Komoro Castle - Relocated Structures
This gallery is a collection of relocated structures from Komoro Castle. There is also apparently a remnant of the castellan's palace of Komorojō in the Kitamimaki village area of Tōmi Municipality, but I couldn't locate it. More information on the relocated structures below. Komorojō: Ashigaramo
Komoro Castle - Relocated Structures
小諸城移築建物
This gallery is a collection of relocated structures from Komoro Castle. There is also apparently a remnant of the castellan's palace of Komorojō in the Kitamimaki village area of Tōmi Municipality, but I couldn't locate it. More information on the relocated structures below.
Komorojō: Ashigaramon, Relocated Gate at Kōgakuji (Komoro, Nagano) 小諸城移築足柄門・高岳寺惣門 ［長野県小諸市］
The Ashigaramon from Komoro Castle was relocated from the castle site and can now be found at a temple in town called Kōgakuji. Some sources date the gate to 1596! Most relocated gates from castles are from the 17th century at the earliest, so one from the 16th century would be rare. However, whilst the original Ashigaramon at Komoro Castle was erected in 1596, that gate was destroyed in 1742 by a storm flood. The one we see today is a reconstruction dating to 1756; it was relocated to the temple in 1872 after the castle was decommissioned.
Ashigaramon was located between the second and third baileys at Komorojō. It now serves as the sōmon (general gate) at Kōgakuji. The larger gate seen at this temple is a rōmon (pavilion-gate) which serves as the temple's sanmon (main gate).
Ashigaramon is a kōraimon-style gate with rear-facing wings. The structural depth allows for an unobstructed forward view, and so the kōraimon-type gate was one favoured in castle-construction. I tried to take pictures of each of the bays.
Komorojō: Kuromon, Relocated Gate at Shōgen'in (Hachiman, Komoro, Nagano) 小諸城移築黒門・正眼院山門［長野県小諸市八幡］
The relocated kuromon (black gate) of Komoro Castle can be found at a temple called Shōgen'in in Hachiman Township, Komoro Municipality. The stone-piled ramparts which are the ruins of the kuromon can still be found at the castle ruins today, and the restored bridge there is the kuromonbashi (black gate bridge). The gate structure now found at Shōgen'in is not so large, so I think it was the rear gate entered after turning once beyond the bridge. The kuromon complex granted access to the castle's main bailey area.
The extant kuromon gate is aged and dates to 1613. These photos show the relocated kuromon and the temple which is now its home. Rather than foxes or guardian deities, the gate is guarded by two elephants, which is unusual. The temple further contains a large seated buddha statue in front of the main hall.
Komoro Castle: Relocated Storehouse in Yora (Yora, Komoro, Nagano) 小諸城移築銭蔵 ［長野県小諸市与良町］
Komoro really is a fine town, and there are many surviving old neighbourhoods to this day. In one of them, Yora, can be found a relocated structure from Komoro Castle. A small storehouse called zenigura was used as a vault to store coinage. I found the storehouse open. There is a hole in the floor which was a secret compartment used to store more coins. In this stone vault, it is said that a box of a thousand ryō was stored -- though that could just mean 'a lot of money'. Presumably, if the storehouse was robbed, thieves might neglect to also look under the floorboards.
Zenigura was constructed in 1726. It was located in the castle's lower bailey which overlooks the river terrace, opposite the stables and beside the armoury and guardhouse, as well as other treasury facilities. The zenigura's footprint measures three by two ken (one ken = 1.8m). It also has an upper storey. Zenigura was purchased in 1872 after the castle was decommissioned, and relocated to the Matsuya residence; the Matsuya ran a furniture store. Maybe their business was doing well and so they also used the zenigura to store all of their cash-money.
Zenigura is set in a terraced garden between the Hokkoku-kaidō Yorakan ('North Country Road Yora Hall'), an old mercantile residence open to the public, and the Komoro Museum of Takahama Kyoshi. Takahama Kyoshi was a Shōwa period poet. I didn't have time to go in these buildings. But I did permit time for rāmen lunch at a nearby miso brewery! This brewery, 'Yamabuki', also has a narrow path-like garden which is open to the public.
Zenigura is registered as a local cultural asset. As of 2002, the city owns the storehouse, but there are no plans to move it back to the castle, and it is apparently part of local neighbourhood improvement projects. It certainly seems snug where it is. Storehouses could be considered tertiary castle structures as they have no over defensive purpose and are often overlooked in accounting extant castle buildings, along with things like kitchen halls and stables.
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