Takaoka Castle: Difference between revisions
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|City=Takaoka | |City=Takaoka | ||
|Prefecture=Toyama Prefecture | |Prefecture=Toyama Prefecture | ||
|Notes= | |Notes=My second visit to Takaokajō was much more rewarding than the first. When I first went in the summer of 2015 I was rather disappointed in what appeared to me to be little more than a large park with shrine buildings and sculptures. However, this time I made an exhaustive tour of the castle ruins, and even took a boat ride in the moat. | ||
Takaokajō has two tall ishigaki (stone-piled ramparts) segments either side of an earthen bridge between the honmaru (main bailey) and ninomaru (second bailey). One side is approachable from below but the other is immediately adjacent to a mizubori (water moat) and the only way to get a good look is by boat. The boat didn't stop for us to appreciate the ishigaki, though, as I thought it might, but instead turned right around again. I realised then that the boat ride is mostly for people with little interest in ishigaki... | |||
Having inspected the other side I found lots of kokuin, or impressions in the stone blocks of the ishigaki, in various patterns, such as manji (swastika) and kushidango (skewered gelatinous rice balls) shapes. Takaokajō is really a fantastic site when one appreciates the mizubori (water moats), dorui (earthen ramparts) and aforementioned ishigaki. | |||
I went around each bailey and the whole of the outer moat. The park contains various facilities, and some of these obscure the dorui unfortunately. Luckily the zoo there is free to enter so one can get a glimpse of some solid dorui there. Dorui is likewise found around the honmaru and other baileys. Other structures include bridges, both reconstructed and earthen. Lastly, the park is really lovely in spring, with flowers blooming, birds chirping, and chubby babies a-romping. | |||
Profile and gallery updated by [[User:ART|ART]] (2024; visited 2021). | |||
|History=Maeda Toshinaga built Takaoka Castle in 1609 after Toyama Castle burned down. Toshinaga died in 1614. The castle was decommissioned in 1615, before it was even finished, under the One Castle per Domain law. It was designated as a park in 1875. | |History=Maeda Toshinaga built Takaoka Castle in 1609 after Toyama Castle burned down. Toshinaga died in 1614. The castle was decommissioned in 1615, before it was even finished, under the One Castle per Domain law. It was designated as a park in 1875. | ||
|Year Visited=Viewer Contributed | |Year Visited=Viewer Contributed | ||
|AddedJcastle=2013 | |AddedJcastle=2013 | ||
|GPSLocation=36.74917, 137.02056 | |GPSLocation=36.74917, 137.02056 | ||
|Contributor=ART | |||
|rating_average=0.88 | |rating_average=0.88 | ||
|castleElev=18 | |castleElev=18 | ||
Revision as of 17:43, 2 December 2024
My second visit to Takaokajō was much more rewarding than the first. When I first went in the summer of 2015 I was rather disappointed in what appeared to me to be little more than a large park with shrine buildings and sculptures. However, this time I made an exhaustive tour of the castle ruins, an
History
Maeda Toshinaga built Takaoka Castle in 1609 after Toyama Castle burned down. Toshinaga died in 1614. The castle was decommissioned in 1615, before it was even finished, under the One Castle per Domain law. It was designated as a park in 1875.
Field Notes
My second visit to Takaokajō was much more rewarding than the first. When I first went in the summer of 2015 I was rather disappointed in what appeared to me to be little more than a large park with shrine buildings and sculptures. However, this time I made an exhaustive tour of the castle ruins, and even took a boat ride in the moat.
Takaokajō has two tall ishigaki (stone-piled ramparts) segments either side of an earthen bridge between the honmaru (main bailey) and ninomaru (second bailey). One side is approachable from below but the other is immediately adjacent to a mizubori (water moat) and the only way to get a good look is by boat. The boat didn't stop for us to appreciate the ishigaki, though, as I thought it might, but instead turned right around again. I realised then that the boat ride is mostly for people with little interest in ishigaki...
Having inspected the other side I found lots of kokuin, or impressions in the stone blocks of the ishigaki, in various patterns, such as manji (swastika) and kushidango (skewered gelatinous rice balls) shapes. Takaokajō is really a fantastic site when one appreciates the mizubori (water moats), dorui (earthen ramparts) and aforementioned ishigaki.
I went around each bailey and the whole of the outer moat. The park contains various facilities, and some of these obscure the dorui unfortunately. Luckily the zoo there is free to enter so one can get a glimpse of some solid dorui there. Dorui is likewise found around the honmaru and other baileys. Other structures include bridges, both reconstructed and earthen. Lastly, the park is really lovely in spring, with flowers blooming, birds chirping, and chubby babies a-romping.
Profile and gallery updated by ART (2024; visited 2021).
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Takaoka Castle |
| Japanese Name | 高岡城 |
| Founder | Maeda Toshinaga |
| Year Founded | 1609 |
| Castle Type | Flatland |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | Top 100 Castles, Prefectural Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Edo Period |
| Features | water moats, stone walls |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Takaoka Sta. (Hokuriku Line), 10 min walk |
| Hours | |
| Time Required | |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36.74917, 137.02056 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2013 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
