Ruins of Hizen-Nagoya Castle / 肥前名護屋城

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名護屋城は、豊臣秀吉が朝鮮出兵の軍事拠点として築城したお城です。

中国に版図を広げるというこの無謀な企ては、権勢を維持する為に戦いを続ける事しか出来なかった秀吉の能力の限界か、あるいは年老いた狂気かと思います。
名護屋城は、いわばその生き証人とも言えるお城です。

"Ruins of Hizen-Nagoya Castle" のページへどうぞ：
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肥前名護屋城の日本版の記事は下記です：
http://shanehashi.html.xdomain.jp/Oshiromeguri/Kyushu/HizenNagoyaJyo.html
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My English site:
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/index.html

Hizen-Nagoya Castle was built in 1592 by TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi (1537-1598), who was the power of the time and the second highest position after the Emperor.
After TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi united Japan in 1591, he tried to conquer the Ming dynasty in China and invaded Korea in 1591 and 1596. Hizen-Nagoya Castle was built as the basecamp of military forces to invaded Korea and China.

The ruins of Hizen Nagoya Castle are located to the north west from Karatsu in the Higashi Matsuura Peninsula.
The blow picture shows the main gate of Hizen-Nagoya Castle.

After passing throught the main gate, you will see stone walls on your left.
The stone walls are partially destroyed. This was due to the Shimabara Rebellion happened from 1637 to 1638.

During the Edo Age (1603-1868), Christianity prohibited by the Shogunate, the central government of Japan, and the Christians were oppressed.
Finally, the Christians in Shimabara Domain rose in rebellion against the Shogunate.　
After the rebellion, the Shogunate ordered feudal governments to destroy abandoned castles, because the rebel armies entrenched themselves in abandoned castles.

The below picture shows the view from the South-East turret in the Main Bailey.
You will see the basement of the main castle tower in the middle and the "Yugekimaru" Bailey in the left side of the picture.

You will see how wide Hizen-Nagoya Castle is.
It is said that Hizen-Nagoya Castle was the second largest castle in Japan in the sixteenth century.

From the site of the Main Castle Tower, you will see the "Genkai Nada" Sea in the direction of Korea.
TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi might have crazy wishes to conquer Korea while seeing such peaceful scenery.

TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi should have seen the scenery that huge military forces stationed in this area were sent to Korea by ship from this area.

When I visited Hizen Nagoya Castle in 2008, excavational investigations were still being conducted in the Main Bailey.
The ruins of Hizen-Nagoya Castle was designated as a Special Historic Site.

The invasion to Korea was stopped as soon as TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi died in 1598 and Hizen-Nagoya Castle was abandoned.

The page of "Hizen-Nagoya Castle":
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Kyushu/HizenNagoya_Castle_E.html