英語版のサイトに Ruins of Chiran Castle のページをアップロードしました：
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/index.html
知覧城は、鹿児島県の知覧の武家屋敷から約1km程のところにあったお城です。
シラス台地の直立した崖を持つ地形を最大限に使った、中世の山城です。廃城となって400年以上経ち、城址は自然に還り、深い森に足を踏み入れた感じでした。
Ruins of Chiran Castleのページへどうぞ：
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Kyushu/ChiranCastle_E.html
日本語版では、下記のページで紹介しています：
http://shanehashi.html.xdomain.jp/Oshiromeguri/Kyushu/ChiranJyo.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My English site:
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/index.html
The ruins of Chiran Castle are located in the middle of Satsuma Peninsula, approximately 1.5 kilometers south of Chiran Historical District.
Please refer the page of "Chiran Historical District" for more detail:
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Kyushu/Chiran_E.html
This area is covered by the "Shirasu" plateau, which is a pyroclastic plateau by volcanic eruptions of Mt. "Sakurajima". The "Shirasu" plateau has twenty to thirty meters in height in this area. Chiran Castle was built at the end of the "Shirasu" plateau. The "Shirasu" plateau is easily eroded. Eroded portions became narrow ravines and divide "Shirasu" plateau, like passages on the bottom of the narrow ravines. The remaining "Shirasu" plateau from erosion were used as baileys of Chiran Castle.
There is no evidence when Chiran Castle was built.
The generations of SATA Clan were the castle lord of Chiran Castle. In 1591, SATA Hisayoshi moved from Chiran Castle. Chiran Castle was abandoned.
You will walk on the bottom of the main passage of Chiran Castle from the entrance. The passages were built artificially by enlarging the eroded ravines. This was a large-scale of dry moat. More than four hundreds of years have passed since Chiran Castle was abandoned, the dry moat now become dense forest.
On the both side of the dry moat, steep cliffs continue along the dry moat.
A decayed wooden ladder was located on the cliff from the dry moat. This is the entrance to the Kuranojyo Bailey and the Main Bailey. The atmosphere was very humid and the ladder steps were slippery.
The below picture shows the Kuranojyo Bailey. An excavational investigation was conducted from 2001 to 2004.
Based on the results of the excavational investigation, the stumps are placed indicating the pillar holes positions of the building.
The below picture shows the entrance of the Main Bailey. It looks like a real labyrinth.
Weeds were mowed also in the Main Bailey.
The area of the Main Bailey has approximately sixty meters by sixty meters (36 hectares).
The monument of Chiran Castle is located in the Main Bailey.
Please visit the homepage article for more detail.
Ruins of Chiran Castle
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Kyushu/ChiranCastle_E.html
"Your Destinations in Japan":
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/TravelDestinations.html
http://shanehsmt.html.xdomain.jp/index.html
"Explore Historical and Exotic Japan"
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/index.html
