Shimotsui Castle

From Jcastle.info

Shimotsui6.jpg

History

Sometime between 1573 and 1592, a simple fort was constructed by Ukita Tadaie at this location which overlooks the important port of Shimotsui along the Japan Inland Sea. A few years prior to the Battle of Sekigahara, the fort was enlarged into a castle. After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 with the demise of the Ukita Clan, Kobayakawa Hideaki became the lord of the Bizen Domain, roughly the southeastern quarter of present day Okayama Prefecture. After he passed away in 1602, the Ikeda Clan took over. In 1603, Ikeda Nagamasa became the lord of Shimotsui Castle, and under orders from Tokugawa Ieyasu, he extensively rebuilt and expanded the castle which included adding a small castle keep and lots of stone walls. Most of the ruins that can be seen there now date back to this period. In 1639, under the One Domain One Castle Edict, Shimotsui Castle was decommissioned.


Visit Notes

This is not a very convenient castle ruin to visit if you don’t have your own set of wheels. My wife and I took a taxi there from Kojima Station. It cost around 1,700yen. For the return trip, we decided to walk back to the train station, which took around an hour.

Profile and photos by JCastle user RaymondW




Gallery
  • Stone walls below Sannomaru south side
  • Stone walls below the Sannomaru south side
  • Honmaru Bailey
  • Ninomaru Bailey
  • Stone wall near the Sannomaru bailey
  • Sannomaru Bailey
  • Stone walls below the Ninomaru south side
  • Stone walls below the honmaru south side
  • Nishimaru stone walls
  • Earthen bridge between the Nishinomaru and Ninomaru baileys
  • Stone walls
  • Stairs to Honmaru
  • Map


Castle Profile
English Name Shimotsui Castle
Japanese Name 下津井城
Alternate Names Urusu-jo
Founder Ukita Tadaie
Year Founded 1592-1596
Castle Type Mountaintop
Castle Condition Ruins only
Designations Prefectural Historic Site
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Year Reconstructed 1603
Features stone walls
Visitor Information
Access Shimotsui Sta. (Uno Line), 60 min walk or 1700 yen taxi.
Visitor Information No entrance fees. Just a park.
Time Required One hour
Website http://www.okayama-kanko.jp/modules/kankouinfo/pub kihon detail.php?sel id=1074&sel data kbn=0
Location Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture
Coordinates 34° 26' 26.16" N, 133° 47' 44.16" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2014
Contributor RaymondW
Admin Year Visited Viewer Contributed


1.50
(2 votes)
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