was 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 Akitakata,

Hiroshima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 8,479 km² (3,274 sq mi). Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama ...

. Its ruins have been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site together with

Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle was a Japanese castle located in Akitakata, Hiroshima, Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture. History Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle was initially built as a small castle in Aki Province in the 14th century, but was later expanded into a large castle by M� ...

since 1940.

Overview

The year of construction of Tajihi-Sarugake Castle is uncertain. It is assumed that it was constructed by

Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...

's father

Mōri Hiromoto was a local warlord (jizamurai) of Aki Province in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Muromachi period and Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto, an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. ...

, shortly before he retired to this location in 1560 from Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle. He was accompanied by his second son Matsujumaru (lthe childhood name of Mōri Motonari), and on his death in 1506, Motonari became castellan. He spent 23 years at this location has chieftain of the Tajihi Mori clan. before returning to Yoshida-Kōriyama castle as a head of Mōri clan. Motonari's son Mōri Takamoto was born in the castle in 1523 as was his daughter Lady Goryū in 1529. Details about what happened with Tajihi-Sarugake Castle after the relocation are uncertain. It is recovered that Mōri Takamoto spent one night at the castle in 1563 when on an expedition against the

Amago clan Amago (尼子) is a Japanese word meaning "child of a nun", and has various other uses: People * Amago clan, a Japanese daimyō clan * Amago Haruhisa (1514–1561), Japanese daimyō * Amago Katsuhisa (1553–1578), Japanese daimyō * Amago Kunih ...

Izumo Province was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku region. History During the early Kofun period (3rd century) this region was independent an ...

, to meet with his son Mōri Terumoto. It appears that the castle was maintained as a secondary fortification for the Mōri clan until

Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overco ...

moved clan's main stronghold to

Hiroshima Castle , sometimes called , is a castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the residence of the ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima Domain. The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but was destroyed by the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. ...

in 1591.

References

External links

Akitakata City home page
{in lang, ja Castles in Hiroshima Prefecture Historic Sites of Japan Mōri clan Ruined castles in Japan Akitakata, Hiroshima

Overview

See also

References

External links