Kanegasaki Castle (Iwate)

History

The origins of Kanegasaki Castle are not clear, but it was a strategic location dating back to the Heian Period. Some local legends attribute it to Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, but that is unlikely. Many local towns and legends around Tohoku attribute their origins or some famous stories the the general. During the late Sengoku Period it was ruled by the Onodera and Kasai. Date Masamune took control of the Kasai lands in 1591 when Kasai was reassigned for failure to participate in the Siege of Odawara. Kanegasaki Castle became an important defense to the Date for it's proximity to the Nanbu Domain on their northern borders. Ishida Kagemori served as castellan for the Date until he went with Date Hidemune to Uwajima. Date Munetoshi moved from Ichinoseki Castle to manage Kanegasaki in 1615. In 1629 Munetoshi move to Mizusawa Castle and then in 1644 Omachi Sadayori became the new lord of the castle. The Omachi continue to govern until the end of the Edo Period.

The "one castle per domain" edict of 1615 would have technically outlawed maintaining this castle in the same Date ruled domain with Sendai Castle (Aoba Castle), but the Date downplayed the castle site calling it a "yougai", or simply a "fortification" to escape Tokugawa notice. Among the 21 of these "yougai", Kanegasaki was one of the most important. It is the farthest north, protecting the border with the Morioka Domain, and it also looked over important waterways for trading rice and for logging. According to one local, this also lent itself to a lucrative smuggling business in the Edo Period. The castle had a well developed castle town that retains several original samurai homes today too. Unfortunately, most of the castle has eroded into the river.

Visit Notes

There is not much to see of the castle but the samurai homes and historical district are certainly worth spending some time to enjoy. It has not been commercialized much except that a couple of homes have been made into cafes or restaurants. They could certainly use some more complete books or materials about the homes. Several homes are still lived in or have been until recently so they have been remodeled and modernized to some extent and are not open to the public. Regardless, given the number of extant homes it was worth walking around to see them from the outside and enjoy the atmosphere of an old castle town. The museum is also very good and highly recommended. It seems that the town does not get many visitors so some homes are falling into disrepair and have been abandoned.

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Gallery

Ninomaru Bailey
Looking over the river from the Ninomaru
Ninomaru Bailey
Ninomaru Bailey
Large trench and former water moat
Large trench and former water moat
The former castle town is designated as a historical buildings district
Castle town, such 90 degree roads were common
A road of the former samurai district
A newer house but preserves the atmosphere of the castle town
Map
Masugata layout road
Foundation of the home
Map of the castle town
Map of the castle town
Map of the castle town
Sketch of a typical samurai home in Kanegasaki
Sketch of a typical samurai home in Kanegasaki
Diorama of a typical Kanegasaki samurai home
Diorama of a typical Kanegasaki samurai home
Map of the castle town

Castle Profile
English Name	Kanegasaki Castle
Japanese Name	金ヶ崎城
Alternate Names	Kanegasaki Yougai
Founder	unknown
Year Founded	Heian Period
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Designations	Local Historic Site
Historical Period	Edo Period
Features	samurai homes, trenches, castle town
Visitor Information
Access	Kanegasaki Sta. (Tohoku Line) 15 min walk
Visitor Information	Park, open any time
Time Required	20 mins
Website	http://www.town.kanegasaki.iwate.jp/docs/2017071900014/
Location	Kanegasaki, Iwate Prefecture
Coordinates	39° 11' 51.22" N, 141° 7' 21.58" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2018
Admin Year Visited	2018
Admin Visits	May 12, 2018

2.50

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ARTShogun

28 months ago

Score 0

The castle is by itself quite minor and frankly underwhelming as far as Edo period sites go, but the joukamachi (castle town) is a treasure trove of bukeyashiki (samurai homes)!

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ARTShogun

60 months ago

Score 0

金ヶ崎城下町武家屋敷　[金ヶ崎町]　Samurai Homes of Kanegasaki, Misc. (Kanegasaki) Kanegasaki Castle Town has many remaining samurai homes. There are at least fourteen, by my counting, sites in Kanegasaki where structures remain. Six of these are open to the public, and these tend to be the best preserved. They are either inhabited, abandoned or in some state of disrepair. I was able to photograph them only from the outside . In many cases traditional aspects of the architecture have been replaced or covered up with modern materials, preserving only the shape of the original dwelling. These bukeyashiki are as following: Ōnuma-bukeyashiki, Sakamoto-bukeyashiki, Sasai-bukeyashiki, Soeda-bukeyashiki, Satō-bukeyashiki, Sugawara-bukeyashiki, Suzumori-bukeyashiki and the Miyoshi-bukeyashiki. There are other homes in town called Sakamoto and Ōnuma, and those are open to the public. There is also the former site of the Hosome house which is surrounded by a large hedge used as a wall in the Edo Period, but I didn't visit there.

Full List of Bukeyashiki in Kanegasaki with preserved artifacts which are closed to the public, in order of appearance here:

1. Sugawara

2. Miyoshi

3. Sasai

4. Soeda

5. Satō

6. Sakamoto

7. Suzumori

8. Ōnuma

Bukeyashiki sites open to the public in Kanegasaki:

1. Doai-Ōnuma

2. Katahira-Ōnuma

3. Itō

4. Ōmatsuzawa

5. Sakamoto

6. Takahashi (Kōryūkan)

The two Ōnuma homes open to the public are distinguished by prefixing their neighbourhood names.

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ARTShogun

60 months ago

Score 0

金ヶ崎城下町武家屋敷　[金ヶ崎町]　Samurai Homes of Kanegasaki, Misc. (Kanegasaki) Kanegasaki Castle Town has many remaining samurai homes. There are at least fourteen, by my counting, sites in Kanegasaki where structures remain. Six of these are open to the public, and these tend to be the best preserved. They are either inhabited, abandoned or in some state of disrepair. I was able to photograph them only from the outside . In many cases traditional aspects of the architecture have been replaced or covered up with modern materials, preserving only the shape of the original dwelling. These bukeyashiki are as following: Ōnuma-bukeyashiki, Sakamoto-bukeyashiki, Sasai-bukeyashiki, Soeda-bukeyashiki, Satō-bukeyashiki, Sugawara-bukeyashiki, Suzumori-bukeyashiki and the former Miyoshi-bukeyashiki, of which only the front gate remains. There are other homes in town called Sakamoto and Ōnuma, and those are open to the public. There is also the former site of the Hosome house which is surrounded by a large hedge used as a wall in the Edo Period, but I didn't visit there.

Full List of Bukeyashiki in Kanegasaki with preserved artifacts which are closed to the public, in order of appearance here:

1. Sugawara

2. Miyoshi

3. Sasai

4. Soeda

5. Satō

6. Sakamoto

7. Suzumori

8. Ōnuma

Bukeyashiki sites open to the public in Kanegasaki:

1. Doai-Ōnuma

2. Katahira-Ōnuma

3. Itō

4. Ōmatsuzawa

5. Sakamoto

6. Takahashi (Kōryūkan)

The two Ōnuma homes open to the public are distinguished by prefixing their neighbourhood names.

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ARTShogun

60 months ago

Score 0

金ヶ崎城下町武家屋敷　[金ヶ崎町]　Samurai Homes of Kanegasaki, Misc. (Kanegasaki) Kanegasaki Castle Town has many remaining samurai homes. There are at least fourteen, by my counting, sites in Kanegasaki where structures remain. Six of these are open to the public, and these tend to be the best preserved. They are either inhabited, abandoned or in some state of disrepair. I was able to photograph them only from the outside . In many cases traditional aspects of the architecture have been replaced or covered up with modern materials, preserving only the shape of the original dwelling. These bukeyashiki are as following: Ōnuma-bukeyashiki, Sakamoto-bukeyashiki, Sasai-bukeyashiki, Soeda-bukeyashiki, Satō-bukeyashiki, Sugawara-bukeyashiki, Suzumori-bukeyashiki and the former Miyoshi-bukeyashiki, of which only the front gate remains. There are other homes in town called Sakamoto and Ōnuma, and those are open to the public. There is also the former site of the Hosome house which is surrounded by a large hedge used as a wall in the Edo Period, but I didn't visit there. Full List of Bukeyashiki in Kanegasaki with preserved artifacts which are closed to the public, in order of appearance here: 1. Sugawara 2. Miyoshi 3. Sasai 4. Soeda 5. Satō 6. Sakamoto 7. Suzumori 8. Ōnuma

Bukeyashiki sites open to the public in Kanegasaki: 1. Doai-Ōnuma 2. Katahira-Ōnuma 3. Itō 4. Ōmatsuzawa 5. Sakamoto 6. Takahashi (Kōryūkan)

The two Ōnuma homes open to the public are distinguished by prefixing their neighbourhood names.

Permalink | Reply

ARTShogun

60 months ago

Score 0

金ヶ崎城下町武家屋敷　[金ヶ崎町]　Samurai Homes of Kanegasaki, Misc. (Kanegasaki) Kanegasaki Castle Town has many remaining samurai homes. There are at least fourteen, by my counting, sites in Kanegasaki where structures remain. Six of these are open to the public, and these tend to be the best preserved. They are either inhabited, abandoned or in some state of disrepair. I was able to photograph them only from the outside . In many cases traditional aspects of the architecture have been replaced or covered up with modern materials, preserving only the shape of the original dwelling. These bukeyashiki are as following: Ōnuma-bukeyashiki, Sakamoto-bukeyashiki, Sasai-bukeyashiki, Soeda-bukeyashiki, Satō-bukeyashiki, Sugawara-bukeyashiki, Suzumori-bukeyashiki and the former Miyoshi-bukeyashiki, of which only the front gate remains. There are other homes in town called Sakamoto and Ōnuma, and those are open to the public. There is also the former site of the Hosome house which is surrounded by a large hedge used as a wall in the Edo Period, but I didn't visit there. Full List of Bukeyashiki in Kanegasaki with preserved artifacts which are closed to the public, in order of appearance here: 1. Sugawara 2. Miyoshi 3. Sasai 4. Soeda 5. Satō 6. Sakamoto 7. Suzumori 8. Ōnuma

Bukeyashiki sites open to the public in Kanegasaki: 1. Doai-Ōnuma 2. Katahira-Ōnuma 3. Itō 4. Ōmatsuzawa 5. Sakamoto 6. Takahashi (Kōryūkan)

The two Ōnuma homes open to the public are distinguished by prefixing their neighbourhood names.

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Kanegasaki Castle (Iwate)

History

Visit Notes

Gallery

Nearby Samurai Homes