Ogawa Castle

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Ogawa9.jpg

History

The lord of Numata Castle, Numata Kagehisa, built Ogawa Castle to help defend him from the West. His son, Kageaki, became lord of the castle. Kageaki changed his surname from Numata to Ogawa, after the name of the village where the castle was located. From the Ogawa's support of the Numata against the Hojo, Ogawa earned the ire of the Hojo who attacked in 1580. Despite being vastly overmatched by the Hojo, the Ogawa lord put up a good fight but eventually burned the castle and escaped to the Echigo area. The castle was then controlled by the Hojo until they were defeated by Hideyoshi's forces during the Siege of Odawara. Thereafter, the castle returned to the control of the Sanada lords of Numata. The history after this point is somewhat vague, but for 19 years from 1638, Sanada Nobuzumi had a palace at Ogawa Castle until he became the head of the Numata Sanada clan and the fifth lord of Numata Castle.


Visit Notes

This is a fairly small castle, but it it is close to the station and just 2.5km from Nagurumi Castle. It's worth stopping by on your way to Nagurumi Castle. The main feature is the 6m deep moat of the Honkuruwa.
諸規模なお城ですが、駅に駅に近いし、名胡桃城から約2.5キロなので、名胡桃城のついでに訪れるといいです。本郭の6メートルほど深い堀が見事です。


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Gallery
  • Honmaru moat
  • Crossing the Honmaru moat
  • Honmaru moat
  • Honmaru Moat
  • The site of a yagura in the Honmaru
  • Honmaru Bailey
  • Sasakuruwa Bailey
  • Honmaru Bailey
  • Road through the Ninomaru Bailey


Castle Profile
English Name Ogawa Castle
Japanese Name 小川城
Founder Numata Kagehisa
Year Founded 1492-1501
Castle Type Hilltop
Castle Condition Ruins only
Designations Prefectural Historic Site
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Features trenches
Visitor Information
Access Jomokogen Sta. (Joetsu Bullet Train); 10 min walk
Visitor Information park, open any time
Time Required 20 mins
Location Minakami, Gunma Prefecture
Coordinates 36° 41' 33.65" N, 138° 58' 51.31" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2013
Admin Year Visited 2013
Admin Visits Apr 29, 2013


2.00
(3 votes)
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Anonymous user #1

9 months ago
Score 0 You
08/05/2023. From Nagurumi castle, I walked to Ogawa castle. It's about 3km. I thought I wouldn't see a lot there, but actually, there was more to see. Sadly the second and third bailey's are now fields and housing. I saw some information panels across the road, but had no time to search for the third bailey.
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FurinkazanDaimyo

9 months ago
Score 0++
my comment ^
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ARTShogun

33 months ago
Score 0++
Ogawajō is a well maintained earthworks castle ruin with a network of deep karabori (dry moats), kuruwa (baileys) and dorui (earthen ramparts). A locally designated historic site, it is very easy to access. A lower bailey at the rear of the site seems to have been partially collapsed in a large landslide at some point, which has created an elliptical and concave cliffline which I recommend you do not fall off.