![Kishiwadaj11](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Kishiwadaj11.jpg)
is a
Japanese castle
are fortresses constructed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century. Castles in Japan were built to guard important or strategic sites, such ...
located in the city of
Kishiwada
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 190,853 in 88598 households and a population density of 2600 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is well known for its Danjiri Matsu ...
,
Osaka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 () and has a geographic area of . Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto 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 ...
. At the end of the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
, Kishiwada Castle was home to the
Okabe clan, ''
daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
'' of
Kishiwada Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Izumi Province in what is now the southern portion of modern-day Osaka Prefecture. It was centered around Kishiwada Castle and was controlled by the ''fudai daim ...
. The Honmaru Garden of the castle is designated as a
National Place of Scenic Beauty.
The castle is also known as .
Background
Kishiwada Castle is located in the center of the city of Kishiwada, facing
Osaka Bay
Osaka Bay (大阪湾 ''Ōsaka-wan'' ) is a bay in western Japan. As an eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea, it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Kii Channel and from the neighbor western part of the Inland Sea by the Akashi Strait. ...
. The site is a very strategic location, approximately half way in-between the cities of
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
and
Wakayama Wakayama may refer to:
*Wakayama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan
*Wakayama (city)
Wakayama City Hall
is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 351,391 in 157066 househol ...
and just south of the port of
Sakai
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and incl ...
. It is located on the Kishū Kaidō, the main route connecting the
capital area of Japan with
Kii Province
, or , was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is today Wakayama Prefecture, as well as the southern part of Mie Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Kii''" in . Kii bordered Ise, Izumi, Kawachi, Shima, and Yamato Pro ...
, and its coastal location was important for transportation from the eastern
Shikoku
is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
to
Settsu Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises the southeastern part of Hyōgo Prefecture and the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. It was also referred to as or .
Osaka and Osaka Castle were the main center of the province. Most of Settsu's ...
and
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
. It is unknown when this location was first fortified. During the
Nanboku-chō period
The Nanboku-chō period (南北朝時代, ''Nanboku-chō jidai'', "North and South court period", also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period), spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Mur ...
, a local warlord named Kishiwada Osamu was subordinate to
Kusunoki Masashige
was a Japanese samurai of the Kamakura period remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty.
Kusunoki fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in the Genkō War to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate and restore power in Japan to the Imperial Court. Kusunoki ...
at the
Battle of Minatogawa
The Battle of Minatogawa (), also known as the Battle of Minato River, was a battle of the Nanboku-chō Wars fought near the Minato River in Settsu Province (present day Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture) on 5 July 1336.
The Imperial forces loyal to Emp ...
in 1336 and is believed to have built a fortified residence approximately 500 meters southeast of the current castle. It later fell to the
Ashikaga clan
The was a prominent Japanese samurai clan which established the Muromachi shogunate and ruled Japan from roughly 1333 to 1573.
The Ashikaga were descended from a branch of the Minamoto clan, deriving originally from the town of Ashikaga in ...
who appointed the
Hosokawa clan
The is a Japanese Samurai kin group or clan.
Ancestors
# Emperor Jimmu
# Emperor Suizei
# Emperor Annei
# Emperor Itoku
# Emperor Kōshō
# Emperor Kōan
# Emperor Kōrei
# Emperor Kōgen
# Emperor Kaika
# Emperor Sujin
# Emperor Suinin
# Emper ...
as ''
shugo
, commonly translated as “(military) governor,” “protector,” or “constable,” was a title given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the ''shōgun'' to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan. The pos ...
'' of
Izumi Province
:''The characters ''泉州'' are also used for the name of the Chinese city of Quanzhou''.
was a province of Japan in the area of southern Osaka Prefecture. Tango bordered on Kii to the south, Yamato and Kawachi to the west, and Settsu to t ...
, and the Hosokawa appointed the
Matsuura clan
Matsuura (written: 松浦) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Akiko Matsuura, Japanese drummer
*Atsushi Matsuura (footballer born 1982), former Japanese football player
*Atsushi Matsuura (footballer born 1981), forme ...
as their deputies. At some unknown point, the castle was relocated to its present site on a small hill at the coastal terrace of Osaka Bay, protected to the north and south by rivers.
History
In the early 15th century, the
Miyoshi clan
is a Japanese family descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and the Minamoto clan (Seiwa-Genji). They were a cadet branch of the Ogasawara clan and the Takeda clan.
At the beginning of the 14th century AD, Ogasawara Nagafusa settled in Shiko ...
(from
Awa Province) invaded and defeated the Hosokawa clan and their proxies, and became rulers over a large portion of the
Kansai region
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropolita ...
.
Miyoshi Yoshikata
, other name Miyoshi Yukiyasu (三好 之康) or Miyoshi Jikkyu, second son of Miyoshi Motonaga, was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Miyoshi clan.
His other brothers were Miyoshi Nagayoshi (first child), Atagi Fuyuyasu (t ...
(1527-1562), the younger brother of
Miyoshi Nagayoshi
, eldest son of Miyoshi Motonaga, was a Japanese samurai and powerful ''daimyō'' who ruled seven provinces of Kansai.
Nagayoshi held the court titles of Shūri-dayū (修理太夫) and Chikuzen no Kami (筑前守), and was also known by the more ...
made Kishiwada Castle as his base and extensively rebuilt its fortifications. The Miyoshi also developed Sakai into an international port and profited greatly from trade. Miyoshi rule proved to be short-lived and by the 1560s the clan was in eclipse and Izumi Province had collapsed into a patchwork of local strongmen. It became a battleground between the forces of
Oda Nobunaga
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan.
Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
and the followers of the
Saiga Ikki, local followers of the ''
Ikkō-ikki
were rebellious or autonomous groups of people that were formed in several regions of Japan in the 15th-16th centuries; backed up by the power of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, they opposed the rule of governors or ''daimyō''. Mainly con ...
'' movement, who sought to overthrow the feudal system and establish a theocratic republic, and who had allied with his arch-enemy,
Ishiyama Hongan-ji
The was the primary fortress of the Ikkō-ikki, leagues of warrior priests and commoners who opposed samurai rule during the Sengoku period. It was established in 1496, at the mouth of the Yodo River, on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. At the t ...
temple. Nobunaga seized Kishiwada Castle and placed
Oda Nobuharu
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Oda clan. Nobuharu was the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga granted him Nobu Castle and its surroundings as a private fief. While fighting the Asakura and Asai, Nobuharu was ...
as castellan to protect against any attempt by the Saiga Ikki and the Ishiyama Hongan-ji armies from linking together. Nobunaga's fears were realized after his assassination in 1582. In 1584,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
left the defenses of Osaka undermanned when he marched against
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
to consolidate his position as Nobunaga's successor. In 1585 the Saiga Ikki armies took advantage of this vacuum to invade Izumi Province, but they were stopped by Hideyoshi's generals Matsuura Munekiyo with Nakamura Kazuuji with 8,000 men at the Battle of Kishiwada. Kishiwada Castle withstood the two-month siege, and was made the base of Hideyoshi's conquest of Kii Province. In order to secure the countryside and to continue to protect Sakai port and his rear flank towards Osaka, Hideyoshi placed his uncle,
Koide Hidemasa
was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Kagami Kenkichi"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 544.
He was a tutor of the young Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai ...
as castellan and had Kishiwada's defenses strengthened.
Koide constructed a five-story ''
tenshu
is an architectural typology found in Japanese castle complexes. They are easily identifiable as the highest tower within the castle. Common translations of ''tenshu'' include keep, main keep, or ''donjon''.
''Tenshu'' are characterized as ty ...
'' in the central, or "Honmaru" bailey. This enclosure was roughly rectangular, 100 by 50 meters and was protected by stone walls and water moats. The secondary, or "Ni-no-maru" bailey extended in the direction of Osaka Bay, and also had tall stone walls protecting against attack from sea. Smaller enclosures surrounded by water moats protected these two main enclosures, which were connected by a narrow path, such that the castle had an "H" configuration, The total area of the castle was roughly 500 square meters, which was relatively small in relation to the size of its ''tenshu'' and its strategic importance.
In 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 ...
, Koide Hidemasa and his eldest son Koida Yoshimasa were with the defeated Western Army. However, Koide hedged his bets by having his second son, Koide Hideie, side with the Eastern Army, and as a result, Koide Hideie inherited the Kishiwada Domain under the newly established
Tokugawa Shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
. He was transferred to
Izushi Domain
was a Han (Japan), feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Tajima Province in what is now the northern portion of modern-day Hyōgo Prefecture. It was centered initially around Izushi Castle in what is now th ...
in
Tajima Province
was a province of Japan in the area of northern Hyōgo Prefecture. Tajima bordered on Tango and Tanba to the east, Harima to the south, and Inaba to the west. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of the Gokishichidō system, Tajimao was ...
in 1619 and replaced by Matsudaira Yasushige, making Kishiwada a
''Fudai'' fiefdom. He was transferred in 1640 and the castle was given to the Okabe clan, who would rule Kishiwada until the
Meiji restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
.
In 1623, a
''yagura'' tower was relocated to Ninomaru Bailey from
Fushimi Castle
, also known as or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a Japanese castle located in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto.
Fushimi Castle was constructed from 1592 to 1594 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the end of the Sengoku period as his retirement residence. Fushimi Castle ...
.
In 1827, ''tenshu'' was burnt down by lightning and not replaced, Following the Meiji restoration, all remaining buildings at Kishiwada Castle were destroyed. The Honmaru and Ninomaru baileys were preserved as a park, and in 1954, a three-story faux-''tenshu'' was constructed for use as a local museum. A number of gates and yagura were also reconstructed in 1969. The stone walls and moats of the castle remain in relatively good condition. The castle is a ten-minute walk from Nankai Honsen line
Takojizo Station on the
Nankai Main Line
The is one of the two main railway lines of Japanese private railway company Nankai Electric Railway, together with Kōya Line. The route is from Namba Station in south downtown of Osaka to Wakayamashi Station in Wakayama via Sakai, Izumiōtsu ...
or a 15-minute walk from
Kishiwada Station.
Kishiwada Castle was listed as one of the
Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles
The is a list of 100 Japanese castle, castles, intended as a sequel of 100 Fine Castles of Japan. The castles were chosen for their significance in culture, history, and in their regions by the in 2017.
Hokkaidō region
Tōhoku region
Kant ...
in 2017.
In media
It was one of the filming locations of ''
Snake Eyes (2021 film)
''Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins'' (or simply ''Snake Eyes'') is a 2021 American superhero film based on the ''G.I. Joe'' toy line character Snake Eyes. It is the third installment in the ''G.I. Joe'' film series. The film is directed by Robert ...
''.
See also
*
List of Places of Scenic Beauty of Japan (Osaka)
Literature
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Information from Japan CastleOsaka Prefecture Tourist Information
References
{{Authority control
Castles in Osaka Prefecture
History of Osaka Prefecture
Kishiwada, Osaka
Izumi Province
Fujii-Matsudaira clan
History museums in Japan
Izumi-Hosokawa clan
Matsudaira clan
Matsura clan
Miyoshi clan
Museums in Osaka Prefecture