Nanao after the earthquake (Go Noto) ~ NOV, 2024 ~

It's been almost a year since the earthquake on New Year's Day, but out of the 21 inns in Wakura Onsen, including Kagaya, only four have reopened. Although the area is more than 60km away in a straight line from the epicenter, many houses are still covered with plastic sheets, and it looks like it will take some time to restore roads and public facilities. From the mountain leading up to Nanao Castle, you can see the city of Nanao and Noto Island beyond, but you can't really understand the situation unless you go there. 60km is the distance from Tokyo to Kumagaya.

To get to the main castle of Nanao Castle, you need to park your car in the parking lot halfway up the mountain and climb the mountain path for about 20 to 30 minutes. The castle has sturdy, rough stone walls built along the vast ridgeline, making it a famous castle. Unfortunately, the main castle was in a dangerous situation as part of the stone walls had collapsed, so we were not able to enter, but I saw a Japanese serow glaring at me, likely the current lord of the castle.

The Hatakeyama clan prospered as one of the three Kanrei（Shogunate regent) during the Muromachi period, but due to a major incident that occurred in the early Kamakura period, their original surname changed from Taira to Minamoto. Hatakeyama Shigetada, who contributed greatly to Minamoto no Yoritomo's conquest, was a member of the main branch of the Kanmu Heishi clan, and was known as a model for Kanto samurai for his excellent bravery and character. After Yoritomo's death, the Hojo father and son (Tokimasa and Yoshitoki) gradually eliminated their rivals, and the Hatakeyama clan was no exception, and their family was executed in a plot (1205). The Hojo clan married Shigetada's wife, Tokimasa's daughter, to Yoshizumi, the eldest illegitimate son of Ashikaga family head Yoshikane, and from then on they took the name Hatakeyama. Their descendants became the Kanrei family during the Muromachi period, and a branch family became the Noto Shugo(Gonerner).

Hatakeyama Mitsuyoshi took over as Kanrei for a time because his brother Mitsuie incurred the wrath of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and was forced to live in seclusion. However, after Yoshimitsu's death, he handed over the family headship to his brother Mitsuie, received the position of Noto Shugo, and established a branch family, which marked the beginning of the Noto Hatakeyama clan. Mitsuyoshi built Nanao Castle during the Shocho era (1428-1429), and Nanao prospered as the center of Noto for eight generations and 150 years until it was surrendered by the invasion of Uesugi Kenshin. The reason he handed over the family headship to his brother is a beautiful story that is similar to that of Tokugawa Mitsukuni, the lord of Mito, who adopted his own son and exchanged it with his senior brother's son, the lord of Sanuki Takamatsu Domain. However, it seems that Mitsuyoshi and the fourth shogun Yoshimochi did not get along well. The latest issue of Rekishi Kenkyu (December issue) features the Noto Hatakeyama clan, which will be published soon, so I will use it as a winter reading topic.

Two years before his death, Uesugi Kenshin captured Nanao Castle, which he had besieged for a year, and defeated Shibata Katsuie at the Tedori River, but he returned to Kasugayama to be prepared for the next battle in the Kanto region. Kenshin's famous Chinese poem "Sent in the Battle of September 13th" was written at Nanao Castle, and conveys the joy of finally uniting Etchu and Noto.

After Kenshin died, the Takeda clan was destroyed, and after the Honnoji Incident Hideyoshi became Nobunaga's successor, and Maeda Toshiie came to Nanao. Toshiie only stayed in Nanao for about two years, but during that time he built Komaruyama Castle as a modern castle, and in preparation for it he gathered a group of temples in a corner near the castle. There were originally 29 temples, but now there are 16, known as the "Mountain Temples and Temples Group," and connected by a walking path called the Meditation Path.

Although some parts of the promenade have collapsed due to the earthquake, it is a wonderful place where you can walk around the temples in the quiet trees, but unfortunately, much of them are completely or partially destroyed, and many of the stone pagodas and graves in particular have fallen, and it appears that recovery is not progressing very well. With a wide area affected, rebuilding temples and stone structures, which require special skills, is not something that just anyone can do, and I imagine it will take time and money.

I was disappointed that I had never been there before, but the 16 temples have a rich and varied history, and I hope that the cultural properties will be protected and the temples will be restored as soon as possible. Here are some photos.

Maeda Toshiie only built one temple, but he placed the remains of his parents there (Chourei-ji Temple).

Maeda Toshiie protected Takayama Ukon, who became a ronin after Hideyoshi's edict to expel missionaries (1587), and established a training center for him. Ukon traveled to Manila after Ieyasu's edict to expel Christians (1614), and died there shortly after. (Hongyo-ji Temple)

The memorial tower for "Yaoya Oshichi," who was accused of being the culprit of the Tenwa Fire (1683), and the memorial stone for the Hasegawa family (the family of Tohaku) (Chojuji Temple)

Noto and Kaga, which make up Ishikawa Prefecture, were separated from Etchu in the early Nara period and Echizen in the early Heian period, respectively. From 741, when Emperor Shomu issued an edict to build provincial temples, to 757, Noto became part of Etchu again, and during that time Otomo no Yakamochi was appointed as the governor of Etchu Province, visiting Noto and composing poems in various places. Provincial temples were built as late as Jowa 10 (843), but they seem to have continued to exist until the mid-Kamakura period.

Recovery will take a long time and huge costs, but what kind of vision for recovery can be drawn for this area where depopulation is accelerating? In a country where disasters are commonplace, it is probably not possible to allocate an excessively large recovery budget to this area alone. With an eye on a future that is unique to Noto, I feel it is important to prioritize protecting and promoting its excellent culture (sake, fish, festivals) and historical heritage, which may seem like a cliché, as we look to the future. Let's do our best, Noto!