Revisit Nagoya castle 

Points we paid attention when we revisited the Nagoya castle are,

1. The Hon-maru palace (reconstruction completed)
2. Survived 3 corner towers.
3. How is the progress of the main tower's reconstruction? 

The Hon-maru palace completed 

The Hon-maru palace reconstruction work finished in June 2018 and whole area is opened now. We described this facility 'residence', however, on a scale of this magnitude, we changed the word to 'palace'.  

As of the last visit, we've only seen the first half of the palace. In addition to that, we didn't have enough information about the use of many rooms. This time the facility is fully opened, so, guide boards will give us full information about our questions. However, even the timing of full completion, some room can't identify the purpose. We believe we can explain in a more unified way, and some parts will overlap, we kindly ask for your understanding. 

We would like to start our description with the history of this Hon-maru palace. Its large-scale renovation work was conducted 20 years after the completion of the first Hon-maru palace. And the Hon-maru palace we are looking around now is same as the palace that renovated 20 years after. What are differences, between the first palace, the renovated one 20 years after the first appearance and others in later periods?

The first palace was used for the living of the Load and Load's family. Additionally, politics and several governmental ceremonies were held here.

The first palace and inside the Hon-maru

At the timing of the renovation 20 years after the first appearance, the war between the Tokugawa family and the Toyotomi family was over. The ruler was changed to the Tokugawa family. And the Toyotomi family was destroyed. When the first palace was built, the Lord made his palace in the very center of the Nagoya castle for the protection. However, 20 years gave him another choice. 

He made a wider palace in the Nino-maru, next to Hon-maru where was quite spacious and suitable for more comfortable living place. The new palace was called the Nino-maru palace. And the Hon-maru palace renovated into the accommodation for the Shogun (the ruler at that time). So, it was changed from a living facility to a hotel of the Shogun.   

The Hon-maru palace reconstructed

Other changes were mostly minor. The biggest of them was the material change of the roof. The roof of this building was made of 'Kokera', sliced Japanese cedar boards first. And it was changed into 'Kawara', Japanese roofing tiles. The reason was quite serious. 

The roofs of the high-rank buildings were to be made of 'Kokera' according to the method of the traditional building grading in Japan. Of course, the Lord's palace and the accommodation for the Shogun were made with the Kokera roof. 

These buildings survived 100 years, 200 years or more because there was no danger of war during the Edo period. However, wooden roofs soon weathered, and every 30 years, people had to replace the Kokera roofs. In the timing it was made, the owner had enough wealth, however, the maintenance cost became a burden. Furthermore, the Kokera roofs were quite burnable, so, the Lord's retainers were busy to avoid fire accidents. That was supposed to be the reason for the renovation.  

The Hon-maru palace had these various stages. Then, why this facility we are looking around now was made by the plan of the renovation 20 years after the first appearance? We don't know the exact reason, however, we suppose it was the heyday of this palace.

   
The first palace was made for the first Lord who was one of the sons of Tokugawa Ieyasu (being to be the next ruler). So, it was made quite gorgeous suitable for his important position. The entrance, the Omote-shoin or rooms of the main hall, the Taimenjo or rooms of the reception hall, these 3 areas were made then. They were made tremendously gorgeous, so, these parts were used in the next renovated buildings.  

The immediate reason of the renovation was the 2 days stay of the third Shogun (Tokugawa Iemitsu). He visited Kyoto then, and he stayed in the Nagoya castle when he went to the city (when he went back to Edo, he stayed another accommodation). 

At that time, every Shogun visited Kyoto at least once in his lifetime. So, the accommodation in the Nagoya castle would be used when other Shoguns visited there. However, in the next Shogun's era, the power balance between Shogun and the Emperor was changed and the visit ceremony was cancelled. 

Next visit of Shogun was the 14th visited 1day when he came back from Osaka to Edo. After the Edo period, the Emperor became the ruler and the Nagoya castle was belonging to him. The Emperor's family used this accommodation several times. 

All in all, this accommodation was used for only 3 days in the Edo period which lasted approximately 250 years. The retainers of the Nagoya castle worked every day for someone might stay but not for this long time. When we hear this story, we became sad because of the diligence reflecting Japanese national-character. 

Now, we are going to describe inside of the palace again. This palace was made like a shape of flying wild goose, in Japanese, it's called 'Ganko (雁行)' style floor plan. However, this word is an architectural terminology, so, we hope you feel something special is behind this facility's floor plan. If someone builds a building with the Ganko style floor plan, the site for the building needs very wide. So, this floor plan is extravagant. 

In the first Hon-maru palace, the Taimenjo was the deepest room and the most gorgeous area. In the renovated palace, the area called the Jorakuden hall was expanded next to the Taimenjo. So, the Taimenjo changed like one of areas from the entrance to the Jorakuden. 

In this accommodation, there was many gorgeous room. Even the first palace, it was the palace for the rich Lord, so, the interior was quite flashy. If we compare the interior with one of survived palace, the Kakegawa castle Nino-maru palace, the difference is painfully obvious. 

If you want to review the Kakegawa castle article, please crick "Kakegawa castle".

In addition, the Yudono shoin or bathroom and break room area is next to the Jorakuden hall. At that time, people didn't use the bathroom and only some rich people used Yudono or kind of saunas. However, it dose not seem like a luxury space, wide bathtub with beautiful outdoor scenery is the luxury bathing space for us.

3 corner towers

Once there were 11 corner towers in the original castle. It is said that even though the territory is quite large compared with other castles', the score of 11 corner towers is very small. If we research the numbers of other castles', we will count more large score in every castle. 

The reason of this castle's corner towers' small number was according to the genius landscape planning. This castle's landscape was made with the combination of square compounds and rectangle compounds. On the contrary, other castles' were made using many irregular shapes. We think this castle's was geometric and strategical in the timing of the construction.

By the way, among these 11 corner towers, 3 are still survived. All 3 towers are three stories and same size as the usual castles main towers. They are registered as the important national asset. 

During our last visit, we couldn't enter any corner towers. However, because of the closure of the main tower, one of 3 corner towers seems to be opening alternatively. When and which information will be found in the official homepage of the Nagoya castle, please refer to it. 

The southeast corner tower: 

It is located at the southeast corner of the Hon-maru compound. 

The location is also the right-hand side of the main gate of the Hon-maru. 

The southwest corner tower:

Its location is the southwest corner of the Hon-maru.

Also connecting with the south stone embankment covering the Hon-maru palace.

The northwest corner tower:

It is in the Ofuke compound which is located at the northwest of the Hon-maru.

It is sticking out the wide outer moat.

The current state of the plan of the main tower reconstruction with wooden structures 

The information we heard when we visited this castle mentioned the reconstruction would be started soon and it would be completed in around 2022. However, the construction work is not started. Furthermore, the information when the construction work will be started and will be completed seems not to be declared publicly.   

If you want to review the Nagoya castle article (first time) , please crick "Nagoya castle". 

The reason seems to be the discovery of the severe damage in the stone basement. The damage seems to be so terrible that it can't bear the reconstruction work. Surface of the stone base was badly burned when the original wooden structure collapsed. Now, investigating by our eyes, we find countless hair cracks. We afraid some stone will collapse at any minute. 

If you can remember our previous article, the reconstructed main tower of SRC has 28 meters long RC basement inside the natural stone basement. And the weight of the massive main tower is covered by the SRC basement. The natural stone basement is not covering any weight now. This precondition is still true, the cause of the stone's damage seems to be the natural condition such as rain and wind but the weight of the superstructure. 

We mentioned that the wooden structures for the new building may be specially treated. If our misgiving was true, the new main tower would be a kind of cyborg. Having wooden surface, structures such as pillars and beams have incredible strength...It would be an imaginary nightmare. However, this new problem may bring us another nightmare. If the stone basement was truly damaged not to stand the natural environment, someone might suggest covering on the surface of the stone structures.   

We love castles, so, we hope every castles survive forever. However, we are against the special treatment. RC basement, ground improvement reinforcement, resin injection and so on. Looking overseas, there are many castles made of wood and stone. How much original these castles? We are going to investigate in the future.