History of Asia

[Hikone Castle] The Ii family's castle that survived the crisis of the Meiji era and World War II!

2017 Taiga drama "Lady castle owner Naotora ( Naotora ) Is a story of a comeback from the decline of the Ii family.

The Ii family will later become the head of the "Hikone Castle" I will introduce about.

When was the castle built and how did it survive?

Let's go.

By the way, Hikone Castle has not been built yet in the era of "Naotora:The Lady of the Castle".

Naotora Ii's adopted child, Naotora's plan

Ii family during the Warring States period

The Ii family during the Warring States period was under the control of Mr. Imagawa The boys who succeeded the family will all die in the war and betrayal of their vassals.

The last remaining "Naotora Ii" will be the head of the family despite being a woman to protect the Ii family It is.

And Naotora is a former wife and former head of the family, Naochika Ii . ( Good luck Naomasa Naomasa Will be adopted.

Naomasa later Ieyasu Tokugawa ( Tokugawa Ieyasu Became a vassal of Mr. "Shitenno Tokugawa" It grows up to be called.

⇒ [Naohira Ii] The great-grandfather of Naotora, the Lady of the Castle! From the rule of Mr. Imagawa, he will be preceded by his children and grandchildren!

Win the Battle of Sekigahara!

1600 , The Tokugawa army who won the battle of Sekigahara.

Naomasa Ii is the commander of the enemy, Mitsunari Ishida ( , due to the military service of the battle. Mitsunari Ishida ) Sawayama ( Sawayama ) Castle Enter.

Meanwhile, if the Ii family uses Sawayama Castle as it is, the thoughts of Mr. Sansei, the former lord of the territories, will not be cut off, so planning to build a new castle It is.

However, Naomasa did not heal the wounds of the Battle of Sekigahara and died two years later in 1602 without being able to start the construction of Hikone Castle . ..

Firstborn's direct succession ( Naotsugu ) Takes over it, and Hikone Castle castle tower is completed in 1606 , The entire including the castle town was completed in 1622 have become.

Abandoned castle decree in the Meiji era?

1873 Meiji 6 "Abandoned Castle Ordinance" Is issued.

Officially " Disposal of castles nationwide, parallel camps, etc. ( Zenkokujokaku Sompai no Shobun and Heie Ichito Sentaikata ) , "Abandoned Castle Ordinance" .. It seems that you will have a problem with the quiz show.

The castle feels like a house where the lord lives, but in reality it is a military fortress . It's a place like this where you can put a lot of weapons.

Therefore, the Meiji government did not know when someone would stand up in the castle and set up, so it issued such a decree.

But huge money to break It seems that it was difficult to destroy everything because it costs.

Armies are now in place, and some castles remain unbroken.

Does Hikone Castle escape the abolition order?

Hikone Castle is also subject to the abolition decree, but Meiji 11 Emperor Meiji pilgrimage I ordered the castle to be preserved when I passed through Hikone on a so-called outing.

Shigenobu Okuma , the 8th and 17th Prime Minister and the founder of Waseda University, who accompanied me Omashigenobu There is also a theory that he spared Hikone Castle to be destroyed and asked the Emperor Meiji to preserve it.

Hikone Castle bombed in World War II !?

World War II So, Hikone is 7 degrees Bombing from the U.S. Army I will receive it.

And August 15th night Was scheduled for a large-scale bombing, but Japan's surrender was announced at noon that day The bombing was not carried out.

Although the damage to Hikone Castle was avoided, it is a sad event that there were seven bombings.

Is Hikone a famous military commander as a strategic base?

Hikone is a node between the East and the West, where the Nakasendo and Hokuriku Expressways meet, and many battles such as the Battle of Sekigahara have been held.

Land that was attracting attention as a strategic base Because of Nobunaga Oda ( Oda Nobunaga ) Is Nagahide Niwa ( Tamba Nagahide ) And near Toyotomi Hideyoshi ( Toyotomi Hideyoshi ) Hideyoshi Toyotomi had Mitsunari Ishida, and Ieyasu Tokugawa had a reliable vassal named Naomasa Ii.

You can see how important the place called Hikone was.

Hikone Castle is such a castle!

The building of Hikone Castle is the castle tower of Otsu Castle. Sawayama Castle and Kotani ( Odani ) Castle turret ( Yagura ) Etc. Relocation It has been.

This also has the meaning of auspiciousness. It simply means limiting costs and shortening the construction period ...

The castle tower of Hikone Castle is a three-story building with an impractical outer rim on the top floor. It's not practical ... Is it to make it look gorgeous?

The castle tower of Otsu Castle was a five-story building, so it is said that it was reduced when it was relocated.

In Hikone Castle, the gun holes on the wall are made so that they cannot be seen from the outside, and the stairs are 62 degrees . It is easy to push the enemy from above at a very steep angle.

The stairs are just stuck like a ladder, so when an enemy came up, I could just kick them down.

It's a castle made just for battle.

The castle tower is designated as a national treasure!

1950s When you enter, the castle tower and turret are national treasures In addition, there are other important cultural properties such as horse shops. It is specified in.

After major repairs in Showa and Heisei, selected as the 50th of the "100 Fine Castles of Japan" in 2006 it was done.

Summary

This time, I introduced "Hikone Castle", the residence of the Ii family, who was loyal to the Tokugawa family.

From the decline of the Ii family during the Warring States period, Naotora and Naomasa defended it, and from the victory of Sekigahara to the construction of Hikone Castle, the Ii family became the leading family of the daimyo . It goes up and down.

Hikone Castle still looks beautiful after overcoming the crisis of abandoned castles.
I would like you to be registered as a World Heritage Site!

⇒ [Ii family] Birth and decline, the lord of the castle and the first daimyo! A family that continues to the present day!