – where they sold medicines for the stomach and intestines – were famous in the Edo era. There still remain some stores. The photo shows an example.

Nakasendo Walk (30) Sekigahara(58/69)-Imasu(59)-Kashiwabara(60)-Samegai(61): May 3, 2019

I resumed my Nakasendo walk after a year’s pause. Today’s walk was from Sekigahara, the 58^th shukuba station from Nihonbashi, to Samegai, the 61th station.

Before starting my Nakasendo walk from Sekigawhara, I moved around the historic place. The Battle of Sekigahara, one of most famous and important battles in Japanese history, took place here in 1600. The photos and an essay are found here.

Only the memories of a main inn (honjin), lower-level inns (waki-honjin and hatago) and other facilities remain along Nakasendo here.

Walking westwards about 10 minutes, I found a ruin of the checkpoint (barrier) of Fuwa. It was built in 673 by the Tenmu Emperor. It was one of the three biggest checkpoints in the ancient history of Japan (other two were checkpoints of Suzuka and Arachi)

The Jinshin War in 672, the biggest war in Japan’s ancient history, took place around here. The photos and information are dound here.

I then found a tomb of Tokiwa, the mother of Minamoto Yoshitsune, one of most popular heroes in Japanese history.

I climbed the Imasu Pass.

Then, I arrived in Imasu, the 59^th shukuba station. It is the last of the 16 stations in Mino area (now Gifu Prefecture). Only the memories of old facilities remain here from the Edo era.

Moving westward, I arrived at the border of Mino (now Gifu Prefecture) and Omi (Shiga). The place was called “a village of sleeping story.” It was because the travelers could exchange sleeping stories between two inns which stood different areas. (See also the top photo)

Nakasendo goes along JR Tokaido Line and the Meishin moter highway.

There is a line of maple trees along the street.

I reached Kashiwabara, the 60^th shukuba startion.　It was a ling station of 1.4 km.

The station stood at the foot of Mr. Ibuki.

They produce good moxa, which is used for moxibustion to relax human body, from Japanese mugwort grown in Mr Ibuki.

There still remain moxa shops. One of them remained traditional style. (See the 3rd photo from the top)

Walking about 6km, I arrived in Samegai, the 61th shukuba station.

Samegai is famous for its clean water. Rich clean water flow throughout the town. (See also the 2nd photo)

There grow groups of water grass called “baikamo” in the creeks. The grass can grow only in very clean water.

There live small fish called hariyo. It is an endangered spiece.

There are several springs in the shukuba station. This photo is called Saigyo spring.

There is a local-product shop next to JR Samegai station. It emphasized clean water.

There are various shops, restaurants and coffee shops in the shukuba station. This coffee shop uses an old house of more than 100 years.

I ate a asset of eel dinner in a restaurant. They keep the eel in the creek for a while to refresh and clean it.

I found many funs in Samegai.

Sekigahara: May 2, 2019

The Battle of Sekigahara is one of the most famous and important battles in Japanese history.

Total 160-thousand soldiers in two groups – the eastern army lead by Tokugage Ieyasu and the western army lead by Ishida Mitsunari -- crashed here in 1600 for the country’s hegemony. With the victory of the battle, Tokugawa Ieyasu became a ruler of the nation and about 260 years of the Edo era practically began.

I visited Sekigahara during my Nakasendo walk.

Sekigahara is a narrow flat place (about 2 km by 4km) surrounded by hills and mountains. The ground remains as it was 400 years ago. Many history lovers visit the place to review the old battle and to think of the heroes and unknown soldiers who participated in the event.

We can see the panorama of Sekigahara from the hills. This is a scene from Mt. Sasao, where Ishida Mitsunari placed his camp.

 Local people explained tourists battle-related stories. (See the top photo)

Kuroda Nagamasa and Takenaka Shigekado, who belonged to the eastern army, had a camp on Okayama. They shot signal fires from here.

Fierce fights were taken place at the foot of Mt. Sasao. The eastern army finally beat Ishida Mitsunari’s army, which practically ended the battle. Flags of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari are places in the site. (See the 2nd photo from the top)

There spread rice fields in the area. The farmers were busy in planting works.

This is the place where Tokugawa Ieyasu’s final camp was placed and he saw the victory of the battle. Awards and punishments of the participants were decided here. The decisions formed the basic framework of the country from the early 1600 to the 1860s (Edo era).

The ruins of rural rulers who participated in the battle, flags of such rulers, tombs of the dead and other memorials are found in many places in Sekigawaha.

This monument is placed at where Fukushima Masonori's camp, who belonged to the eastern army, located.

The monument of Todo Taketora and Kyogoku Takatomo, both belonged to the eastern army, is in a ground of junior high school.

This is where Shimazu Yoshihiro’s camp, which belonged to the western army, was. Shimazu succeeded to escape from the site after western army’s defeat and survived as a ruler of Satsuma (Kagoshima Prefecture) during the Edo era.

This is a tomb of Otani Yoshitsugu, who dared to join western army despite his sickness to keep his promise with Ishida Mitsunari.

Head mounds were built after the battle to comfort the minds of the dead.

I saw kids playing with local guides in samurai costumes. (See the 3rd photo)

I also found various kinds of signs and graphics displayed in the town. (See also the 4th photo)

Every Japanese people, including me, know something about Sekigahara. But it is just a small part. I have learned quite a lot in Sekigahara.

Sekigahara experienced another important battle in Japanese history. It was Jinshin War in 673 (nearly 1000 years before the Battle of Sekigahara). Prince Oama and Prince Otomo (Emperor Kobun) fought here. Prince Oama won the battle and became the Emperor Tenmu.

Both armies crashed at the Fujiko River.