When you get there, you can see why the castle was built there.
Later History
After Akutagawa-san Castle was abandoned, part of the ruins was turned into a farm. In the Edo Period, people at a village on the foot of the mountain built a shrine for worshiping Nagayoshi Miyoshi on the top. The shrine is still there. Takatsuki City has continued to investigate and study the ruins of the castle since 1993. It found that the castle was unique and important in Japanese history. It also aims to have the ruins designated as a National Historic Site.
The shrine for worshiping Nagayoshi Miyoshi (licensed by ブレイズマン via via Wikimedia Commons)The signpost at the Main EnclosureThe remaining stone walls of the Main Gate
My Impression
When I stood on the top of the mountain, I felt that I found the reason why Nagayoshi chose this castle as his home base. It could be because he was able to see his Settsu Province from the top of the mountain. This would allow him to see what was happening in the province, and easily rush there if needed. In addition, the castle provided him with enough security to live. I was also wondering if he considered Ikoma Mountains as his next home base when he saw them from Akutagawa-san Castle. If he could have a castle on the mountains, he would monitor his province from both sides of the north and south, which would make his governance more stable.
A view from the topIkoma Mountains where Imori Castle was built
The locations of Imori Castle and Akutagawa-san Castle, and the range of Settsu Province
How to get There
Take the Takatsuki City Bus bound for Tsukawaki or Shimonokuchi from JR Takatsuki Station and get off at the Tsukawaki bus stop. To get to Takatsuki Station from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express, and transfer to the Kyoto Line at Kyoto Station.
Now the ruins of Akutagawa-san Castle are private owned and not developed as a public park. Visitors usually have to walk from the nearest bus stop. You may be unsure which mountain you should climb and how you go to the ruins. It is a good idea to bring the route map called “Access to the Summit of Mt. Miyoshi” which you can download from the website of Takatsuki City. After about a 15-minute walk from the bus stop, the route is divided in to two branches. You can choose either of the two routes.
The map around the castle
Around the bus stopAccess to the Summit of Mt. Miyoshi (exhibited by Takatsuki City Website)
Tsukawaki Route
One of them is called Tsukawaki Route which goes around on the eastern side of the mountain and has a gentle slope. You can see a lot of the ruins of enclosures, but cannot enter them, because the route is surrounded by fences, so accessible areas are limited. You can also see the earthen walls crossing the route at a 90-degree angle. They are called Tate-Dorui or the Vertical Earthen Walls which prevented enemies from attacking the castle from other positions. You will also see the narrow earthen bridge with both sides having dry moats. The purpose of the system is the same as the Vertical Earthen Walls. You can even see something like the ruins of the alternate entrance.
Going to Tsukawaki RouteThe route goes alongside the fenceThe Vertical Earthen Walls (licensed by ブレイズマン via via Wikimedia Commons)The earthen wallsThe ruins which might have been the alternate entrance
Main Route
The other branch route is called Otesuji Route or the Main Route which goes straight up to the mountain. It is steep and rocky. You can see some old stone walls around the entrance of the mountain, but they seem to be not original for the castle. The route is also surrounded by fences and you even have to pass through a door for preventing wild boars from entering the area. Take care to close it after entering or leaving. After about a 15-minute climb, you will see the stone walls of the Main Gate. The center part of them collapsed, however they are original to the castle.
The stone walls around the entrance of the routeAn appearance of the Main RouteThe door for preventing wild boarsThe remaining stone walls of the Main Gate
Great view from Main Enclosure
The two branch routes meet above the stone walls, as you approach the Main Enclosure on the top. The outside field will suddenly become visible; it provides a great view of the Osaka Plain. You will finally reach the Main Enclosure after another few minutes of climbing. The enclosure has been cleared to create an open space. The excavations found that the traces of the buildings which might have been used as turrets at the front, and the stone foundations of the building which could have been used as Nagayoshi Miyoshi’s Main Hall. You can enjoy the whole view of the plain including the tall buildings in Osaka City and the Ikoma Mountains where Imori Castle became Nagayoshi’s new home base after Akutagawa-san Castle.
The point where the two routes meetThe outside field will suddenly become visibleThe Main EnclosureThe tall buildings in Osaka City can be seenThe Ikoma Mountains
An admired mountain castle during the Sengoku Period governed by the Miyoshi Clan
Location and History
Mountain Castles during Sengoku Period
In the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, battles often happened in the Kinki Region of Japan. Warlords usually lived in their halls located in a plain area like Kyoto, and used their mountain castles for emergency. However, it got too dangerous for them then because they couldn’t predict when the next battle would happen. As a result, they started to live in their mountain castles every day. These castles had their halls on the top and strong defense systems. Akutagawa-san Castle was one of the most admired ones in the region.
The castle was first built in 1516 by Takakuni Hosokawa, a senior vassal of the Ashikaga Shogunate, but it is famous for the home base of Nagayoshi Miyoshi. Nagayoshi came from Awa Province (what is now Tokushima Prefecture) in Shikoku Island working under the Hosokawa Clan. He got power in both politics and military while other retainers of the shogunate conflicted each other. When his power competed with the Shogun, Yoshiteru Ashikaga, Yoshiteru tried to kill Nagayoshi. Nagayoshi banished the shogun from Kyoto and started his own governance in 1553. In the same year, he also settled at Akutagawa-san Castle.
The portrait of Nagayoshi Miyoshi, owned by Juko-in of Daitokuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The portrait of Yoshiteru Ashikaga, owned by the National Museum of Japanese Histories(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Mountain with Defense and Authority
The castle was located on the top of Miyoshi-yama Mountain in Settsu province (what is nearly the northern part of Osaka Prefecture), the north of the Osaka Plain. The mountain itself was very defensive being surrounded by Settsukyo Valley in north and west directions. The castle was accessible by road from the east through the ridges and the south through the valley. Nagayoshi himself attacked the castle previously, so he would have realized how strong the castle was.
The relief map around the castle
The imaginary drawing of the castle (from the signboard at the site)
The Main Enclosure had the Main Hall on the top of the mountain. Many other enclosures were around the ridges on the east of the Main Enclosure. The route went alongside these enclosures, and it was controlled by structures such as earthen walls, earthen bridges, dry moats, and alternate entrances. The Main Route also ran on the south of the Main Enclosure. It was very steep and guarded by the Main Gate which had stone walls. The stone walls are thought to also show the authority of the castle, so regarded as one of the earliest examples of castles in Japan to use stone walls intendedly.
The imaginary drawing around the Main Enclosure (from the signboard at the site)The imaginary drawing of the group of the enclosures on the east of the Main Enclosure (from the signboard at the site)The imaginary drawing of the Main Route and the stone walls (from the signboard at the site)
Nobunaga Oda once stayed in Castle
Though Nagayoshi passed the castle to his son and moved to Imori Castle in 1560, Akutagawa-san Castle continued to be used by the Miyoshi Clan as their important castle. In 1568, Nobunaga Oda came to Kyoto to rule the Kinki Region. He once captured and stayed in Akutagawa-san Castle and gave it to his retainer. However, as he proceeded with his unification of Japan, there would be no need for a castle like Akutagawa-san Castle. The castle was later abandoned.
The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
