タグ: Nobunaga ODA

49.Odani Castle Part1

A large mountain castle the Azai Clan built

Location and History

Azai Clan built Castle as their Home Base

Odani Castle was a large mountain castle located in the northern part of Omi Province, which is now Shiga Prefecture. A local warlord of the Azai Clan, built the castle around 1520’s during the Sengoku Period. However, the clan was unfortunately defeated at this castle in 1573. As a result, the castle has been known to many people for Azai’s tragedy.

The range of Omi Province and the location of the castle

Omi Provence had been a very important location connecting western and eastern Japan. The Shoguns and rulers wanted to own or take control over this province. That’s why Nobunaga Oda made an alliance with Nagamasa Azai who was the lord of the clan by getting his sister Oichi married with Nagamasa before he went to Kyoto in 1568. However, Nagamasa rebelled against Nobunaga in 1570 when Nobunaga attacked the Asakura Clan which was another ally of the Azai Clan. The long battle between Nobunaga and Nagamasa had started.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The portrait of Nagamasa Azai, owned by Jimyo-in Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle is improved to fight against Nobunaga Oda

Odani Castle was built on a ridge of Odaniyama-Mountain (at 495m). It had many enclosures with halls which were surrounded by stone walls. It is thought that they were for living and showing authority to people rather than for battles at its first stage. This was because the lord of the castle sometimes escaped from the castle when it was attacked. However, in order to fight against Nobunaga, the castle was improved as a strong fortress with the help of the Asakura Clan. The castle also had many branch castles such as Ozuku Castle on the top of the mountain to protect the back side of Odani Castle.

The relief map around the castle

Nagamasa and the Asakura Clan fought against Nobunaga on a field in the Battle of Anegawa in 1570 but were beaten. Then, he decided to stay in Odani Castle waiting for his allies, the anti-Nobunaga Network beating Nobunaga. Nobunaga gave up making an aggressive attack on the castle, instead, he took actions to make it isolated bit by bit. His retainer such as Hideyoshi Hashiba persuaded some of Nagamasa’s retainers to support Nobunaga. That resulted in some branch castles of Odani Castle belonging to Nobunaga’s side without battles.

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle is isolated after long battle, then falls

Nobunaga also built a new battle castle called Toragoze-yama Castle as his stronghold in front of Odani Castle. This made Nobunaga get supplies easier, while making it much more difficult for Nagamasa. In 1573, Nobunaga drove the Asakura Clan away from the most important branch, Ozuku Castle which they had held and captured it. Moreover, Nobunaga chased the clan down to their home base, Ichijodani Castle, and defeated them. As a result, Odani Castle was completely isolated.

The relief map around the castle

The ruins of Ichijodani Castle

In the castle on the ridge, Nagamasa was at the Main Enclosure in the lower part and his father, Hisamasa was at the Komaru Enclosure in the upper part. Nobunaga’s retainer, Hideyoshi Hashiba rushed up from the foot to the Kyogoku-maru Enclosure in the middle part and captured it on Aug 27th. That meant the castle and the Azai Family were divided. Hisamasa fell into crisis and killed himself performing Hara-kiri on the same day. Nagamasa held on for a few more days, but finally killed himself in the same way as his father, and the castle fell on Sep 1st.

The portrait of Hisamasa Azai, owned by Jimyo-in Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The restored map of the enclosures on the ridge, from the signboard at the site, adding the red letters for some enclosures’ names

Fates of Namasa Azai’s wife and children

Oichi, who was Nobunaga’s sister, but also Nagamasa’s wife, had still been at the castle and was saved by Nobunaga. She and Nagamasa had three daughters and at least one son. These daughters were also saved and later known as Azai’s Three Sisters including the oldest Chacha being Hideyoshi’s wife after he became the ruler of Japan. The son called Manpuku-maru was unfortunately killed as a common rule at that time not to be revenged by him. The heads of Nagamasa and Hisamasa’s were on public display in Kyoto also as another common rule. Nobunada made skull cups using their heads to share them with his retainers in a party. There were many different common practices at that times from us.

The portrait of Oichi, owned by Jimyo-in Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The statues of the three sisters, at the site of Kitanosho Castle Ruins

To be continued in “Odani Castle Part2”

47.Iga-Ueno Castle Part1

The castle for protecting and attacking Osaka

Location and History

From Home of Ninja to Site for protecting Osaka

Iga-Ueno Castle was located in Iga Province which is now the western part of Mie Prefecture. Iga is probably more well known for being the home of Ninja than for the castle. Actually, before the castle was built in 1585, the province was divided among many small local lords. They gained special knowledge and techniques so that they could protect themselves. They were also often hired by larger warlords in other provinces as spies or Special Forces we now call Ninja. Unfortunately, they were conquered by Nobunaga Oda in 1581. When Nobunaga’s successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi was organizing his unification of Japan, he sent Sadatsugu Tsutsui to the province as the lord.

The range of Iga Province and the location of the castle

The portrait of Sadatsugu Tsutsui, from a collection of Japanese poems called Giretsu-Hyakuninisshu, owned by National Institute of Japanese Literature (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Hideyoshi was based in Osaka Castle, so Iga Province was on the direct route from Osaka to eastern Japan. That’s why he sent Sadatsugu who first built Iga-Ueno Castle in 1585. Therefore, the castle was supposed to prevent enemies from attacking from the east. The three-level Main Tower of the castle was also built in the eastern part of it. Sadatsugu somehow survived when Ieyasu Tokugawa became the final ruler at the beginning of the 17th Century after Hideyoshi died. However, he was fired by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1608 due to a claim of misgovernment from his retainers. Historians speculate that the shogunate, in fact, wanted to remove Sadatsugu who was doubly loyal to both the shogunate and the Toyotomi Clan still at Osaka Castle.

Toyotomi’s Main Tower of Osaka Castle, from “The summer campaign of the siege of Osaka folding screens”, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Takatora Todo renovated Castle for attacking Osaka

Instead, the shogunate transferred Takatora Todo from Imabari Castle in Shikoku Island to Iga province. Takatora was not a hereditary feudal lord, which meant he didn’t work under Ieyasu Tokugawa, who was the founder of the shogunate, for a long time. However, he was a well-known master of castle construction through having build Uwajima, Ozu and Imabari Castles. He also helped the shogunate build its famous castles such as Edo, Nagoya, and Nijo in Kyoto. That’s why he was trusted by the shogunate. They expected Takatora to build a strong castle to stand against the Toyotomi Clan at Osaka Castle in the west. Takatora accomplished this by renovating Iga-Ueno Castle. He thought that if the shogunate were to be beaten at Osaka Castle, he could accommodate Ieyasu in Iga-Ueno Castle.

The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Uwajima Castle
Nagoya Castle

Takatora extended the Main Enclosure, the center of the castle on a hill to the west, towards Osaka Castle. He invited a guild of craftsmen called Ano-shu to build the highest stone walls (at that time) at the western side of the enclosure. It was completed- Takatora’s biography praises him, saying the stone walls were greater then those of Osaka Castle. Takatora also started to build the five-level Main Tower behind the stone walls, however, the tower collapsed due to a windstorm in 1612. The Second Enclosure was built beside the hill in the south, which was used as warriors’ housing. It had two large Main Gates in its western and eastern parts. The construction was ongoing when the battles between the shogunate and the Toyotomi Clan happened in 1614. however, it halted after the shogunate beat the Toyotomi Clan in 1615.

The high stone walls of Iga-Ueno Castle
The illustration of Hachimanyama Castle and Town, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The old photo of the Western Main Gate (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Homebase for Wartime

Takatora gave his younger brother Iga-Ueno Castle as his branch castle, and set Tsu Castle as his home base. Tsu Castle was located in a plains area near the sea in Ise Province which was another territory of his. He said that Tsu Castle would be his home base for peacetime while Iga-Ueno Castle would be the other one for wartime. After that, the senior vassals of the Todo Clan governed the castle and Iga Province in the peacetime of the Edo Period. They lived in the official residence where Sadatsugu Tsutsui originally lived. The first Main Tower, which Sadatsugu built, also remained for a while, but it is thought to have collapsed due to another windstorm in 1633 as well.

The ruins of Tsu Castle
The ruins of the official residence of Iga-Ueno Castle
The official residence area drawn in the Kanei Era of the Edo Period, exhibited by Iga-Ueno Castle

To be continued in “Iga-Ueno Castle Part2”

139.Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part1

An impregnable castle on the border of Wakasa Province

Location and History

Katsuhisa Awaya reclaims Castle

What is now Fukui Prefecture was divided into Echizen Province in the Northeast and Wakasa Province in the Southwest. In the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, the Asakura Clan governed Echizen while the Takeda Clan owned Wakasa. Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle was in Wakasa Province near the border between both provinces. Sagaki comes from the name of the area around the castle and Kuniyoshi originates from the name of the person who first built the castle sometime before the Sengoku Period. People at that time usually called it “Sagaki Castle” and the other name “Kuniyoshi Castle” became popular later. As a result, historians and history buffs often call it Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle, using both names.

The location of the castle

Comparing the Asakura and Takeda Clans, Asakura were much stronger than Takeda. Asakura tried to extend their power to Wakasa Province, in response, Takeda wanted to rely on Asakura. However, Takeda’s retainers, such as one of the senior vassals, Katsuhisa Awaya, rebelled against them. Katsuhisa reclaimed an abandoned castle to prevent the Asakura Clan from invading Wakasa Province, called Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle. The castle was built on a steep mountain with a height at 197m near the border of Echizen Provence. People who went in or out of Wakasa Province had to pass a ridge beside the mountain, so the castle was the pivot of defense for the province. The lord of the castle usually lived in the Main Hall on the valley below the mountain, but used the mountain part when a battle broke out.

Asakura Clan′s troops are repelled 5 times

The relief map around the castle

The Asakura Clan attacked Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle 5 times between 1563 and 1567 to crush the rebellion. However, all the attacks failed because the rebel army and the castle were so strong. The battles between them occurred as follows. The warriors, their families, and other people around the castle gathered on the mountain carrying ammunition, stones, and wood. Meanwhile, some defenders hid in ambush beside the route to the castle. When the attackers got close to the castle on the route, the defenders made a surprise attack on them. After that, when the attackers climbed up to the mid slope on the mountain, the defenders shot guns and arrows, and threw the stones and wood all together. Many of the attackers were hit and fell into the valley, forcing the rest to withdraw. In addition, when the attackers looted property and crops away from the town and fields near the castle, the defenders made a night attack on Asakura’s positions. As a result, the castle was considered to be impregnable.

The imaginary drawing of Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle, exhibited by the Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle Historical Museum

Castle is involved with Battle over Country

A fortunate opportunity for Katsuhisa came in 1570 when the great warlord, Nobunaga Oda attacked the Asakura Clan. Nobunaga visited Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle during his invasion of Echizen and praised Katsuhisa’s military achievement. The battle between Oda and the Asakura lasted until 1573 when the Asakura Clan was defeated. Nobunaga gave Wakasa Province to one of his senior vassals, Nagahide Niwa whom Katsuhisa served. Times rapidly changed after Nobunaga was killed in the Honnoji Incident in 1582. Nobunaga’s former retainers, Hideyoshi Hashiba and Katsuie Shibata were against each other for the initiative. Katsuie was in Echizen Province while Nagahide supported Hideyoshi. That meant Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle became a castle at the tense border between two provinces again.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The portrait of Nagahide Niwa, owned by Historiographical Institute the University of Tokyo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Katsuhisa’s boss, Nagahide was responsible for constructing Azuchi Castle, famously built by Nobunaga Oda. That meant Nagahide had advanced techniques for improving castles. Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle had basically been made of soil, but was fortified using stone walls. In the end, the battle between Hideyoshi and Katsuie happened in another place before Hideyoshi won. During the unification of Japan by Hideyoshi followed by the Tokugawa Shogunate, the castle changed hands several times. The castle still continued to be improved using stone walls, but the mountain part was eventually abandoned. Instead, only the Main Hall part in the valley was used because it was convenient for the government. In 1634 when the Sakai Clan, the lords of the Obama Domain including Wakasa Province, built the Sagaki magistrate’s office, the castle was entirely abandoned.

The imaginary drawing of Azuchi Castle, exhibited by Gifu Castle Museum
The ruins of the Sagaki magistrate’s office

To be continued in “Sagaki-Kuniyoshi Castle Part2”