was a
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...
''yamashiro''-style
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 town of
Nanjō
is a Cities of Japan, city located in the southern part of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Translated literally, the name Nanjō means "southern castle". Many castle ruins, called gusuku in the Okinawan language, can be found throu ...
(now part of the town of
Minamiechizen),
Fukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 778,943 (1 June 2017) and has a geographic area of 4,190 km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the north, G ...
in the
Hokuriku region of
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...
,
Japan. The ruins have been protected as a
National Historic Site since 1934, with the area under protection expanded in 1979.
Overview
Mount Somayama is a hill with a height of 492 meters, located near the geographic center of Minamiechzen town at the southern end of the Nanjō Basin, where the Nanjō Mountains approach the narrow valley of the Hino River. This is a natural chokepoint for traffic on the
Hokuriku Kaidō Hokuriku may refer to:
* ''Hokuriku'' (train), a sleeping car train in Japan
* Hokuriku Shinkansen, a high-speed railway line connecting Tokyo with Kanazawa
* The Hokuriku region in Japan
* ALO's Hokuriku
was a Japanese football club based in ...
, the ancient highway connecting
Echizen Province
was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Echizen bordered on Kaga, Wakasa, Hida, and Ōmi Provinces. It was part of Hokurikudō Circuit. Its abbreviated for ...
with
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese language, 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, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...
. The steep sides of Mount Somayama form a natural defensive position, and the castle is surrounded on three sides by the Hino River and its tributaries. The castle had its main
enclosure
Enclosure or Inclosure is a term, used in English landownership, that refers to the appropriation of "waste" or " common land" enclosing it and by doing so depriving commoners of their rights of access and privilege. Agreements to enclose land ...
at the base of the hillside, with the
inner bailey
The inner bailey or inner ward of a castle is the strongly fortified enclosure at the heart of a medieval castle.Friar, Stephen (2003). ''The Sutton Companion to Castles'', Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2003, p. 22. It is protected by the outer w ...
at the summit.
The origins of the castle are uncertain, but there is a local legend that was first fortified in the late
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese ...
by
Minamoto no Yorichika
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the ...
(966-1057). During the mid-
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...
, it came under the control of the Uryū clan. During the early
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 ...
, the Uryū clan was loyal to
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇 ''Go-Daigo-tennō'') (26 November 1288 – 19 September 1339) was the 96th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')後醍醐天皇 (96) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order ...
, and the castle became the main stronghold of the
Southern Court in
Echizen Province
was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Echizen bordered on Kaga, Wakasa, Hida, and Ōmi Provinces. It was part of Hokurikudō Circuit. Its abbreviated for ...
.
During the
Siege of Kanegasaki, forces loyal to
Nitta Yoshisada
was a samurai lord of the Nanboku-chō period Japan. He was the head of the Nitta clan in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-chō period. He famously marched on Kamakura, besieging ...
were trapped for three months at
Kanegasaki Castle by
Ashikaga Takauji
was the founder and first '' shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate."Ashikaga Takauji" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 625. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Murom ...
, Nitta's ally
Uryū Tamotsu was forced back to the Somayama Castle in March 1337, and Nitta Yoshisada along with his brother
Nitta Yoshisuke
also known as , (1305–1340) was the brother of Nitta Yoshisada in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-chō period, capturing Kamakura with his brother from the Hōjō clan in 1 ...
joined him soon afterwards. A failed counter-attack from Somayama Castle failed to lift the siege against Kanegasaki, and after the death of Nitta Yoshisada, the castle fell.
Subsequently, Somayama Castle came under attack by Ashikaga forces, and Masuzawa Yutoku, a retainer of
Shiba Takatsune
was the Constable (''shugo'') of Echizen Province during the 14th century Nanboku-chō Wars in Japan. He acted to block the northward progress of Nitta Yoshisada, who supported the Emperor's Southern Court against the ''shōgun''s Northern C ...
captured the castle for the
Northern Court
The , also known as the Ashikaga Pretenders or Northern Pretenders, were a set of six pretenders to the throne of Japan during the Nanboku-chō period from 1336 through 1392. The present Imperial House of Japan is descended from the Northern Cou ...
.
Somayama Castle came under the control of the
Asakura clan
The is a Japanese kin group. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003).html" ;"title="DF 7 of 80">"Asakura", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 3 DF_7_of_80">"Asa_...
_following_the_defeat_of_the_Shiba_clan_in_1470_and_from_1514,_it_served_as_a_base_of_operations_against_the_''Ikkō-ikki.html" ;"title="DF 7 of 80/nowiki>">DF 7 of 80">"Asa ...
following the defeat of the Shiba clan in 1470 and from 1514, it served as a base of operations against the ''Ikkō-ikki">DF 7 of 80/nowiki>">DF 7 of 80">"Asa ...