Along the Matsuura-gawa river line of stone walls continues nearly 800 meters, and a combination of inner side hill area and long continuing stone walls along the curved river is a beautiful scenery. Houses of retainers were built in this area, and this area was also guarded by stone walls and outer moats. Third area spreads about 400 meter square space at the west of secondary area between the river and coast. Secondary ares is about 300 meter square area at the west of the hill, and palace of the lords was built in this area. A splendid stone steps rises from the hillside to upper areas, and foot of the hill washed by waves were also fixed by tall stone walls. ![]() By this construction, Karatsu castle could use wide space of west coast of the river as its outer area, and could control movement of ships coming into the town port.Īt the hilltop there are two terraces totally surrounded by stone walls, and at the southwest edge of highest area main tower basement was placed but main tower itself was not built. Originally this hill was connected to the narrow sandbank in its east side, but Hirotaka changed the river channel to the east of the hill, and used former river area at the west of the castle as an outer area. Hill area is about 300 meter long and 200 meter wide ellipse, and north, east and south direction Hill area is surrounded by sea and river. Karatsu castle consist of inner areas exist over the hill, and outer areas spreads over the narrow space between coast and Matsuura-gawa river like a folding fan. Terasawa clan was still not so large lord but gained wealth from foreign trade, thus Karatsu castle became a large and splendid one competing with castles of much larger lords. Stones and materials of abolished Hizen Nagoya castle were used for the construction of Karatsu castle, and after six years construction Karatsu castle had completed. Hirotada originally used Kishidake castle (Saga prefecture) which was the main base of Matsuura party, but in 1602 Hirotada started to build a new castle to use as his main base. After the death of Hideyoshi in 1598, Hirotada supported next ruler Ieyasu Tokugawa (1543-1616) who established Edo Shogunate, and continued as a feudal lord with additional territory at Amakusa islands. Hirotaka Terasawa was an efficient administrative staff and served as a magistrate of Nagasaki city. Hideyoshi also built Hizen Nagoya castle, a huge headquarter for his foreign campaign, at the north part of the peninsula. In medieval era Higashi Matsuura peninsula including Karatsu city was originally managed by clans of Matsuura party, a group of sea clans engaged in sea transportation or fishery with armed ship and lead by Hata clan which was the lord of Kishidake castle.īut clans of Matsuura party were expelled by central ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi (1537-1598), and Hideyoshi appointed his general Hirotaka Terasawa (1563-1633) as a lord of this area to manage important trade port. Karatsu castle was built utilizing Mitsushimayama hill of 40 meter height at the mouth of Matsuuragawa river and connecting sandbar. ![]() By immature ancient navigation technique, to minimize the possibility of accident ships had to trace the coast and islands, and Karatsu area was most suitable departure point toward other East Asian countries (The name "Karatsu" means port to China). This area also places at the south end of shortest distant way between Kyushu island and Korean peninsula, passing Iki islands and Tsushima islands. ![]() Hisorically Karatsu area has been a good port inside Karatsu-wan bay and being guarded by islands. Karatsu castle (唐津城) is located at the mouth of Matsuura-gawa river, between the center of Karatsu city and Karatsu-wan bay. Remaining remnants: Stone walls and moats
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