was a
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
of the Aki clan in what is now the city of
Aki,
Kōchi Prefecture,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. Ruins still remain and the site was designated an Aki City Historic Site. It is believed the castle was built by Aki Chikauji in 1308.
In 1569, the castle was besieged by
Chōsokabe Motochika's force. Aki Kunitora, who was known as one of the seven great samurai of the
Aki, entrenched himself in the castle, but later surrendered and committed seppuku.
Following the fall of the castle, Motochika appointed his younger brother
Kōsokabe Chikayasu as the lord of the castle
[ and the castle became an important base for the Chōsokabe clan to invade Awa.
After the ]Battle of Sekigahara
The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu prefecture, Japan, at the end of ...
, Tosa Province was given to Yamanouchi Kazutoyo and he appointed his senior vassal Goto Tameshige as the lord of the castle.[
The castle is now in ruins, with low some stone walls, wet moats, and ramparts or other earthworks. The Aki City Historical Museum is on site.][ Adjacent to the castle is the preserved samurai residential district of ''Doi Kachū''.][ ''Doi Kachū'' was designated a Group of Traditional Buildings of Japan in 2012.]
Gallery
File:Aki Castle, hori.jpg, Aki Castle
File:Aki Castle, koguchi-1.jpg, Former main gate of Aki castle
File:Aki Castle 11.JPG, Well
File:Aki Castle 09.JPG, Stone wall
File:Aki Castle, ichi-no-dan.jpg, Ichino-dan compound
File:Aki Castle, ni-no-dan.jpg, Nino-dan compound
File:Aki Castle 12.JPG, Museum of History
File:Noradokei April 2012.jpg, Doikachu2
File:Noradokei 02.JPG, Doikachu3
See also
* List of historic sites of Japan (Kōchi)
References
{{reflist
Castles in Kōchi Prefecture
Aki, Kōchi
Former castles in Japan
Ruined castles in Japan
Chōsokabe clan