Sasayama-jô

In the mountains of central Hyogo Prefecture, the former castle grounds of Sasayama-jô designate the center of Sasayama. In its long history, the castle guarded one of the main transit roads from the western countryside into Kyoto, Kobe, and Osaka. The castle was originally constructed at the beginning of the Edo Period in 1608 and was built without a keep because it was estimated to be strong enough without one. There was also concern that with the added strength of a keep, the castle would be a viable threat if it fell into the wrong hands. So instead, it was constructed with a palace similar to that found at Nijô-jô in Kyoto. It is most well-known for its construction both in method and in timing. First, it was constructed in only six months, an insanely fast speed for the time. It also took advantage of a new system at the time called the Tenka Bushin, a system of public infrastructure projects supplied and paid for by former adversaries in the Sengoku Jidai, the Warring States Period. These projects, like the construction of Sasayama-jô, were designed to drain workers and resources from the lands of enemies to further discourage them from attempting revolts or uprisings against the newly founded Edo Shogunate. It was ultimately very successful and the castle remained in its full glory until its partial deconstruction in the Meiji Period, and the bombings of WWII.

For visitors: 5.

Sasayama-jô is not going to blow your socks off like nearby Himeji-jô, but I will say it’s a very beautiful and underrated spot to get out of a car, stretch your legs, and enjoy a nice day. The castle mostly remains as fortified foundations and moat with the added flair of a reconstructed palace, but it and the surrounding town are marked as a Japan Herritage Site. Over the years the city has been able to maintain a strong connection to its past as a stopping point on the way to and from the Kansai area, and in particular Kyoto. Many of the buildings are old Kyoto town houses and the local stores look the same now as they did a hundred years ago. So while this post is about the castle, I would recommend taking the time to just walk around a bit and enjoy everything Sasayama has to offer.

 

Ikuno Ginzan

Regardless of the country, it’s not too difficult to go to the place in the country where they farmed the most “this” or collected the most “that,” but it’s hard to find a place where they collected the most of this one material on a global scale. In this case, the material in question is silver. Unlike much of western society which coveted gold as the most prized metal, in East Asia, silver held a far more desired position. Why? It was a rarer metal and because its luster tarnished over time, having clean silver spoke to your wealth and power to keep it in a presentable state. This isn’t to suggest that gold was viewed as some cheap commodity, but between the two, silver was more valuable. The Ikuno Ginzan, or Ikuno Silver Mine, is in north central Hyogo Prefecture in the city area of Asago. The mines were first opened in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573 C.E.) and were closed in the Showa Period (1926-1989 C.E.) and in the course of that time, it has been said that they extracted approximately one third of the world’s silver now circulating through our society.

For visitors: 7.

The remoteness of the mines makes this location very difficult to get to without a car. However, if you can procure a motor vehicle, the drive into the mountains is beautiful. Small towns fill whatever space they can find in the steep valleys, and the change from the bustling city is a fun and welcome endeavor.

The mine itself is a fun and often silly experience. Outside the main mine entrance is a small museum with court records, layouts, and inventory records documenting the mine’s contributions throughout the years. Unfortunately, as of my previous visit, the information is only in Japanese, but they are working at expanding language options as they seek to make the mines a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Models and diagrams are there to visually describe what the mine was able to accomplish in its long history, so you should still be able to understand the general ideas behind the graphics. This is where the fun begins. The staff at the mine have a wonderful sense of humor and will adjust the appearances of the models and diagrams to match any and all upcoming holidays. When I was there, it was early October so all the little miners had pumpkin masks, silly outfits, and ghostly appearances. But the fun doesn’t stop there, oh no.

Entering the mines is a descent into a refrigerator with the mines averaging around fourteen degrees Celsius (fifty six degrees Fahrenheit). Inside, the ceilings are low and often wet with spring water finding holes and seems between the rocks. Keep your eyes open for the signs that mark the path through the labyrinth of tunnels as well as markers indicating pick marks from various periods of past mining. But I promised that it gets more fun and I will make good on my promise, or rather, the Ginzan Boyz will. Oh the Ginzan Boyz are by far one of the greatest things ever created. Are they tour guides? No. Staff members? No. Mining equipment? No. They are mannequins. To be more specific, they are super-male-fashion-model-esk mannequins re-enacting mining techniques. Just like the models in the museum outside, the Ginzan Boyz are the festive types and they love dressing up for the varying occasions. But it gets better! Each Ginzan Boy has their own name and personality description which you can read about in the mine pamphlets as well as on their merchandise. That’s what I said, their merchandise. You see, the Ginzan Boyz don’t just spend all of their time being fashionable and mining, they are also an accomplished idol group! Simply Google Ginzan Boyz and enjoy everything that they have to offer. Go for the mines, stay for the shear fun of it all. Finding each mannequin and seeing what they’re doing and what they’re wearing is way more fun than you expect it to be.

Gift shop and museum on the left with the mine entrance just ahead beyond the gates.

Spoooooooky!!!!!! O.O

I don't know what’s better: the wig, the sparkle boas, or his crazy long arm.

 

Sumoto-jô

Sumoto-jô is a small castle on the island of Awaji which overlooks the port city of Sumoto. Though largely unused, the castle did spend a brief period of time as the seat of political power on the island. Sumoto would remain the primary city on the island through the Edo Period even after the castle was no longer in use. Traditionally, Awaji Island was its own prefecture throughout Japan’s history with the seat of political power residing in what is now the city of Minamiawaji. For the most part, Awaji was able to remain rather isolated from the political struggles on Honshu, but the Muromachi period signaled a failing in government leadership and control allowing for regional lords to establish themselves as daimyo, lords in command of their own fiefdoms, and individual samurai clans to declare their warlords and seek their fortune and prowess on the battlefield. Awaji was not immune to these advances and the government in Minamiawaji was overthrown. To combat potential threats, fortresses were contrstructed all across the island, mirroring the larger trend in the archipelago. The seat of authority on Awaji  jumped around these castles until it finally settled at Sumoto Castle, and to ensure it would not be leaping anytime soon, all other castles and fortifications were demolished. Though the tower keep is no longer standing, a small tower was rebuilt at the summit in 1928 to commemorate the coronation of Emperor Showa, making it the oldest replica tower in Japan. At night the tower is lit with flood lights and is a particularly good spot to watch the summer fireworks.

For visitors: 7.

I’m not going to lie, Sumoto-jô is not a classic castle and never really was. As the last standing of the major fortifications in this rural area, the fear of attack was not the same as with larger townships and the castle reflected that. In the early 17th century the castle was built up when it became the seat of political power on the island, but the following integration of Awaji Prefecture and Awa Prefecture (modern Tokusima Prefecture) plus subsequent regulations regarding fortifications led to the castle grounds being abandoned, material shipped to support Tokushima Castle (the new seat of power for both Awa and Awaji), and then finally falling into dissarray from lack of use. What was rebuilt in the early 20th century was minor decoration and foundation support. The tower is very small and the castle grounds are largely vacant aside from the stone foundations. But I encourage people to come visit this castle because it does have something that few other castles have been able to pull off: atmosphere. At the time that I’m writing this, I live a short drive away and it’s one of my favorite places to just sit, think, and breathe. The tower overlooks Osaka Bay and the beautiful blue waters below make for an exceptional sight. On cloudy or rainy days, the clouds float up the sides of the mountain, sticking to the trees as they make their way. Visitors may even be able to see the occasional monkey if you’re lucky. But all in all, the trees that stand on the grounds, and in some cases even grow through them, are beautiful and healthy. Photographers may find this location particularly nice in autumn when the maple leaves change, but few visitors means better photos with less interference. So don’t expect the grandeur of Himeji, but enjoy everything else this rural castle has to offer.

Awaji Island is known for its own unique style of roof tiles which are prominantly displayed adorning buildings both large and small.