Yuutarou G (yutaro)
The present Kumamoto castle was built on hilly terrain called Chausu Mountain by Kato Kiyomasa. But there were some other castle on the mountain then. In 1469, Kanokogi Chikakazu built the old kumamoto castle on Chausu Mountain. Nobody knows where it was, but it might have been in the present Kojo town. When the new Kumamoto castle was built, it also changed the Chinese character 隈本城 to 熊本城.
The dungeon of Kumamoto castle was burned to ashes.
Who set fire to Kumamoto castle? This is a mysterious incident. The opinion that staff officer Gentaro Kodama set fire to Kumamoto castle is the most convicting one. Other possibilities are fire beginning in the Kitchen that it was arson by the Samurai army or that defending army set fire to its own castle and so on.
The Seinan war
In 1877, the Samurais in Kyushu rose in rebellion against the government. Their leader is Takamori saigo. This war is the last civil war in Japan. In 1877, the government made an announcement called “Haitourei”. It means disposing of swords. Sword was symbol of Samurai. So, it actually meant depriving the samurai of their last privilege. The samurais were angry at it. That is the cause of the Seinan War. After all, the Samurai lost. The cause of the defeat was the failure of the invasion of Kumamoto castle. Then, government army besieged the Samurais. At last, the climate of society turned to liberty to and human rights.
Kato Kiyomasa
He was born in Owari in 1562. He had looked after Toyotomi Hideyoshi since he was a child. He played a big part in the ballet Yamazaki, Shizutake and so on. In 1588, he was given 30 mangoku, half of Higo and he became the castellan of Kumamoto castle. He also worked bravely in the battle made him a very famous samurai. In Sekigahara war, he supported Tokugawa Ieyasu and finally he was given 54 mangoku, all of dominions of Higo.
Musashi Miyamoto
Musashi Miyamoto is famous for fighting with two swords (ni-tou-ryu) and writing “A book of Five Rings”. When he was 57 years old, he came to Kumamoto. And he spent his later year in the Kumamoto castle. He wanted to make the best use of the thing learnt by the kendo for the politics of Kumamoto. When he was 62 years old, he died. The well that he used is still left in Kumamoto castle.
Mushagaeshi
The walls of the castle are made of rocks and are very shape. Nobody can climb it. It was made to knock down enemies. So, enemies were unsure how to take the castle. However, there are another Mushagaeshi in Kumamoto. It is sweet pie. It is famous for souvenir of Kumamoto. I like it!
Kubitake stone
Kumamoto castle has a big stone object called ”Kubitake stone”. Yokoteno Goro brought this big stone from Mt.Hanaoka. He was very strong and brought the stone to Kumamoto by hoisting it on shoulders. This stone’s weight is 18 hundred kilograms. It ended up that Kiyomasa killed him because Goro wanted to kill KatoKiyomasa.
I went to Kumamoto castle three times in the past. How many did you visit Kumamoto castle before? If you haven’t been there before, you should go there. It must be exciting!!
(618words)
