| Commentary |
This map of the castle was submitted to the Shogunate government, together with the province map of the Shoho era (1644–48). The map provides detailed information on the castle, including the size of the castle tower, locations of turrets and gates in the respective baileys, the land areas of the respective baileys, the height of stone walls, and the width and depth of moats. The map also shows the castle town lying outside the castle. The residential area for warriors is distinguished from that for townsfolk and a temple district, and the distance of roads is indicated. The map also represents a mausoleum of the second Shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, on a sandbank (known as Ohanabatake) in the Asahi River. Only in the Shoho era (1644–48), when this map was submitted, did the Shogunate government order the respective domains to furnish maps of their castles, probably because the government considered it essential to collect military information. |
