Katsuren Castle Ruins

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Katsuren Castle Ruins

This afternoon I met up with Bernard, a buddy of mine from church, and one of his friends. We drive to Katsuren Castle to take pictures of the sunset. The castle was relatively small but sat on top of a rather big hill. By the time we got to the top, the sun was setting and we quickly started snapping photos. I messed around with my camera a bit trying out several different modes but the photos don't do the sunset justice.

Taken from: http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/002/001/e_kat.html
Outline of the Ruins
The ruins of Katsuren Castle Ruins are located in Haebaru at the base of the Katsuren peninsula, which juts out into the Pacific. There are three main successive enclosures structured in terraces up the apex at the first enclosure. At the base is a fourth stone wall enclosure where there were two arched gates called "Haebaru Ujou," at the south is the front gate and the other is on the opposite north side. Along the fourth enclosure, wells in four locations have been discovered. Within the castle, if an adequate supply of water could be secured, long-term support for the castle was possible. Much importance was attached to these water holes and much emphasis was placed on their defense. In the fourth stone wall enclosure, the east side was developed wide and the walls needed to be built higher to accomplish this. Connected to the fourth stone wall enclosure is the fifth, also called the "East Gusuku." There is a relationship between the height of the East Gusuku and the main enclosure, which are tall, and the fourth stone wall enclosure's relative lowness.

The ramparts that border Katsuren Castle were existent up to the Taisho Period (1912-1926), when a construction project was started on a nearby embankment and almost all the stones taken away for construction material..

The road upwards from the fourth enclosure inclines steeply and this is where this Gusuku's characteristics of being constructed to use height in battle are expressed. In the past era, the entrance to this enclosure had a large wooden gate called "Romon" and in the open space ceremonial and religious functions inside the castle were performed.

In the second enclosure, one tier up from the third, there was what is believed to the Aji chieftain's pavilion, akin to the Seiden main hall at Shuri Castle. Also, where the north side stone paved path heads upward is the first stonewall enclosure, the highest point within the castle. In the age when Katsuren Castle could boast of prosperity, there were arched gates constructed. From the first enclosure the view was enormous, with the whole of the castle in one view below the chain of mountains stretching northward. To the south lays the Chinen peninsula, all in one scene. It also includes a view of the Nakagusuku area, where the headquarters of an old enemy, Gosamaru, faced off against Amawari.

Results of research on this walled enclosure unearthed a wealth of Japanese-style roof tiles as well as a building constructed with tiles similar to those used on the Seiden main hall of Shuri Castle. It is said that the only palaces covered with ceramic roof tiles were Shuri Castle, Urasoe Gusuku, the base of the Chuzan kingdom previous to Shuri Castle, and Katsuren Gusuku.

Origin of the Ruins
The origins of Katsuren Castle date back to the 12th century, according to research on the relics. From the evidence of repeated rebuilding of the castle walls, it is believed that it was fortified through a long passage of time.

The period during which Katsuren Castle was most praised for its prosperity was from the latter half of the 14th to the first part of the 15th century. This was the era when Aji lords such as Mochidzuki and Amawari were active.

Testifying to the prosperous overseas trade is the many and varied pottery wares excavated from Katsuren Castle. Not bound by the order of official trade under the royal court, the possibility that trade was proactively explored cannot be denied. In particular, the tremendous quantity of excavated items are more than adequate to know that through the trading routes, Katsuren Castle was independently able to create its prosperity.

After unification of the Sanzan (three mountain) Kingdoms, it appears that relations with the royal court were close, as evidenced by the marriage of the daughter of the Katsuren lord to the second son of Sho Hashi. Subsequently, with the change of rulers, the Aji Mochidzuki became lord of Katsuren Castle.

Mochidzuki found a young infant named Kana, later to be known as Amawari. However, Amawari, knowing full well the hardships of the people under Mochidzuki's tyranny, made up his mind to take measures. One evening, the torches of what appeared to be a long line of marching troops could be seen. Noticing movement, Amawari called Mochidzuki outside to take a look. The lord was a bit lightheaded from drink, and called on by Amawari; Mochidzuki climbed the high walls to take a better look. He was pushed off the wall by Amawari as he gazed off in the distance. This is how Amawari took the place of Mochidzuki as lord of Katsuren Gusuku. The party marching with torches was contrived by Amawari.

Amawari was seen as the savior of the people and it strengthened his status as an Aji lord.

Cautious of the increasing strength of Amawari, Chuzan King Sho Taikyu in Shuri planned to cement the relationship with the marriage of his daughter, Momoto Fumiagari, to Amawari, but in the end Amawari became a threat to the king.

An outline of the subsequent Gosamaru-Amawari Disturbance from the official histories is as follows.

When the royal court could no longer ignore the existence of Amawari, Gosamaru was moved to Nakagusuku Castle to keep watch over Amawari and their feud reached a peak. Amawari deceived King Sho Taikyu by saying that Gosamaru was planning an attack and put forward a plan to dispatch the royal armies to Nakagusuku Castle. Sho Taikyu's wife was the daughter of Gosamaru and the king, despite long years of loyalty given by Gosamaru, believed the words of Amawari. Perhaps it was the passion with which Amawari stated his case, but the king dispatched a secret messenger to Nakagusuku Castle. After hearing reports of the forces marshalling at Nakagusuku Castle, King Sho Taikyu appointed Amawari the commander of the royal armies that were sent out toward Nakagusuku. After having vanquished Gosamaru, Amawari set about achieving his ambition to overthrow the royal court and was in the midst of preparing his forces when his daughter, Momoto Fumiagari, and her vassal, Oni Ogusuku, escaped Katsuren to warn the king. Rousing his royal armies, the king attacked and defeated Amawari.

With the downfall of Amawari, no powerful lords again rose from Katsuren Castle, the resolute fortress Gusuku that it was constructed to be..

Official histories convey that Amawari was ambitious, and that under the guise of saving King Sho Taikyu eliminated rival Gosamaru first, then led a revolt against the king. In other accounts Amawari conducted overseas trade based in Katsuren Castle and was interested in advancing into the Amami Islands, in particular. This account also states there was incessant rivalry with Gosamaru over trading interests and that, conversely, it was the royal court's way of keeping away the power of Katsuren that was a threat.

It may be that this epic story of the final heroes of the ancient Ryukyu has another truth beneath its mysterious veil.

Episode at the Ruins

In 1458 Amawari commanded the Chuzan forces that attacked Nakagusuku and destroyed his old enemy, Gosamaru. Subsequently, about the time when his plan to usurp the throne of Sho Taikyu was nearing completion, his conspiracy became known by Momoto Fumiagari, the king's daughter and wife of Amawari. The facts were told to her by Oni Ogusuku, a retainer sent to accompany her in Katsuren.

For Fumiagari, her father in Shuri was most important and she needed to inform him. Along with Oni Ogusuku, she disappeared from Katsuren Castle in the dead of the night. Carrying Fumiagari on his back, Oni Ogusuku ran at full speed to Shuri.

Shortly thereafter, Amawari became aware of their disappearance and sent out pursuers to catch them.

Oni Ogusuku, carrying Fumiagari and seeing the torches of the pursuing Katsuren armies, looks to the heavens and begins to sing the following ballad:

"I call to the gods to move the earth, to call out from the heavens to save a true goddess, Momoto Fumiagari."

In answer, the skies rained a giant downpour, extinguishing the torches of the soldiers and allowing the two fugitives to safely escape to Shuri. According to official histories, timely-informed Sho Taikyu appointed Oni Ogusuku to command the royal forces and he defeated the scheming Amawari

To see more photos: http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u53/kimdupak/Okinawa/Katsuren%!C(MISSING)astle%!R(MISSING)uins%!-(MISSING)%20Jan%!/(MISSING)

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