Saeki Castle
佐伯城
Saeki Castle is a historic castle in Kyūshū dating from the Edo period (construction begun in 1602; completed in 1606); abolished in 1871, whose lord was Mōri Takamasa (first domain lord and builder); successive generations of the Mōri clan as lords of Saeki Domain.
Überblick
Founding
Construction of Saeki Castle began in 1602, after the Battle of Sekigahara, under Mōri Takamasa, who became the first lord of Saeki Domain; the castle was completed in 1606 after six years of work. The layout was designed by Ichida Sukesada, a former retainer of Oda Nobunaga, and the stonework is said to have been overseen by Hayama Kanzaemon, who had also worked on the construction of Himeji Castle. Because its silhouette resembles a crane in flight, it is also known by the alternate name "Tsuruya-jō" (Crane House Castle).
Succession of Lords
From its construction until the Meiji Restoration, the Mōri clan governed continuously as lords of Saeki Domain. In 1637, under the third lord, Mōri Takahisa, the San-no-maru (third bailey) at the foot of the mountain was expanded, and the lord's residence was relocated from the hilltop down to the foot of the mountain.
Structure
Built entirely of stone on the 144-meter summit of Mount Hachiman, the castle had a renkaku-shiki (linked-bailey) layout centered on the main bailey and once featured a three-story, three-level main keep. It is notable for combining the terrain of a medieval mountain castle with the advanced stone-wall techniques of early-modern castle construction.
Present State
After the castle's abolition in 1871, the hilltop buildings were removed in the early Meiji era, but the stone walls survive, along with the San-no-maru Yagura-mon gate at the foot of the mountain, which is designated an Ōita Prefecture Tangible Cultural Property. Part of the San-no-maru palace has been relocated and preserved elsewhere in the city. The site is a National Historic Site and, in 2017, was selected among the Continuation of Japan's Top 100 Castles (No. 194).
Verbindung zu Schwertern
Sehenswürdigkeiten
- A stone-walled mountain castle built by Mōri Takamasa with masons including Hayama Kanzaemon, who also worked on Himeji Castle
- Also known as "Tsuruya-jō" for its crane-like silhouette
- The San-no-maru Yagura-mon gate survives as an Ōita Prefecture Tangible Cultural Property
- A National Historic Site, selected among the Continuation of Japan's Top 100 Castles (No. 194) in 2017
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