Toranomon ( 虎ノ門 ) is a business district of Minato , Tokyo .
108-503: Literally meaning "Tiger Gate", Toranomon was the name of the southernmost gate of Edo Castle . The gate existed until the 1870s, when it was demolished to make way for modern developments. The Toranomon incident ( 虎ノ門事件 , Toranomon Jiken ) was an assassination attempt on the Prince Regent Hirohito of Japan on 27 December 1923 by communist agitator Daisuke Namba . The district is home to many corporate headquarters. From
216-961: A sword hunt to confiscate arms. The swords were melted down to create a statue of the Buddha . This measure effectively stopped peasant revolts, and ensured greater stability at the expense of freedom of the individual daimyō . In 1590, Hideyoshi carried out the Odawara Campaign against the Hōjō clan in the Kantō region . This was the first battle that involved the alliance between Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu . Hideyoshi's army of 220,000 men surrounded Odawara Castle and its 82,000-strong Hōjō garrison, in what has been called "the most unconventional siege lines in samurai history". The samurai were entertained by everything from concubines, prostitutes, and musicians to acrobats , fire-eaters, and jugglers . The defenders slept on
324-400: A watari-yagura-mon is built to an adjacent left angle within the kōrai-mon , of which it has two. The other kōrai-mon is to the west of the watari-yagura-mon which was used as the "gates of the unclean" for the deceased and criminals from within the castle. Outside this gate is a wooden bridge with railings crowned with giboshi -ornamental tops. Ōte-mon ( 大手門 , "Great Hand Gate")
432-500: A claimant to daimyo of the Nanbu clan , launched a rebellion against his rival Nanbu Nobunao which spread across Mutsu Province. Nobunao was backed by Hideyoshi, who along with sent a large army into the Tōhoku region in mid-1591 which quickly defeated the rebels. Hideyoshi's army arrived at Kunohe Castle in early September. Masazane, outnumbered, surrendered Kunohe Castle and was executed with
540-554: A final assault. While Hideyoshi's battle at Sacheon led by Shimazu Yoshihiro was a major Japanese victory, all three parties to the war were exhausted. He told his commander in Korea, "Don't let my soldiers become spirits in a foreign land.". Toyotomi Hideyoshi died at Fushimi Castle on September 18, 1598 ( Keichō 3, 18th day of the 8th month). His last words, delivered to his closest daimyō and generals, were "I depend upon you for everything. I have no other thoughts to leave behind. It
648-428: A five-storey keep which was 51 meters (167 ft) in height and was thus the highest castle tower in the whole of Japan, symbolizing the power of the shōgun . The first iteration of the keep and its multiple roofs were constructed in 1607 and ornamented with gold. It was rebuilt in 1623 and again in 1638. The third version of the keep was destroyed in the 1657 Fire of Meireki and not reconstructed. The foundations of
756-609: A heavy blow. Ieyasu and Hideyoshi never fought against each other in person, but the former managed to check the advance of the latter's allies. After Hideyoshi and Ieyasu heard the news of Ikeda Tsuneoki and Mori Nagayoshi 's deaths, both withdrew their troops. Later, Hideyoshi made peace with Nobukatsu and Ieyasu, ending the pretext for war between the Tokugawa and Hashiba clans. Hideyoshi sent his younger sister Asahi no kata and mother Ōmandokoro to Tokugawa Ieyasu as hostages. Like Oda Nobunaga before him, Hideyoshi never achieved
864-603: A long relationship with tea master Sen no Rikyū , which eventually soured leading to Hideyoshi ordering Sen no Rikyū to commit suicide. The exact reason is disputed. Inspired by the dazzling Golden Pavilion in Kyoto , he had the Golden Tea Room constructed, which was covered with gold leaf and lined inside with red gossamer. Using this mobile innovation, he was able to practice the tea ceremony wherever he went, displaying his power and status at all times. Politically, he set up
972-478: A population of 150,000. The existing Honmaru , Ninomaru , and Sannomaru areas were extended with the addition of the Nishinomaru , Nishinomaru-shita , Fukiage , and Kitanomaru areas. The perimeter measured 16 km. The shōgun required the daimyō s to supply building materials or finances, a method shogunate used to keep the powers of the daimyō s in check. Large granite stones were moved from afar,
1080-639: A secret route into Mount Inaba , after which much of the local garrison surrendered. In 1564, Hideyoshi found success as a negotiator. He managed to convince a number of Mino warlords to desert the Saitō clan , mostly with liberal bribes. This included the Saitō clan's strategist, Takenaka Shigeharu . Nobunaga's easy victory at the siege of Inabayama Castle in 1567 was largely due to Hideyoshi's efforts, and despite his peasant origins, in 1568 Hideyoshi became one of Nobunaga's most distinguished generals, eventually taking
1188-643: A sign of goodwill. In 1582, Hideyoshi began construction of Osaka Castle . Built on the site of the temple Ishiyama Hongan-ji , which was destroyed by Nobunaga , construction was completed in 1597. The castle would become the last stronghold of the Toyotomi clan after Hideyoshi's death. In late 1582, Hideyoshi was in a very strong position. He summoned the powerful daimyō to Kiyosu Castle so that they could determine Nobunaga's heir. Oda Nobukatsu and Oda Nobutaka quarreled, causing Hideyoshi to instead choose Nobunaga's infant grandson Oda Hidenobu . Having won
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#17328451617371296-583: Is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan in Edo , Toshima District, Musashi Province . In modern times it is part of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda , Tokyo , and is therefore also known as Chiyoda Castle ( 千代田城 , Chiyoda-jō ) . Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate there, and it was the residence of the shōgun and the headquarters of the military government during
1404-709: Is a teahouse that was once in the Fukiage garden during the Edo period. After various relocations in the Meiji era, today it is in the modern Ninomaru Garden. The sannomaru ( 三の丸 , third enceinte) is the easternmost enceinte next to the Ninomaru , separated by the Tenjin-bori . Ōte-bori is to the north, running then south is Kikyō-bori . A steep slope, Bairin-zaka ( 梅林坂 ) , runs from eastern Honmaru toward Hirakawa-mon in front of
1512-694: Is bordered by moats to the west such as the Dōkan-bori , Sakurada-bori and Gaisen-bori to the south, Kikyō-bori and Hamaguri-bori to the north. After each fire in the Honmaru , the shōgun normally moved into the Nishinomaru , although it was also destroyed by fire in 1853. On May 5, 1873, the Nishinomaru residence burned down. On its site, the imperial palace was built in the Meiji era. Toyotomi Hideyoshi Toyotomi Hideyoshi ( 豊臣 秀吉 , 17 March 1537 – 18 September 1598) , otherwise known as Kinoshita Tōkichirō ( 木下 藤吉郎 ) and Hashiba Hideyoshi ( 羽柴 秀吉 ) ,
1620-591: Is known for certain about Toyotomi Hideyoshi before 1570, when he begins to appear in surviving documents and letters. His autobiography starts in 1577, but in it, Hideyoshi spoke very little about his past. According to tradition, Hideyoshi was born on 16 February 1537 according to the lunar Japanese calendar (17 March 1537 according to the Julian calendar ; 27 March 1537 ( Proleptic Gregorian calendar )) in Nakamura , Owari Province (present-day Nakamura Ward , Nagoya ), in
1728-525: Is often publicly referred to as "Nijubashi". An eye-witness account is given by the French director François Caron from the Dutch colony at Dejima . He described the gates and courts being laid out in such a manner as to confuse an outsider. Caron noted the gates were not placed in a straight line, but were staggered, forcing a person to make a 90 degree turn to pass on to the next gate. This style of construction for
1836-622: Is sad to part from you." His death was kept secret by the Council of Five Elders to preserve morale, and they ordered Japanese forces in Korea to return to Japan. According to the Tokugawa Jikki record, Hideyoshi held a secret meeting with Koide Hidemasa and Katagiri Katsumoto where he shared his regret of launching invasions of Korea. Hideyoshi also instructed Hidemasa and Katsumoto to guide Hideyori into making an alliance with Ieyasu, as he predicted
1944-408: Is the northern gate to the Honmaru ward, facing Kitanomaru ward across Daikan-cho street. It is also constructed as a masu -gate just like Ōte-mon and Hirakawa-mon , and has a watari-yagura-mon in a left angle. The bridge in front of the gate, which was once a drawbridge during the Edo period, is now fixed to the ground. The metal clasps used to draw the bridge are still attached to the roof of
2052-467: Is today Saga Prefecture , on Kyūshū , Hideyoshi memorised the shite (lead role) parts of ten Noh plays, which he then performed, forcing various daimyō to accompany him onstage as the waki (secondary, accompanying role). He even performed before the emperor. The Kunohe rebellion , an insurrection that occurred in Mutsu Province from 13 March to 4 September 1591, began when Kunohe Masazane ,
2160-466: Is where the samurai guardsmen were posted to watch over the castle grounds. There is a big stone wall in front of the Dōshin-bansho , which is the foundation of the Ōte-sanno-mon watari-yagura keep. The long building to the left on the southern side of this foundation is the hyakunin-bansho ( 百人番所 ) . The Hyakunin-bansho is so called because it housed a hundred guardsmen closely associated with
2268-528: The de facto leader of Japan and acquired the prestigious positions of daijō-daijin and kampaku by the mid-1580s. Hideyoshi launched the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592 to initial success, but eventual military stalemate damaged his prestige before his death in 1598. Hideyoshi's young son and successor Toyotomi Hideyori was displaced by Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 which would lead to
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#17328451617372376-472: The Anegakōji clan of Hida while Hideyoshi carried out the siege of Toyama Castle. The Toyama Castle garrison of 20,000, led by Hideyoshi's former ally Sassa Narimasa , tried to defend against Hideyoshi's 100,000 soldiers; in the end, Narimasa's defense was shattered, opening the way for Toyotomi's supremacy over Etchū Province and Hida Province . In 1586 Hideyoshi conquered Kyūshū , wresting control from
2484-569: The Battle of Anegawa to lay siege to two fortresses of the Azai and Asakura clans, and Hideyoshi was assigned to lead Oda troops into open battle for the first time. In 1573, after victorious campaigns against the Azai and Asakura, Nobunaga appointed Hideyoshi daimyō of three districts in the northern part of Ōmi Province . Initially, Hideyoshi stayed at the former Azai headquarters at Odani Castle , but moved to Kunitomo town and renamed it " Nagahama " in tribute to Nobunaga. Hideyoshi later moved to
2592-631: The Battle of Nagashino against the Takeda clan . In 1576, he took part in the Siege of Mitsuji , part of the eleven-year Ishiyama Hongan-ji War . Later, Nobunaga sent Hideyoshi to Himeji Castle to conquer the Chūgoku region from the Mori clan . Hideyoshi then fought in the Battle of Tedorigawa (1577), the siege of Miki (1578), the siege of Tottori (1581) and the siege of Takamatsu (1582). On June 21, 1582, during
2700-477: The Battle of Shizugatake in the following year, Hideyoshi destroyed Katsuie's forces. Hideyoshi had thus consolidated his own power, dealt with most of the Oda clan, and now controlled some 30 provinces. In 1584, Nobukatsu allied himself with Tokugawa Ieyasu , and the two sides fought at the inconclusive Battle of Komaki and Nagakute . This ultimately resulted in a stalemate, although Hideyoshi's forces were delivered
2808-538: The Edo period (1603–1867) in Japanese history . After the resignation of the shōgun and the Meiji Restoration , it became the Tokyo Imperial Palace . Some moats , walls and ramparts of the castle survive to this day. However, the grounds were more extensive during the Edo period, with Tokyo Station and the Marunouchi section of the city lying within the outermost moat. It also encompassed Kitanomaru Park ,
2916-566: The Fujimi-tamon still exists. North of the Fujimi-tamon is the ishimuro ( 石室 , "stone cellar") , on a slope. It is about 20 square meters (220 sq ft). Its precise purpose is unknown, but since it is close to the former inner palace storage area, it is believed to have been used for storage of supplies and documents for the shogunate. Shiomi-zaka ( 潮見坂 ) is a slope running alongside today's Imperial Music Department building towards Ninomaru enceinte. In old times apparently
3024-554: The Hotel Okura Tokyo are also located in the district. Minato City Board of Education operates public elementary and junior high schools. Toranomon 1-5- chōme is zoned to Onarimon Elementary School (御成門小学校) and Onarimon Junior High School (御成門中学校). [REDACTED] Media related to Toranomon at Wikimedia Commons 35°40′01″N 139°44′51″E / 35.6669°N 139.7475°E / 35.6669; 139.7475 Edo Castle Edo Castle ( 江戸城 , Edo-jō )
3132-561: The Hōjō clan and the Uesugi clan invaded Kai and Shinano province when they heard of Nobunaga's death, beginning the Tenshō-Jingo war . When the Oda clan learned of the defeat of Takigawa Kazumasu at the Battle of Kanagawa by the Hōjō clan, Hideyoshi sent a letter to Ieyasu on July 7 giving him authorization to lead military operations to secure the two provinces from the Hōjō and Uesugi clans. As
3240-568: The Nippon Budokan Hall and other current landmarks of the surrounding area. The warrior Edo Shigetsugu built his residence in what is now the Honmaru and Ninomaru part of Edo Castle, around the end of the Heian period (794–1185) or beginning of the Kamakura period (1185–1333). The Edo clan left in the 15th century as a result of uprisings in the Kantō region , and Ōta Dōkan , a retainer of
3348-544: The Ogigayatsu Uesugi family , built Edo Castle in 1457. The castle came under the control of the Later Hōjō clan in 1524 after the Siege of Edo . The castle was vacated in 1590 due to the Siege of Odawara . Tokugawa Ieyasu made Edo Castle his base after he was offered eight eastern provinces by Toyotomi Hideyoshi . He later defeated Toyotomi Hideyori , son of Hideyoshi, at the Siege of Osaka in 1615, and emerged as
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3456-526: The Sannomaru was an outer moat, enclosing the Otomachi and Daimyō-Kōji districts. Ishigaki stone walls were constructed around the Honmaru and the eastern side of the Nishinomaru . Each ward could be reached via wooden bridges, which were buffered by gates on either side. The circumference is subject to debate, with estimates ranging from 6 to 10 miles. With the enforcement of the sankin-kōtai system in
3564-473: The Sengoku period , it had become common for peasants to become warriors, or for samurai to farm due to the constant uncertainty caused by the lack of centralised government and always tentative peace. Upon taking control, Hideyoshi decreed that all peasants be disarmed completely. Conversely, he required samurai to leave the land and take up residence in the castle towns. This solidified the social class system for
3672-598: The Shimazu clan . Toyotomi Hidenaga , Hideyoshi's half-brother, landed to the south of Bungo province on Kyūshū's eastern coast. Meanwhile, Hideyoshi took his own forces down a more western route, in Chikuzen province . Later that year, with a total of 200,000 soldiers against the 30,000 men of the Shimazu forces, the two brothers met in Satsuma province . They besieged Kagoshima castle ,
3780-648: The Siege of Takamatsu , Oda Nobunaga and his eldest son and heir Nobutada were both killed in the Honnō-ji incident . Their assassination ended Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralised power in Japan under his authority. Hideyoshi, seeking vengeance for the death of his lord, made peace with the Mōri clan and thirteen days later met Akechi Mitsuhide and defeated him at the Battle of Yamazaki , avenging his Nobunaga and taking Nobunaga's authority and power for himself. Meanwhile,
3888-601: The Toyotomi clan castellan Ishida Mitsunari in power. He held the generals in contempt, and they sided with Ieyasu. Hideyori lost the power his father once held, and Ieyasu's power was consolidated when his Eastern Army defeated the Mitsunari's Western Army at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Ieyasu, who was appointed as a shogun in 1603 and established the Tokugawa shogunate , attacked Osaka Castle twice in 1614 and 1615 (the Siege of Osaka ), forcing Hideyoshi's concubine Yodo-dono and Hideyori to commit suicide, destroying
3996-532: The Toyotomi clan . It is now believed that Hideyoshi's loss of all his adult heirs, leaving only the five-year-old Hideyori as his successor, was the primary reason for the weakening of the Toyotomi regime and its eventual downfall. Toyotomi Hideyoshi changed Japanese society in many ways. These include the imposition of a rigid class structure, restrictions on travel, and surveys of land and production. Class reforms affected commoners and warriors. During
4104-569: The Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan . They included five European Franciscan missionaries , one Mexican Franciscan missionary, three Japanese Jesuits and seventeen Japanese laymen including three young boys. They were tortured, mutilated, and paraded through towns across Japan. On February 5, they were executed in Nagasaki by public crucifixion . After several years of negotiations, broken off because envoys of both sides falsely reported that
4212-574: The Wanli Emperor of Ming China sent an army under general Li Rusong to block the planned Japanese invasion of China and recapture the Korean peninsula. On January 7, 1593, the Ming relief forces recaptured Pyongyang and surrounded Seoul , but Kobayakawa Takakage , Ukita Hideie , Tachibana Muneshige and Kikkawa Hiroie were able to win the Battle of Byeokjegwan north of Seoul, in modern day Goyang City. At
4320-463: The kōrai -mon and its walls, and the Ōte-mon was reconstructed. The tatsumi-yagura ( 巽櫓 ) , also known as sakurada-yagura ( 桜田櫓 ) , is a two-story high keep at the easternmost corner of the Sannomaru and the only keep still remaining in it. One of the few gates left of the Ninomaru is the kikyō-mon ( 桔梗門 ) , which is also known as the Inner Sakurada-mon , as opposed to
4428-512: The shōgun to move into a daimyō residence. The last fire occurred in 1873, after which the palace was not rebuilt by the new imperial government. Behind the Honmaru Palace was the main keep. Besides being the location of the keep and palace, the Honmaru was also the site of the treasury. Three storehouses that bordered on a rampart adjoined the palace on the other side. The entrance was small, made with thick lumber and heavily guarded. Behind
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4536-478: The (Outer) Sakurada-mon in the south. The architecture of the tower is a gate and in the kōrai style. The nishinomaru ( 西の丸 , western ward) was the location of the palaces and residences of the retired shōgun and the heir-apparent for a while. The outer part of the Nishinomaru to the east (today's Outer Gardens of the Imperial Palace) was the site of various residences of daimyōs . The Nishinomaru
4644-468: The 17th century, it became expedient for the daimyōs to set up residence in Edo close to the shōgun . Surrounding the inner compounds of the castle were the residences of daimyōs , most of which were concentrated at the Outer Sakurada Gate to the south-east and in the Ōtemachi and Daimyō-Kōji districts east of the castle inside the outer moat. Some residences were also within the inner moats in
4752-629: The 1970s through the mid-1990s, Japan Air System (originally Toa Domestic Airlines) was headquartered in the Ark Mori Building, in the Ark Hills complex of Toranomon. Air China also has its Tokyo offices in Toranomon, as well as TV Tokyo , Japan Tobacco , Oki Electric Industry , Fuji Fire and Marine Insurance , and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines . The National Printing Bureau , the Okura Museum of Art and
4860-563: The Imperial Court. He built a lavish palace in 1587, the Jurakudai , and entertained the reigning Emperor Go-Yōzei the following year. Also in 1585, Hideyoshi launched the siege of Negoro-ji and subjugated Kii Province . The Negoro-gumi , the warrior monks of Negoro-ji , were allied with the Ikkō-ikki and with Tokugawa Ieyasu , whom they supported in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
4968-521: The Kan-ei era (1624–1644). Surrounding the Honmaru were curtain walls, with 11 keeps, 15 defense houses and more than 20 gates. Honmaru was destroyed several times by fire and reconstructed after each fire. The keep and main palace were destroyed in 1657 and 1863, respectively, and not reconstructed. Some remains, such as the Fujimi-yagura keep and Fujimi-tamon defense house, still exist. The Honmaru
5076-683: The Shimazu clan's home. The Shimazu surrendered, and Hideyoshi was able to return his attention to the Hōjō clan of Kantō , the last major clan to oppose him. Later in 1587, Hideyoshi banished Christian missionaries from Kyūshū, either to exert greater control over the Kirishitan daimyō or to prohibit human trafficking. Around that time, at least 50,000 Japanese people were sold overseas as slaves, mainly by Portuguese merchants. However, since he did much trade with Europeans, individual Christians were unofficially overlooked. In 1588, Hideyoshi forbade ordinary peasants from owning weapons and started
5184-582: The Tokugawa clan. The large stone wall in front of the Hyakunin-bansho is all that is left of the Naka-no-mon watari-yagura (Inner Gate Keep). This building to the inner-right side of the gate is the Ō-bansho ( 大番所 ) . As the Honmaru enceinte was said to begin right behind the Naka-no-mon gate, the Ō-bansho probably played a key role in the security of Edo Castle. The Suwa-no-Chaya ( 諏訪の茶屋 )
5292-462: The adopted daughter of Asano Nagakatsu , a descendant of Minamoto no Yorimitsu . Hideyoshi carried out repairs on Sunomata Castle with his younger half-brother, Hashiba Koichirō , along with Hachisuka Masakatsu , and Maeno Nagayasu . Hideyoshi's efforts were well-received because Sunomata was in enemy territory, and according to legend Hideyoshi constructed a fort in Sunomata overnight and discovered
5400-484: The aesthetics of the tea ceremony that had a lasting influence over many aspects of Japanese culture. Even after Rikyū's death, Hideyoshi is said to have built his many construction projects based upon aesthetics promoted by Rikyū. Following Rikyū's death, Hideyoshi turned his attention from tea ceremony to Noh , which he had been studying since becoming Imperial Regent. During his brief stay in Nagoya Castle in what
5508-504: The basis for systematic taxation. In 1590, Hideyoshi completed construction of the Osaka Castle , the largest and most formidable in all Japan, to guard the western approaches to Kyoto . In that same year, Hideyoshi banned "unfree labour" or slavery in Japan , but forms of contract and indentured labour persisted alongside the period penal codes' forced labour . Hideyoshi also influenced
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#17328451617375616-719: The castle defenders. The Kunohe rebellion was the final battle in Hideyoshi's campaigns during the Sengoku period and completed the unification of Japan. The future stability of the Toyotomi dynasty after Hideyoshi's eventual death was put in doubt with the death of his only son, three-year-old Tsurumatsu, in September 1591. When his half-brother Hidenaga died of illness shortly after, Hideyoshi named his nephew Hidetsugu his heir, adopting him in January 1592. Hideyoshi resigned as kampaku to take
5724-463: The city where merchants were able to settle. At least 10,000 men were involved in the first phase of the construction and more than 300,000 in the middle phase. When construction ended, the castle had 38 gates. The ramparts were almost 20 meters (66 ft) high and the outer walls were 12 meters (39 ft) high. Moats forming roughly concentric circles were dug for further protection. Some moats reached as far as Ichigaya and Yotsuya , and parts of
5832-977: The end of the first campaign, Japan's entire navy was destroyed by Admiral Yi Sun-sin of Korea, whose base was located in a part of Korea the Japanese could not control. This destroyed Japan's ability to resupply their troops in Seoul, effectively ending the invasion. The birth of Hideyoshi's second son in 1593, Hideyori , created a potential succession problem. To avoid it, Hideyoshi exiled his nephew and current heir Hidetsugu to Mount Kōya for suspected rebellion, and then ordered him to commit suicide in August 1595. Hidetsugu's family members who did not follow his example, including 31 women and several children, were then murdered in Kyoto . In January 1597, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had twenty-six Christians arrested as an example to Japanese who wanted to convert to Christianity . They are known as
5940-484: The events involving the forty-seven rōnin . After the capitulation of the shogunate in 1867, the inhabitants and shōgun had to vacate the premises. The castle compound was renamed Tokyo Castle ( 東京城 , Tōkei-jō ) in October, 1868, and then renamed Imperial Castle ( 皇城 , Kōjō ) in 1869. In the year Meiji 2 (1868), on the 23rd day of the 10th month of the Japanese calendar the emperor moved to Tokyo and Edo castle became an imperial palace. A fire consumed
6048-454: The founding of the Tokugawa Shogunate . Hideyoshi's rule covers most of the Azuchi–Momoyama period of Japan, partially named after his castle, Momoyama Castle . Hideyoshi left an influential and lasting legacy in Japan, including Osaka Castle , the Tokugawa class system , the restriction on the possession of weapons to the samurai, and the construction and restoration of many temples, some of which are still visible in Kyoto . Very little
6156-440: The gardens of the shōgun and his court were constructed around the castle keep in the Honmaru area. It consisted of a series of low-level buildings, connected by corridors and congregating around various gardens, courtyards or lying detached, similar to the structures that can be seen in Nijō Castle in Kyoto today. These structures were used for either residential or governmental purposes such as audiences. The Honmaru Palace
6264-410: The gate. The main keep or tower (known as the tenshu-dai ( 天守台 ) ) was in the northern corner of the Honmaru ward. Kitahanebashi-mon is right next to it and was one of the main gateways to this innermost part. The measurements are 41 meters (135 ft) in width from east to west, 45 meters (148 ft) in length from north to south, and 11 meters (36 ft) in height. The castle once had
6372-414: The inner moats are well maintained and used as security check points. In old days, "Ote-mon" was the main gate and the most heavily armed. There were 3 more gates you would go through after "Ote-mon" to reach the Shogun 's residents . Today, "Nishinomaru-mon" is the main entrance to the Palace. However, the twin bridge "Nijubashi" in front of it is more famous than the gate itself, thus the Palace Entrance
6480-421: The keep that survive today were built in preparation for reconstructing the keep, but were never used. Despite this, jidaigeki movies (such as Abarenbō Shōgun ) set in Edo usually depict Edo Castle as having a keep, and substitute Himeji Castle for that purpose. A non-profit "Rebuilding Edo-jo Association" (NPO江戸城再建) was founded in 2004 with the aim of a historically correct reconstruction of at least
6588-418: The large stone walls overlooking to the Hasuike-bori (Lotus-growing moat). Weapons and tools were stored here. During the Edo period, double and triple keeps ( yagura ) were constructed at strategic points on top of the stone wall surrounding the Honmaru . In between each keep, a defense house (called tamon ) was erected for defensive purposes. There were once 15 of these houses in the Honmaru , of which only
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#17328451617376696-408: The leader of the warrior class, was because he was of peasant origin. Hideyoshi rose from a peasant background as a retainer of the prominent lord Oda Nobunaga to become one of the most powerful men in Japanese history. Hideyoshi succeeded Nobunaga after the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582 and continued Nobunaga's campaign to unite Japan that led to the closing of the Sengoku period. Hideyoshi became
6804-410: The main gates is called masugata (meaning "square"). As noted by Caron, the gate consisted of a square-shaped courtyard or enclosure and a two-story gatehouse which is entered via three roofed kōrai-mon . The watari-yagura-mon was constructed at adjacent angles to each side within the gate. All major gates had large timbers that framed the main entry point and were constructed to impress and proclaim
6912-460: The main keep. In March 2013 Naotaka Kotake, head of the group, said that "The capital city needs a symbolic building", and that the group planned to collect donations and signatures on a petition in the hope of having the tower rebuilt. A reconstruction blueprint had been made based on old documents. The Imperial Household Agency had not indicated whether it would support the project. The residential Honmaru Palace ( 本丸御殿 , honmaru-goten ) and
7020-488: The material culture of Japan . He lavished time and money on the Japanese tea ceremony , collecting implements, sponsoring lavish social events, and patronizing acclaimed masters. As interest in the tea ceremony rose among the ruling class, so too did the demand for fine ceramic implements, and during the course of the Korean campaigns, not only were large quantities of prized ceramic ware confiscated but many Korean artisans were forcibly relocated to Japan. Hideyoshi also had
7128-404: The middle of the chaotic Sengoku period under the collapsed Ashikaga Shogunate . Hideyoshi had no traceable samurai lineage, and his father Kinoshita Yaemon was an ashigaru – a peasant employed by the samurai as a foot soldier. Hideyoshi had no surname, and his childhood given name was Hiyoshi-maru ( 日吉丸 ) ("Bounty of the Sun") although variations exist. Yaemon died in 1543 when Hideyoshi
7236-473: The might of the shogunate. Accounts of how many armed men served at Edo Castle vary. The Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines Rodrigo de Vivero y Velasco gave an eye-witness account in 1608–1609, describing the huge stones that made up the walls and a large number of people at the castle. He claimed to have seen 20,000 servants between the first gate and the shōgun ' s palace. He passed through two ranks of 1,000 soldiers armed with muskets , and by
7344-467: The name Hashiba Hideyoshi ( 羽柴 秀吉 ) . The new surname included two characters, one each from Oda's right-hand men Ni wa Nagahide ( 丹 羽 長秀 ) and Shiba ta Katsuie ( 柴 田 勝家 ) , and the new given name included characters from Akechi Mitsu hide ( 明智 光 秀 ) and Mori Yoshi nari ( 森 吉 成 ) . In 1570, Hideyoshi protected Nobunaga's retreat from Azai - Asakura forces at Kanegasaki . Later, in June 1570, Nobunaga allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu at
7452-403: The next 300 years. Furthermore, he ordered comprehensive surveys and a complete census of Japan. Once this was done and all citizens were registered, he required all Japanese to stay in their respective han (fiefs) unless they obtained official permission to go elsewhere. This ensured order in a period when bandits still roamed the countryside and peace was still new. The land surveys formed
7560-401: The nobility class. He was the first person in history to become a Kampaku who was not born a noble. He then passed the position and title of Kampaku to his nephew, Toyotomi Hidetsugu . He remained in power as Taikō ( 太閤 ) , the title of retired Kampaku , until his death. It is believed, but not certain, that the reason he refused or could not obtain the title of shogun ( 征夷大将軍 ) ,
7668-431: The old Edo Castle on the night of May 5, 1873. The area around the old keep, which burned in the 1657 Meireki fire , became the site of the new Imperial Palace Castle ( 宮城 , Kyūjō ) , built in 1888. Some Tokugawa-period buildings which were still standing were destroyed to make space for new structures for the imperial government. The imperial palace building itself, however, was constructed in Nishinomaru Ward, not in
7776-401: The old pond left from the Edo period. Only the Hyakunin-bansho and Dōshin-bansho are still standing. The dōshin-bansho ( 同心番所 ) is a guardhouse. A big guardhouse was within the Ōte-mon where today's security is. The passageway proceeding west from the guardhouse becomes narrower within the stone walls on both sides. The dōshin-bansho is on the right side past this passageway. This
7884-616: The opposition had surrendered, Hideyoshi appointed Kobayakawa Hideaki to lead a renewed invasion of Korea. This invasion met with less success than the first; Japanese troops remained pinned down in Gyeongsang Province , and although the Japanese forces turned back several Chinese offensives in Suncheon and Sacheon in June 1598, they were unable to make further progress as the Ming army prepared for
7992-472: The outer Nishinomaru . The mansions were large and very elaborate, with no expenses spared to construct palaces with Japanese gardens and multiple gates. Each block had four to six of the mansions, which were surrounded by ditches for drainage. Daimyōs with lesser wealth were allowed to set up their houses, called banchō , to the north and west of the castle. To the east and south of the castle were sections that were set aside for merchants, since this area
8100-487: The political leader of Japan. Tokugawa Ieyasu received the title of Sei-i Taishōgun in 1603, and Edo became the center of Tokugawa's administration. Initially, parts of the area were lying under water. The sea reached the present Nishinomaru area of Edo Castle, and Hibiya was a beach. The landscape was changed for the construction of the castle. Most construction started in 1593 and was completed in 1636 under Ieyasu's grandson, Tokugawa Iemitsu . By this time, Edo had
8208-462: The port at Imahama on Lake Biwa , where he began work on Imahama Castle and took control of the nearby Kunitomo firearms factory that had been established some years previously by the Azai and Asakura. Under Hideyoshi's administration, the factory's output of firearms increased dramatically. Later, Hideyoshi participated in the 1573 siege of Nagashima . In 1574, Hideyoshi and Araki Murashige captured Itami Castle , and later in 1575, he fought in
8316-454: The power of the Tokugawa clan would grow unchecked after his death, and only solution for the Toyotomi clan to survive was to not oppose Ieyasu. After Hideyoshi's death, the other members of the Council of Five Elders were unable to keep Ieyasu's ambitions in check. Two of Hideyoshi's top generals , Katō Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori , had fought bravely during the war but returned to find
8424-515: The previous year. After attacking a number of other outposts in the area, Hideyoshi's forces attacked Negoro-ji from two sides. Many of the Negoro-gumi had already fled to Ōta Castle by this time, which Hideyoshi later besieged . The complex was set aflame, beginning with the residences of the priests, and Hideyoshi's samurai cut down monks as they escaped the blazing buildings. In the 1585 invasion of Shikoku , Toyotomi forces seized Shikoku island,
8532-577: The ramparts survive to this day. This area is bordered by either the sea or the Kanda River, allowing ships access. Various fires over the centuries damaged or destroyed parts of the castle, Edo and the majority of its buildings being made of timber. On April 21, 1701, in the Great Pine Corridor ( Matsu no Ōrōka ) of Edo Castle, Asano Takumi-no-kami drew his short sword and attempted to kill Kira Kōzuke-no-suke for insulting him. This triggered
8640-404: The ramparts with their arquebuses and armor; despite their smaller numbers, they discouraged Hideyoshi from attacking. Hideyoshi had Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle secretly constructed in a nearby forest, and then had the forest chopped down, giving the impression it have been built overnight. This demoralized the defenders, leading to their surrender three months after the start of the siege. During
8748-527: The rulers of his home province of Owari , now headed by the ambitious Oda Nobunaga . Hideyoshi soon became Nobunaga's sandal-bearer , a position of relatively high status. According to his biographers, Hideyoshi also supervised the repair of Kiyosu Castle , a claim described as " apocryphal ", and managed the kitchen. After Nobunaga noticed his talents at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, when Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto , he became one of Nobunaga's trusted retainers. In 1561, Hideyoshi married One ,
8856-549: The same location as the shōgun ' s palace in Honmaru Ward. The site suffered substantial damage during World War II and in the destruction of Tokyo in 1945. Today the site is part of the Tokyo Imperial Palace . The government declared the area an historic site and has undertaken steps to restore and preserve the remaining structures of Edo Castle. The plan of Edo Castle was not only large but elaborate. The grounds were divided into various wards , or citadels. The Honmaru
8964-514: The sea could be seen from here, therefore its name. At the foot of the Shiomi-zaka on the eastern side of the Honmaru lies the Ninomaru ( 二の丸 , second enceinte) of Edo Castle. A palace for the heirs of the Tokugawa shōguns was constructed in 1639 in the west area (Western Perimeter) and in 1630 it is reported that a garden designed by Kobori Enshū , who was the founder of Japanese landscaping,
9072-516: The second gate he was escorted by 400 armed men. He passed stables that apparently had room for 200 horses and an armory that stored enough weapons for 100,000 men. The Honmaru ( 本丸 , also spelled Hommaru ) was the central, innermost part of the castle containing the keep and residence of the shōgun . The stately and luxurious main buildings of the Honmaru , consisting of the outer, central, and inner halls, were said to have covered an area of 33,000 square meters (360,000 sq ft) during
9180-427: The siege of Ichinomiya Castle , which lasted for 26 days. Chōsokabe made a half-hearted attempt to relieve his castle from the siege, but eventually surrendered. He was allowed to keep Tosa Province , while the rest of Shikoku was divided among Hideyoshi's generals. During the late summer of August 1585, Hideyoshi launched an attack on Etchū Province and Hida Province . He dispatched Kanamori Nagachika to destroy
9288-445: The siege, Hideyoshi offered Ieyasu the eight Hōjō-ruled provinces in the Kantō region , in exchange for the submission of Ieyasu's five provinces, which Ieyasu accepted. In February 1591, Hideyoshi ordered Sen no Rikyū to commit suicide, likely in one of his angry outbursts. Rikyū had been a trusted retainer and master of the tea ceremony under both Hideyoshi and Nobunaga. Under Hideyoshi's patronage, Rikyū made significant changes to
9396-421: The size and number of the stones depended on the wealth of the daimyō s. The wealthier ones had to contribute more. Those who did not supply stones were required to contribute labor for such tasks as digging the large moats and flattening hills. The earth that was taken from the moats was used as landfill for sea-reclamation or to level the ground. Thus the construction of Edo Castle laid the foundation for parts of
9504-470: The smallest of Japan's four main islands, from Chōsokabe Motochika . Toyotomi's forces arrived 113,000 strong under Toyotomi Hidenaga , Toyotomi Hidetsugu , Ukita Hideie and the Mōri clan 's "Two Rivers", Kobayakawa Takakage and Kikkawa Motoharu . Opposing them were 40,000 men of Chōsokabe's. Despite the overwhelming size of Hideyoshi's army, and the suggestions of his advisors, Motochika chose to fight to defend his territories. The battles culminated in
9612-517: The support of the other two Oda clan elders, Niwa Nagahide and Ikeda Tsuneoki , Hideyoshi was able to distribute Nobunaga's provinces among the generals and form a council of four generals to help Hidenobu govern. Shibata Katsuie initially supported Hideyoshi's decision, but later supported Nobunaga's third son Nobutaka, for whom Katsuie had performed the genpuku ritual. He allied with Nobutaka and Takigawa Kazumasu against Hideyoshi. Tension quickly escalated between Hideyoshi and Katsuie, and at
9720-460: The title of shōgun . Instead, he arranged to have himself adopted by Konoe Sakihisa , one of the noblest men belonging to the Fujiwara clan , and secured a succession of high court titles. These included Chancellor ( Daijō-daijin ), and in 1585, the prestigious position of Imperial Regent ( kampaku ). Also in 1585, Hideyoshi was formally given the new clan name Toyotomi (instead of Fujiwara ) by
9828-412: The title of taikō (retired regent), and Hidetsugu succeeded him as kampaku . Hideyoshi adopted Oda Nobunaga 's dream of a Japanese conquest of China , and launched the conquest of the Ming dynasty by way of Korea (at the time known as Koryu or Joseon ). In 1592, Hideyoshi began an invasion of Korea with the intent of conquering Korea and eventually Ming China. Hideoyoshi's explicit war goal
9936-532: The today's Archives and Mausolea Department building. It is said that Ōta Dōkan planted several hundred plum trees in 1478 in dedication to Sugawara no Michizane . Dōkan is said to have built the Sanno-Gongendō here, where two shrines were when the Tokugawa clan occupied the site. With the erection of the Honmaru of Edo Castle, the shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane was moved to Kojimachi Hirakawa-chō and later became known as Hirakawa Shrine . Sanno Shrine
10044-430: The upper steel bridge of Nijūbashi ) and Tatsumi-nijyu-yagura (at the corner of Kikyō-bori moat next to Kikyō-mon gate). It is also called the "all-front-sided" keep because all sides look the same from all directions. It is believed that once Mount Fuji could be seen from this keep, hence the name. Since the main keep of Edo Castle was destroyed in 1657 and not reconstructed, the Fujimi-yagura took on its role and
10152-407: The wall was a deep drop to the moat below, making the area secure. The Fujimi-yagura ( 富士見櫓 , "Mount Fuji-viewing keep ") stands in the south-eastern corner of the Honmaru enceinte and is three storeys high. Fujimi-yagura is one of only three remaining keeps of the inner citadel of Edo Castle, from a total number of originally eleven. The other remaining keeps are Fushimi-yagura (next to
10260-570: The war turned in Ieyasu's favor and Sanada Masayuki defected to the Tokugawa side, the Hōjō clan negotiated a truce. Hōjō Ujinobu and Ii Naomasa were the Hōjō and Tokugawa representatives for the preliminary meetings. Representatives from the Oda clan such as Oda Nobukatsu , Oda Nobutaka , and Hideyoshi himself mediated the negotiation until the truce officially took effect in October with both Ieyasu and Hōjō Ujinao exchanging family members as hostages as
10368-454: Was a Japanese samurai and daimyō ( feudal lord) of the late Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan . Although he came from a peasant background, his immense power earned him the rank and title of Kampaku ( 関白 , Imperial Regent) and Daijō-daijin ( 太政大臣 , Chancellor of the Realm) , the highest official position and title in
10476-536: Was an important building after being constructed in 1659 during the Edo period. About 150–160 meters (490–520 ft) north of the Fujimi-yagura is the former site of the Matsu no Ōrōka corridor, scene of dramatic events in 1701 that led to the forty-seven rōnin incident. The Fujimi-tamon ( 富士見多聞 ) defense house is about 120–130 meters (390–430 ft) north from the Matsu no Ōrōka . This defense house sits on top of
10584-403: Was considered unsuitable for residences. The entertainment district Yoshiwara was also there. Edo Castle was protected by multiple large and small wooden gates ( mon ), constructed in-between the gaps of the stone wall. There were 36 major gates . Not many are left on the outer moats , because they were a traffic hazard. Since the central quarter is now Tokyo Imperial Palace , some gates on
10692-465: Was first moved to Momijiyama of Edo Castle and became its tutelary shrine but was moved again. Today it is known as Hie Shrine . Hirakawa-mon ( 平川門 ) is said to have been the main gate to the Sannomaru of Edo Castle. It is also said to have been the side gate for maidservants and therefore called the Otsubone-mon . The shape of this gate is in the masugata , similar to the Ōte-mon . However
10800-609: Was for Japan to replace China at the top of the international order. Hideyoshi wrote to his adopted son Hidetsugu that "it is not Ming China alone that is destined to be subjugated by us, but India, the Philippines, and many islands in the South Sea will share a like fate." In the first campaign, Hideyoshi appointed Ukita Hideie as field marshal, and had him go to the Korean peninsula in April 1592. Konishi Yukinaga occupied Seoul , which
10908-466: Was in the center, with the Ninomaru (second compound), Sannomaru (third compound) extending to the east; the Nishinomaru (west compound) flanked by Nishinomaru-shita (outer section) and Fukiage (firebreak compound); and the Kitanomaru (north compound). The different wards were divided by moats and large stone walls, on which various keeps , defense houses and towers were built. To the east, beyond
11016-405: Was one story high, and consisted of three sections: Various fires destroyed the Honmaru Palace over time and was rebuilt after each fire. In the span from 1844 to 1863, Honmaru experienced three fires. After each fire, the shōgun moved to the Nishinomaru residences for the time being until reconstruction was complete. However, in 1853 both the Honmaru and Nishinomaru burned down, forcing
11124-469: Was seven years old. Many legends describe Hideyoshi being sent to study at a temple as a young man, but he rejected temple life and went in search of adventure. Under the name Kinoshita Tōkichirō ( 木下 藤吉郎 ) , he first joined the Imagawa clan as a servant to a local ruler named Matsushita Yukitsuna [ ja ] ( 松下之綱 ) . In 1558, Hideyoshi became an ashigaru for the powerful Oda clan ,
11232-522: Was severely damaged twice, in 1703 and 1855 , by strong earthquakes, and reconstructed to stand until the Meiji era. Several repairs were conducted after the Meiji era, but the damage caused by the September 1923 Great Kantō earthquake lead to the dismantling of the watari-yagura (渡り櫓) and rebuilding of the stone walls on each side of the gate in 1925. The watari-yagura was burnt down completely during World War II on April 30, 1945. Restoration took place from October 1965 through March 1967, to repair
11340-623: Was surrounded by moats on all sides. To the north separating Honmaru from the Kitanomaru were the Inui-bori and Hirakawa-bori , to the east separating the Ninomaru was the Hakuchō-bori , and to the west and south separating the Nishinomaru were the Hasuike-bori and Hamaguri-bori . Most of these still exist, although the Hakuchō-bori has partly been filled in since the Meiji era. Kitahanebashi- mon ( 北桔橋門 , "Northern Drawbridge Gate")
11448-588: Was the capital of the Joseon dynasty of Korea, on June 19. After Seoul fell, Japanese commanders held a war council in June in Seoul and determined targets of subjugation called Hachidokuniwari literally, Eight(八) Route(道), Country(国) Division(割) . Each targeted province was attacked by one of the army's eight divisions: Within four months, Hideyoshi's forces had a route into Manchuria and had occupied much of Korea. The Korean king Seonjo of Joseon escaped to Uiju and requested military intervention from China. In 1593,
11556-456: Was the main gate of the castle. During the reign of the second Tokugawa shōgun Hidetada , the castle underwent repairs in the 1620s and the gate is said to have taken its present form at this time, with the help of Date Masamune , lord of Sendai Castle, and Soma Toshitane , lord of Nakamura Castle. A fire in Edo destroyed the Ōte-mon in January 1657, but was reconstructed in November 1658. It
11664-443: Was to its south-east. Several fires destroyed whatever stood here and it was not reconstructed. Aside from the Honmaru palace, the Ninomaru was surrounded by 7 keeps, 8 defense houses, approximately 10 gates and other guardhouses. The Tenjin-bori separates a part of the Ninomaru to the Sannomaru . Several renovations were carried out over the years until the Meiji era. A completely new garden has been laid out since then around
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