Excavations at Inuyama Castle

Excavation work is underway at National Treasure designated Inuyama Castle in Aichi Prefecture on the Kuro Mon, the third gate along the main Otemichi path leading to the central Honmaru bailey.

Inuyama Castle’s National Treasure designated keep. Photo © 2022 Chris Glenn

Looking for clues. A two meter deep trench has been dug at the site of the original Kuromon Gate. Photo © 2022 Chris Glenn

The role of the gate, a Yakumon type, being a simple standing gate with a large overhead tiled roof, served to stall attackers, leaving them vulnerable to defensive attack from the surrounding Dogu Yagura watchtower, and from the overlooking Momi-no-Maru enclosure.

The actual gate still exists, having been sold at the end of the feudal period in 1876 to the Tokurin-ji Temple in nearby Oguchi, Niwa County, for a reported 23 Yen! That particular gate is now registered as an Important Cultural Property, and is treasured by the temple, making the return of the actual gate difficult, however plans are now afoot to authentically rebuild the Kuro Mon based on measurements and details from the true gate, hence excavation work is currently underway.

The kuromon, circled in red.

Because Inuyama Castle was privately owned until recent years, the grounds have not undergone excavation work, not even when water, sewerage pipes and electricity was supplied.  

On the topic of gates, Inuyama Castle’s Otemon, Ichimon, the outermost gate of the castle’s main gate system is also slated for rebuilding. Recent excavations determined the old moats, long since buried, to have been 17 meters wide and 7 meters deep.

Edo period map of Inuyama Castle. The red dot is the Otemon, the main gates of the castle, is in a Masugata, or Death Box formation (see the article on Masugata here on Substack) Note the bridge leading to the Ichi Mon.

CG image of the Ichi Mon, First gate, seen opposite the arched bridge. This leads into the Masugata formatio’s courtyard, with the Second Gate to the left on entering. Photo taken from a signpost explanation.

The Ichi Mon, First Gate, led across an arched bridge to an ishigaki stone wall surrounded Korai Mon gate. Passing through this, led one into a masugata gate, with the second Yaguramon, gatehouse to the left. A particularly large guard house and a separate yagura watchtower controlled this masugata. Reported water seepage during the moat excavations has meant that the moat will probably not be recreated, and as much of the masugata courtyard is now private housing and shops, for now, this too will remain a dream. The main Second gate also probably won’t be recreated, as the twice annual Inuyama Spring and Autumn’s traditional festival floats that use the roadway as part of its procession could not pass through it.

Photo of the orginal Ichi Mon. The man at the back is standing on the arched bridge. The roof of the Second gate can be seen to the top left, and the earthen embankments surrounding the masugata gate system can be seen through the open gate. This gate is to be re-created on its original site.

The Ichi Mon First Gate stood on the vacant land to the left, about where the woman in the red skirt is standing. The second gate crossed the road where the white building now stands. Inuyama Castle’s keep can be seen to the right. Photo © 2022 Chris Glenn

There is also the possibility that one of the upper kuruwa (bailey) yagura may also be returned. The yagura was sold off to a local farmer who used it as a storage shed. The still extant shed may be re-purchased by Inuyama City so as to restore it to Inuyama Castle.

Inuyama Castle and the ancient streets of the Inuyama Castle Town. Photo © 2022 Chris Glenn