Changes

Ii was given the fief of Sawayama by Ieyasu. As part of Ieyasu’s plan to weaken the [[tozama]] lords by draining their coffers, he ordered them to help Ii rebuild and expand the castle after Naomasa had petitioned him for permission in [[1602]]. It was decided to move the castle from Sawayama to Hikoneyama, and the fief was subsequently known as Hikone. This construction was started in [[1603]] by Ii’s son [[Ii Naokatsu|Naokatsu]]. The castle tenshu was completed in [[1606]]. Refurbishing work on the castle from 1957-60 uncovered unused mortises and carpenter’s markings on the wood that showed it to have been part of [[Akechi Mitsuhide|Akechi Mitsuhide’s]] [[Otsu castle]], which had been located at the base of Lake Biwa. The dismantled five story Otsu tenshu was reconfigured into the present three story tenshu of Hikone. Stones for the [[ishigaki]] were gathered not only from the Sawayama site, but also from the ruins of [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi|Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s]] [[Nagahama castle]] and [[Oda Nobunaga|Oda Nobunaga’s]] [[Azuchi castle]]. Construction on the castle proceeded at a leisurely pace and was not completed until [[1622]] by Ii’s heir [[Ii Naotaka|Naotaka]]. It became an imposing reminder of Tokugawa authority astride the Nakasendo road.

Ii was given the fief of Sawayama by Ieyasu. As part of Ieyasu’s plan to weaken the [[tozama]] lords by draining their coffers, he ordered them to help Ii rebuild and expand the castle after Naomasa had petitioned him for permission in [[1602]]. It was decided to move the castle from Sawayama to Hikoneyama, and the fief was subsequently known as Hikone. This construction was started in [[1603]] by Ii’s son [[Ii Naokatsu|Naokatsu]]. The castle tenshu was completed in [[1606]]. Refurbishing work on the castle from 1957-60 uncovered unused mortises and carpenter’s markings on the wood that showed it to have been part of [[Akechi Mitsuhide|Akechi Mitsuhide’s]] [[Otsu castle]], which had been located at the base of Lake Biwa. The dismantled five story Otsu tenshu was reconfigured into the present three story tenshu of Hikone. Stones for the [[ishigaki]] were gathered not only from the Sawayama site, but also from the ruins of [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi|Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s]] [[Nagahama castle]] and [[Oda Nobunaga|Oda Nobunaga’s]] [[Azuchi castle]]. Construction on the castle proceeded at a leisurely pace and was not completed until [[1622]] by Ii’s heir [[Ii Naotaka|Naotaka]]. It became an imposing reminder of Tokugawa authority astride the Nakasendo road.

In an era where fief transfers were the rule, the Ii were the exception. They retained control of Hikone until the [[Meiji Restoration]]. [[Ii Naosuke]] played an important part in the opening of Japan during the 1850’s. He paid for this with his life, being assassinated by anti-Shogunate rebels outside the Sakurada-mon of [[Edo castle]] in [[1860]]. Only a request from the [[Emperor Meiji]] spared the structure from the wholesale castle destruction of the times.  

In an era where fief transfers were the rule, the Ii were one of the exceptions. They retained control of Hikone until the [[Meiji Restoration]]. [[Ii Naosuke]] played an important part in the opening of Japan during the 1850’s. He paid for this with his life, being assassinated by anti-Shogunate rebels outside the Sakurada-mon of [[Edo castle]] in [[1860]]. Only a request from the [[Emperor Meiji]] spared the structure from the wholesale castle destruction of the times. (Just prior to this, the castle suffered a major fire on [[1858]]/9/29 which also destroyed 207 homes and other buildings in the castle-town;<ref>''Ishin Shiryô Kôyô'' 維新史料綱要, vol 3., 73.</ref> repairs were made to the castle soon afterwards, however.)

Today, the inner portion of the castle remains largely intact (although the outer two lines of castle defenses were dismantled). The original ''tenshu'', moat, ''ishigaki'', gateways, and three turrets still stand. The ''tenshu'', while smaller than most others of its era at three stories with a basement, is quite stylish. It is built in the Momoyama style and is heavily influenced by other Zen Buddhist structures. In many ways, it resembles the residential style of the [[Kinkaku-ji|Golden]] and [[Ginkaku-ji|Silver Pavilions]] in [[Kyoto]]. The ''tenshu'' features cusped windows known as ''kato mado'' and an upper story balcony. The ''tenshu’s'' stone base is only five meters tall, and the structure itself rises another sixteen meters. The Sawaguchi tower was originally the entrance to Sawayama castle and still serves that function for Hikone. The Tenbin tower lies between Sawaguchi and the ''tenshu'', and features a very convoluted approach. First, the path crosses under a bridge leading to the tower. The path then loops around and climbs the stone foundation walls on the right. The bridge itself is then crossed. Other features of the complex are the 80-meter long stable and Keyakigoten residence. Located just within the Sawaguchi tower and containing space for 21 horses within its L-shaped structure, the stable (''umaya'') is the only one of such size surviving from the Edo period at any castle in Japan, and as such it has been designated an [[Important Cultural Property]]. Another smaller stables was maintained outside the entrance to the Omote-goten (main palace building) for the use of guests to the castle. The Keyaki-goten ("zelkova wood palace") was built by the fourth lord of Hikone, [[Ii Naooki]], in [[1677]]. Built of [[keyaki|zelkova]] wood, it survives today, though it has been repaired many times. The 12th lord, [[Ii Naoaki]], built an addition onto the palace in the early 1800s, called the Rakuraku-no-ma. As a result, the house and its associated gardens came to be known as the Rakuraku-en.

Today, the inner portion of the castle remains largely intact (although the outer two lines of castle defenses were dismantled). The original ''tenshu'', moat, ''ishigaki'', gateways, and three turrets still stand. The ''tenshu'', while smaller than most others of its era at three stories with a basement, is quite stylish. It is built in the Momoyama style and is heavily influenced by other Zen Buddhist structures. In many ways, it resembles the residential style of the [[Kinkaku-ji|Golden]] and [[Ginkaku-ji|Silver Pavilions]] in [[Kyoto]]. The ''tenshu'' features cusped windows known as ''kato mado'' and an upper story balcony. The ''tenshu’s'' stone base is only five meters tall, and the structure itself rises another sixteen meters. The Sawaguchi tower was originally the entrance to Sawayama castle and still serves that function for Hikone. The Tenbin tower lies between Sawaguchi and the ''tenshu'', and features a very convoluted approach. First, the path crosses under a bridge leading to the tower. The path then loops around and climbs the stone foundation walls on the right. The bridge itself is then crossed. Other features of the complex are the 80-meter long stable and Keyakigoten residence. Located just within the Sawaguchi tower and containing space for 21 horses within its L-shaped structure, the stable (''umaya'') is the only one of such size surviving from the Edo period at any castle in Japan, and as such it has been designated an [[Important Cultural Property]]. Another smaller stables was maintained outside the entrance to the Omote-goten (main palace building) for the use of guests to the castle. The Keyaki-goten ("zelkova wood palace") was built by the fourth lord of Hikone, [[Ii Naooki]], in [[1677]]. Built of [[keyaki|zelkova]] wood, it survives today, though it has been repaired many times. The 12th lord, [[Ii Naoaki]], built an addition onto the palace in the early 1800s, called the Rakuraku-no-ma. As a result, the house and its associated gardens came to be known as the Rakuraku-en.