Kitabatake Clan Residence Ruins (Tsu City, Mie Prefecture)

　This is remains of Taki-Gosho of Kitabatake clan whose founder was Kitabatake Chikafusa (1293-1354), they ruled central and southern Mie prefecture from Nanbokucho period (1336-1392) to Shokuho period (Late 16th century).

　It is now Kitabatake Shrine.

Taki-Gosho ruins (Kitabatake shrine grounds)

　Among many feudal loads of Sengoku period (1467-1568), the Kitabatake clan is unique in that it came from a noble family.

　The successive heads of the Kitabatake clan were also aware that they were nobility, and continued to interact with Kyoto court. They were a feudal lord from the Sengoku period with strong dynastic culture, holding Renga (Kind of Japanese traditional poem) and Sarugaku (Kind of Japanese traditional dance) within their territory.

　From the place name "Taki", the head of Kitabatake clan was called "Taki-dono (Sir Taki)."

　Here you will find Kitabatake clan ruins garden, which created by Hosokawa Takakuni (1484-1531).

　The original garden has been restored and is now a beautiful Japanese garden with a pond in the shape of Japanese character "米 (Rice)" in the center. It is call "Style of garden that features a path around a pond", this is a Buke-Shoin garden (Traditional residential architectural style) where you can enjoy the garden from inside the architectural.

Kitabatake clan ruins garden

　Takakuni was a person who served as Kanrei (The number one retainer of Shogunate), who assisted Shogun in Muromachi shogunate. He later lost a power struggle within the shogunate and committed suicide.

　Behind Taki-Gosho is "Kiriyama Castle Ruins," which was built in Taki Basin at an altitude of 560 meters.

　The lead of the family and his vassals usually spend their time at Taki-Gosho at foot of mountain, and this is the "Tsume-no-Shiro (Last resort)." they can barricade themselves in case of an emergency. The remains of a typical medieval castle still remain today.

　The nearby Misugi-Furusato museum exhibits materials related to Misugi area life and Kitabatake clan.

　It is important to note, that although this museum exhibits many maps from Edo period (1603-1868), the depictions of Kitabatake's Taki-Gosho and Kiriyama Castle are completely imaginary and have no archaeological basis.

　Taki-Gosho is depicted in a style of Old Imperial Palace, but it is unclear whether it really was in the style of palace.

　Kiriyama Castle is also depicted as a castle with white walls and a castle tower in a style of an early modern castle, but the actual Kiriyama Castle is a typical medieval castle with wooden walls and buildings such as towers which were used as a fortress in case of emergencies.

　The scale of the map is also approximately and temples and rivers depicted are only illustrative with only rough directions matching.

　Although they are now valuable materials that help us learn about the scene at the time, the paintings on folding screens and other objects are thought to have been created as interior decorations.