Yonago Castle

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Yonago7.jpg

History

Around 1467 Yamana Muneyuki built a fort on Mt. Iinoyama just to the East of Minatoyama where Yonago Castle stands today. Kikkawa Hiroi founded the first real castle here on Minatoyama in 1591, but was not there to see it completed. After losing in the Battle of Sekigahara Kikkawa was moved to Iwakuni and Nakamura Kazutada became the new lord of Yonago in 1601. The castle was completed in 1602. Kazutada's family line abruptly ended with his sudden death in 1609. Kato Sadayasu became the new lord until he was transferred to Ozu in 1617. The Ikeda clan then ruled until 1632 when control of the castle was passed to their retainer the Arao Naritoshi. The Arao family ruled over Yonago Castle until the Meiji Restoration when they voluntarily returned teh castle to the government in 1869. In 1873 most of the castle buildings were sold and a few years later the remaining castle structures were dismantled.


Visit Notes

Yonago Castle was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't originally planning to stop here but I had enough time on my way back from Gassan Toda and the taxi driver to Gassan Toda highly recommended it so I did. Yonago Castle seems to get overshadowed by nearby castles in the Top 100 but the extensive stone walls, nice views and park make this a must see for castle fans visiting the area.


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Gallery
  • Path to the Naizenmaru
  • entrance to the Naizenmaru
  • stone walls of the honmaru
  • stone walls and the foundation of the main keep
  • main keep foundation
  • entrance to the honmaru and stone walls
  • honmaru entrance
  • view from the honmaru
  • looking down from the honmaru
  • extension of the Honmaru
  • View form Honmaru
  • Mizute Gate Ruins
  • West entrance to the Honmaru
  • Stone walls of the Honmaru
  • Stone walls of the Honmaru
  • Stone walls of the Honmaru
  • Ohara Nagayamon Gate
  • Ohara Nagayamon Gate
  • A view of the masugata from outside
  • inside of the masugata gate
  • map


Castle Profile
English Name Yonago Castle
Japanese Name 米子城
Alternate Names Iinoyama-jo
Founder Kikkawa Hiroie
Year Founded 1591
Castle Type Hilltop
Castle Condition No main keep but other buildings
Designations Next 100 Castles, National Historic Site
Historical Period Edo Period
Features stone walls
Visitor Information
Access Yonago Sta.; 15 min walk
Visitor Information
Time Required
Website http://www.yonago-city.jp/section/edu/bunka/castle/appearance.htm
Location Yonago, Tottori Prefecture
Coordinates 35° 25' 29.39" N, 133° 19' 27.34" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2011
Contributor Eric
Admin Year Visited 2010
Admin Visits November 19, 2010


3.00
(7 votes)
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ARTShogun

36 months ago
Score 0++
updated to yellow for Nagayamon on-site.
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ARTShogun

72 months ago
Score 1++
Yonagojō is a great castle site with lots of ishigaki (stone ramparts) to inspect, including nobori-ishigaki, ramparts which climb the mountain slope. The ishigaki cladding the Honmaru (main bailey) at the top of the mountain is particularly impressive. Other ruins remain around the (内膳丸) bailey further down the mountain and at the base of the mountain by the Fukaura-kuruwa (enclosure) where one finds a masugata (square layout gate complex) and nagayamon (row-gatehouse), the latter relocated from offsite. The castle extended around the mountain. The Ninomaru and Sannomaru baileys are now built over by sports facilities. The Sannomaru looped all the way around Iinoyama, the site of an older fort directly opposite Yonagajō.
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ARTShogun

73 months ago
Score 1++
In town somewhere (I didn't see myself) there is a sweet shop built in the shape of a large castle keep.
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A22cricketAshigaru

156 months ago
Score 1++
Some stone walls. Best memory of this site is climbing to the top after a snow storm and getting a picture of the sunset.