The Rising Sun: Castles and Samurai

In the prefecture of Akita on the east coast of northern Japan, you can find the castle town of Kakunodate. Kakunodate is surrounded by mountains on three sides and a river runs through it. This was not where the original Kakunodate was but Ashina Yoshikatsu moved it in case of an attack. In that case the town would be protected by the mountains. Once the largest castle in the Akita region it is no longer there but the town still remains. Along the Hinokinai-gawa River for two kilometers there are weeping cherry blossoms. It is called a “scenic beauty” by the Japanese government. One million people annually visit this beautiful spot in late April and early May when the blossoms are at their fullest. During the Edo Period (1603-1868) several samurai families competed to grow the most beautiful cherry blossoms. Along

Kakunodate is split into two main sections with the samurai houses in the northern part of town and in past times commoners lived in the southern part. According to the website called Jcastle, “The castle town was viewed as an extension of the castle's defenses. The roads surrounding it are a maze of dead ends, T-junctions, and narrow winding streets. Some castle towns, in addition to the aforementioned maze of confusing streets, had one large avenue that led directly to the main gate of the castle. Any attacking force who dared to tempt this lane would find itself in the most heavily fortified part of the city. The Otemon (main gate) is the strongest of all the gates and the lane was lined with homes of loyal retainers.” You might be thinking why would a lord put their most loyal samurai’s houses in such a dangerous position? Well, if a lord has his most loyal in front, then he knows that they might die but he will live instead of the other way around. This may seem harsh but back then it was more important to have loyalty and honor than to be alive. I know this is late but for those who don't know, a samurai is like the knight in Europe. A samurai will battle with a sword and if his lord tells him to commit senpaku (suicide) he WILL do it.

How close a samurai’s house was to the castle reflected his standing with his lord. If his lord was furious with him, the lord could have the samurai move his home farther from the castle. If an enemy attacked the samurai’s house could be destroyed with his family first. The fear for their family ensures that the samurai will do his best to please his lord. The size of the house reflected a samurai’s rank and only samurai could have walls or gates. Today, most samurai houses are still in the hands of their descendants but some are open to the public to view from the outside.

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