Edo Castle

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Castle (detail) before 1657 ( looking west )

The Edo - jo (Japanese江 戸 城, dt " Edo Castle " ) in Chiyoda, the center of Tokyo, was the largest castle in Japan and the seat of the Tokugawa shogun.

Formation

The castle was in 1457, created by the military strategists Ōta Dōkan in today's Tokyo, which was then called " Edo ", but fell into disrepair after his death. Tokugawa Ieyasu, who by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590, the provinces around the Tokyo Bay had be transferred, decided to renew this castle. Although the Sengoku period had passed, but it was still necessary to secure himself and his family. To this must Ieyasu for the remote, situated on a mountain top on the Tokyo bay castle just appeared to be correct. For an expansion of the associated fishing village to a castle town ( Jokamachi ) the hilly, low-water area was there less suitable.

The castle

After Ieyasu took over power in the country in 1600, Japan was ruled from the castle, which has now been further expanded. The castle ( outlined in red on the plan) followed the pattern of the time, and consisted of the main castle - Honmaru ( in plan orange border ) on the mountain top - and a series of outworks. Castle and outworks were carried ditches, ramparts, and at key points by towers ( Yagura ) and protected secure gates.

Before the actual castle the most important followers received their property, which were also protected by moats, walls and gates. In the plan, the 8, 9 and 10, which are shown on the relevant Kiri - ezu as " Go- kuruwa - nai daimyō Koji " (御 曲 轮 内 大名 小路). [NB 1] The overall situation, so Castle and daimyo residences were surrounded by a moat, which was also to pass only through secured gates, the "inner moat " (内 堀内 濠· ) Uchibori [NB 2].

The Honmaru

The Honmaru was completely taken from the extended main residence. This burned down during the Meireki - major fire in 1657, but was already restored in 1659. 1858 burned the residence again completely, but was at least partially rebuilt. The early Meiji period, the residence was indeed demolished, but by traditional plans, we are in great detail about the plant in the picture. She was created story and contained many courtyards. The castle had, as usual princely residences, a front part ( 1a), (表, omote御 殿, goten ), which included the audience rooms, a Noh stage, the private chambers of the shogun. In a separate part behind it ( 1b) the living quarters of the woman who called the concubines and maids and kitchen rooms, storage, etc. This area, usually " oku ", " the rear [ of the house ] " were, was called here because of its size " Ooku " (大 奥). Men was strictly forbidden without permission of access.

The Tenshukaku

Originally belonged to the residence of the usual wooden tower (天 守 阁) of a Japanese castle. It was 1606 at the highest point of the Honmaru, behind the Ooku at the north end (purple square in plan ) with 5 floors built on a stone base of 36.5 m x 33 m. There are plans of the tower survived, which identifies it with more than 50 m height. He was the highest Tenshu in Japan. He had to be repaired in 1622 and 1637, once was white plaster and the second time a dark wood paneling.

After the destruction of the Meireki - major fire in 1657 was dispensed with a reconstruction of the complex structure, especially since the Tokugawa shogunate after the destruction of the Toyotomi in 1615 was no longer questioned. Japanese historical films ( " jidaigeki " ), such as " Abarembo Shogun" playing in Edo, the castle often show a dungeon, but the dates of the Himeji castle. The association " Edo - jo Saiken o mezasu kai " (江戸城 再建 を 目指す 会, engl. " Rebulding, Edo -jo 'Association " ) has made ​​it a goal to have at least to reconstruct the main tower of the castle again historically true.

The incident at the Matsu no Ōrōka

The " Matsu no Ōrōka " ( " Big Pine corridor" ) was a connecting corridor between the " Shiroshoin " and the audience hall " Ōhiroma ". Its name is derived from the painted sliding doors with pine motifs. On April 21, 1701 Naganori Asano drew his wakizashi on this corridor and wounded Kira Yoshinaka angry about its deliberately wrong advice at court. This led to the events that became known as the "story of the 47 Ronin ."

The other Maru

• The lying below the Honmaru Ni -no -maru ( on the plan 2 ) contained a small residence with a Noh stage.
• The narrow San -no- maru ( 3) formed the utmost protection of the castle.
• In Nishi -no- maru was located second large residence (4). It burned in 1838 and 1852 and completely in 1862 partly from. 1863 was a provisional reconstruction. Next was located in Nishi -no- maru on a " Momijiyama " said Hill, the extensive library of the shogun. Also tombs of the family were there (5).
• The Fukiage mentioned area (6 ) consisted of green spaces and contained a hippodrome.
• In the Kita -no- maru ( 7) resided after 1700 the two Gosankyō families Tayasu, Shimizu. Since that time, this area no longer belonged to the castle. [NB 3]

The castle after 1868

When in 1868 the reigning Shogun lost his power, the representative of the imperial troops Saigo Takamori and the negotiators of the shogunate Katsu kaishu agreed on a peaceful surrender of the city and the castle. [NB 4] The castle was first in Tokei - jo (东京 城, renamed dt " castle Tokei " ), then in 1869, when it was the seat of the imperial court, in Kojo (皇城, dt " Imperial castle "). The main residence had not been habitable already at the end of the Edo period. So the Tennō took over the existing residence in the western part of the castle, in the Nishi -no- maru. However, this residence was burned down on May 5, 1873 the Tennō moved to the nearby former residence of the Kii branch of the Tokugawa. It was not until 15 years later, 1888, the new residence (皇居, Kogyo, dt " Tennō - residence " ) could be obtained. The eastern and northern part of the former castle is used in many ways and open to the public

Heritage

Many places in Tokyo have their name from the Edo Castle. " Otemachi " ("city outside the main gate "), " Takebashi " ( " Bamboo Bridge "), " Uchibori - dori " ( "Road to the inside ditch ") and " Marunouchi " ( " in the enclosure " ) are examples.

Gallery

The base of Tenshukaku

Miniature model of the donjon of Edo Castle

The " main gate " ( Otemon )

Appearance Sakurada Gate, was murdered in front of the Ii Naosuke 1860

The two bridges to the Nishi -no- maru. In the background, barely visible, the Nijubashi