Ogaki, Nakasendo

Leaving Sekigahara, I entered the extensive Nobi Plain and headed towards former post-towns Tarui-juku (#57) and Akasaka-juku (#56). The extensive Nobi Plain is surrounded by a chain of mountains that is broken to the west of Sekigahara, making it the only practical mountain pass for the Western and Eastern armies to battle it out and determine who would rule Japan. The pass was also the main connection between east and west and a thoroughfare for the transportation of goods. Today, it continues to maintain the connection with several train lines, including the bullet express and the national highway, passing through it.

Travelling along a quiet and narrow section of Nakasendo, I pass by small villages, a few suburban houses and occasional stretches of countryside. Some of the surviving trees that lined the Nakasendo have bright bands around them, signifying their historical importance. A short distance away, I arrive in Tarui, one of the oldest post-towns, having been in service since the 12th century, that is at the junction of the Nakasendo and the Tokaido roads. Three miles further (5km), is Akasaka, a marble mining town where locals used to make small marble trinkets in their spare time to sell to passing travellers. Both post-towns were absorbed into the city of Ogaki.

Ogaki used to be a castle town with an initial focus on military activity and was later a political and economic centre. Nearly half the population were military (samurai). Given the strict hierarchical order at the time, each castle town was specifically organised. In Ogaki at the centre, up on a hill was the castle – the daimyo’s home - surrounded by several layers of moats with a central keep and corner watchtowers. Adjacent to the castle, usually between the first and second moat, were the homes of the samurai. The townspeople were on the outskirts, with each group such as merchants, soldiers, labourers, artisans located in their own specific ward.

Ogaki Castle wasn’t particularly large but it was well fortified and during the Battle of Sekigahara it was used as headquarters by the commander of the Western Army. Drawn out of the castle and into battle, after a short skirmish the castle fell, with Todo Ujikane from the Eastern Army taking up lordship and control of the fief. His clan would remain in power until the end of the Edo Period. 

In WWII the keep and watchtowers were bombed and completely destroyed. Replicas were constructed in 1959 with the keep as a museum displaying the history of the castle and various samurai arms and armour. Today, the castle is surrounded by a small park filled with several statues of historical figures including a fine equestrian statue of Todo. 

After climbing the four floors of the keep for an aerial view of Ogaki, I left the castle in search of a plate of sashimi. I was dreaming of dipping thin slices of raw seafood (ie. salmon, tuna, sea bream) in light soy sauce with a little bit of wasabi and ginger for some zing, tantalising my tastebuds with the combined flavours and washing it down with green tea.