Nisshin during the Warring States Period - Iwasaki Castle

Iwasaki Castle, (a hill-on-the-plain [hirayamjiro] style castle) was built during the Kyoroku era (1528-1531) by Oda Nobuhide. In 1538 (Tembun 7), after the castle had been taken over by the Matsudaira of Mikawa, it is said that Niwa Ujikiyo moved here from Hongo Castle. Henceforth, it served as the residential castle for four generations of the Niwa family (Niwa Ujisato, Ujikatsu, and Ujitsugu) spanning a period of 62 years. In the year 1600 (Keicho 5), having distinguishing himself at the Battle of Sekigahara, Niwa Ujitsugu became daimyo of the fief of Mikawa Ibo (presently, Homi Town, Toyota City) with a stipend of 10,000 koku, and thus abandoned Iwasaki Castle.

In 1584 (Tensho 12) during the Komaki-Nagakute Campaign, Ikeda Tsuneoki's troops, which formed the advance guard of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces, were prevented from harassing the rear guard of the combined forces of Oda Nobuo and Tokugawa Ieyasu. It is reported that over 300 men under the command of castle warden Niwa Ujishige died in battle, which led to the victory by the Oda-Tokugawa forces.

As for the castle itself, the main, secondary, west and east enclosures as well as the surrounding moat and earthenworks are well preserved. The excavations that took place between 1984 and1986 yielded a great number of important and valuable artifacts. These and other relics unearthed during the excavations are currently on display at the castle's historical museum. There is also a multi-screen slide show presentation about the Battle of Iwasaki Castle which makes visitors feel as if they were actually there.

Sanage Kilns (Sanage Yama Seinanroku Koyouseki Gun)

In the low hilly terrain stretching southwest of Sanage Mountain, located nearly in the center of Aichi Prefecture, lies a group of ancient kiln ruins known as Sanage Yama Seinanroku Koyouseki Gun (Sanage Kilns). These kilns were active for a period of approximately 900 years from the fifth to the fourteenth century.

It is estimated that there were over one thousand kilns, and during the Nara and Heian periods, it was the largest ceramic producing area in the country. The grey and green glazed ceramics produced at these kilns were the highest quality ceramicware of their time. The quality of the products from these kilns was considered second only to the ceramics of China. Their distribution was concentrated around the capital cities of Heijokyo (Nara) and Heiankyo (Kyoto), but were also supplied throughout the country. The techniques and traditions associated with these kilns were later carried on in Seto and Tokoname.

Suikinkutsu ("water harp chamber")

At Iwasaki Castle Ruins Park, the main and secondary enclosures are surrounded by a dry moat, and there is a Japanese garden in the secondary enclosure. There, one can hear the distinctive sound of the suikinkutsu

A suikinkutsu is a device seen in Japanese gardens. A stonehand-washing basin (chozubachi) or another type of stone basin used in tea gardens known as tsukubai is placed near a bell-shaped earthenware pot with a hole in the bottom which is buried upside down in the ground, thus creating a ceramic echo chamber. Water from the wash basin is made to flow into the buried jar. As water drips through the hole in the pot, the sound of the droplets striking the water's surface inside the jar resonates, creating a uniquely pleasant sound.
It is not known exactly how the device came to be called suikinkutsu. But the distinctive sound it produces resembles the sound of the koto (a thirteen-stringed zither), hence its name. It is said that the suikinkutsu was developed during the middle of the Edo Period. So please enjoy the strange and mysterious sound created by the basin and the earthenware pot.

Exhibition Guide

Permanent Exhibitions: The Battle of Iwasaki Castle, The Life and Times of Niwa Ujitsugu, armor and saihai (fly-whisk like baton of command), ancient kilns, tomb mounds, etc.


Special Exhibitions: Changes in the natural world - Our Town, Nisshin - ; locally collected mineral samples, plant fossils, locally made fishing paraphernalia, scenic photographs of the Taisho era, etc.