Yamanaka Castle Hojo Ujiyasu Yamanaka Castle was established by Hojo Ujiyasu in the 1560’s in what is now eastern Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. It was to be a first line of western defense in protecting the main Hojo Castle at Odawara. Carved and dug from the side of a [...]
Iwamura Castle Iwamura Castle is considered one of Japan’s Best Three Yamajiro, mountaintop castles, and was once under the command of a warrior woman. Built atop a 717m high peak as protection for the south-eastern areas of Mino Province, Iwamura Castle, also known as Kirigajo, (Castle of the Mist) located above the township [...]
Kitabatake Clan Samurai Gardens The beautiful Kitabatake Gardens are recognized as one of Japan’s three major samurai gardens. Despite the atmosphere of pure tranquility. The history is truly frightening. The area was once the scene of a bloodbath. Kitabatake Gardens, recognized as one of three major samurai gardens. [...]
Oda Vs Oda The Battle of Ukino took place in the summer of 1558 when Oda Nobunaga attacked and defeated an army of the Iwakura Oda clan from Iwakura Castle. Battle of Ukino, scene from the book “Famous Spots of Owari” Site of the Battle of Ukino, Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture [...]
Gifu Castle Gifu Castle has long been associated with the Sengoku, or warring States period, and has long been a symbol of Gifu City. Originally known as Inabayama Castle, it was first built by the Nikaido clan around 1201. Over the last 800 years it has been enlarged and strengthened by daimyo [...]
Takeda Katsuyori (15,000) Vs. Oda Nobunaga & Tokugawa Ieyasu (38,000) The Takeda were the most feared samurai cavalry army of the 1500’s. But they were decimated in one of the greatest of samurai battles, and Japan’s first major gun-battle, Nagashino, fought in 1575. The Battle of Nagashino Takeda [...]
Fukui Castle, Home of Ieyasu’s Secret Son Fukui Castle was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu’s secret son, Yuki Hideyasu in 1606. Ieyasu had 19 wives and concubines, bearing 11 sons and 5 daughters. Yuki Hideyasu was Ieyasu’s second son, although born not to his wife, Tsukiyama Dono, but to her servant, Oman! When Oman became pregnant, [...]
Iwakura Castle Iwakura Castle was a hira-jiro, a flat-land castle located on the plains that would become Iwakura City, Aichi Prefecture. At one stage it rivaled Kiyosu Castle in size and stature. Constructed in 1479, it covered an area of 900m north to south and 400m east to west. Two sets of moats, [...]
Kiyosu Castle Kiyosu Castle was first built around 1405 by Shiba Yoshishige, the Governor of Owari, as a major strategic defense, and later the seat of power for the Owari (now Aichi Prefecture) region. One of the two Oda clans, administrators of Owari, the southern Owari based Oda, took control of southern [...]
Asuke Castle, Aichi Prefecture Asuke Castle in Aichi Prefecture was a small, but vitally important castle that saw a great deal of battle action. Asuke Castle is one of Japan’s first and best examples of an authentically reconstructed Yamashirotype castle of the Sengoku period. Asuke Castle Main Gate [...]