Visited 22.05.2016 (Sun)
Number of castles visited to date: 13
Top 100 castles in Japan: #12
Ended a memorable train journey on board Fruitea Fukushima フルーティーアふくしま and kick started my day tour of Aizu Wakamatsu city. My plan was to first visit Tsuruga Castle, followed by taking Aizu Roman-go train トロッコ会津浪漫号 to explore Ochijiku 大内宿 and lastly, an overnight stay in Higashiyama Onsen 東山温泉. From Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅, I hopped onto the city loop bus and alighted at Tsuruga Castle Iriguchi, where the first attraction awaits. Originated 600 years ago, Tsuruga Castle 鶴ヶ城 (also refered to as Aizu Wakamatsu Castle) is a symbolic and historic monument of the city.
Number of castles visited to date: 13
Top 100 castles in Japan: #12
Ended a memorable train journey on board Fruitea Fukushima フルーティーアふくしま and kick started my day tour of Aizu Wakamatsu city. My plan was to first visit Tsuruga Castle, followed by taking Aizu Roman-go train トロッコ会津浪漫号 to explore Ochijiku 大内宿 and lastly, an overnight stay in Higashiyama Onsen 東山温泉. From Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅, I hopped onto the city loop bus and alighted at Tsuruga Castle Iriguchi, where the first attraction awaits. Originated 600 years ago, Tsuruga Castle 鶴ヶ城 (also refered to as Aizu Wakamatsu Castle) is a symbolic and historic monument of the city.
Background. The castle's predecessor was called Higashikurokawa-kan 東黒川館 and it was first constructed by Naomori Ashina 蘆名直盛, the 7th generation lord of Ashina clan in 1384. Later in 1593, Gamo Ujisato 蒲生氏郷 who became the ruler of Aizu, built a seven storey keep tower / tenshukaku 天守閣and renamed it as Tsugaru Castle. The castle suffered major damages during a huge earthquake (Aizu Earthquake 会津地震) in 1611 and a five storey tenshukaku was reconstructed - similar to the current standing one.
During the Boshin War in 1868, Tsuruga Castle withstood a month long of heavy attacks by the Meiji Government. After the surrender of Matsudaira Katamori 松平容保, the 9th feudal lord of Aizu domain, the castle was destroyed by the order of Meiji Government in 1874. With strong support from locals, the tenshukaku of Tsugaru Castle was restored in 1965. The castle undergone another round of refurbishment in 2011 during which the roof of tenshukaku was re-tiled with red tiles, resembling how it looked like in the late Edo period. Currently, the tenshukaku houses a permanent museum with interactive displays documenting the history of Tsugaru Castle,
Panorama. Entered the castle compound via Kitademaru 北出丸. As I walked towards Taiko-mon 太鼓門, the main gate to the castle grounds from Kitademaru, the moat and taller stone wall fortress came into sight. As the path leading to Honmaru, the main compound where the five storey white coloured tenshukaku is situated, has practically no stairs, the walk was easy on the legs as compared to other castles I have visited before in Japan. From the highest floor of tenshukaku, a 360 degree panoramic overview of the city which sits on a flat plain surrounded by mountain ranges, can be captured clearly. Was blessed with excellent weather on the day of my visit and I could make out the beautiful mountainous landscape in the background clearly.
During the Boshin War in 1868, Tsuruga Castle withstood a month long of heavy attacks by the Meiji Government. After the surrender of Matsudaira Katamori 松平容保, the 9th feudal lord of Aizu domain, the castle was destroyed by the order of Meiji Government in 1874. With strong support from locals, the tenshukaku of Tsugaru Castle was restored in 1965. The castle undergone another round of refurbishment in 2011 during which the roof of tenshukaku was re-tiled with red tiles, resembling how it looked like in the late Edo period. Currently, the tenshukaku houses a permanent museum with interactive displays documenting the history of Tsugaru Castle,
Panorama. Entered the castle compound via Kitademaru 北出丸. As I walked towards Taiko-mon 太鼓門, the main gate to the castle grounds from Kitademaru, the moat and taller stone wall fortress came into sight. As the path leading to Honmaru, the main compound where the five storey white coloured tenshukaku is situated, has practically no stairs, the walk was easy on the legs as compared to other castles I have visited before in Japan. From the highest floor of tenshukaku, a 360 degree panoramic overview of the city which sits on a flat plain surrounded by mountain ranges, can be captured clearly. Was blessed with excellent weather on the day of my visit and I could make out the beautiful mountainous landscape in the background clearly.
======
Tsuruga Castle 鶴ヶ城, Aizu Wakamatsu Castle 会津若松城
Operating hours: 0830 - 1700 hrs (last entry at 1630 hrs)
Admission fee =
- 410 yen (only tenshukaku);
- 520 yen (both tenshukaku and Rinkaku tea room)
http://www.tsurugajo.com/turugajo/shiro-top.html
How to get there?
(1) By bus from Aizu Wakamatsu JR Station 会津若松駅.
From bus boarding area in front of Aizu Wakamatsu JR Station 会津若松駅, board Machinaka Shuyu Bus Haikara-san まちなか周遊バスハイカラ (clockwise direction) and alight at Tsuruga Castle Iriguchi 鶴ヶ城入口.
======
Commemorative stamp:
Tsuruga Castle 鶴ヶ城, Aizu Wakamatsu Castle 会津若松城
Operating hours: 0830 - 1700 hrs (last entry at 1630 hrs)
Admission fee =
- 410 yen (only tenshukaku);
- 520 yen (both tenshukaku and Rinkaku tea room)
http://www.tsurugajo.com/turugajo/shiro-top.html
How to get there?
(1) By bus from Aizu Wakamatsu JR Station 会津若松駅.
From bus boarding area in front of Aizu Wakamatsu JR Station 会津若松駅, board Machinaka Shuyu Bus Haikara-san まちなか周遊バスハイカラ (clockwise direction) and alight at Tsuruga Castle Iriguchi 鶴ヶ城入口.
======
Commemorative stamp:
No comments:
Post a Comment