Kawashimamurako Castle
History
Kawashimamurakojō, also known as the Ôta-yashiki, was the fortified reisdence of Ôta Kazue and Ôta Samanosuke in the late 16th century. The compound was trapezoid in layout with east-west moats running for 90m, and north-south moats at least 120m long. The clan would later go on to serve the Mito-Tokugawa, but a branch of the family continued to inhabit the ancestral residence.
Visit Notes
Kawashimamurakojō ('Old Castle of Kawashima Village') is a fortified residence site in the Kawashima Township of Anjō Municipality. The locale (koaza) is called Ôtayashiki, and Kawashimamurakojō was also known as Ôta-yashiki, wherein 'yashiki' means 'residence'. The ruins of Kawashimamurakojō consist of earthworks in the form of dorui (earthen ramparts) and moats.
The western and northern segments of the ramparts are well preserved. There is a small section remaining to the east. In the south is the main entrance of the modern residence, the inheritor of the medieval manor hall, and here there are no ramparts, but there is a tall black fence and nagayamon (gatehouse).
The architecture looks old, and I wouldn't be surprised if parts of it date to the Edo period. The old walls, mounds, ditches, gates, storehouses and interconnected residence halls certainly give the impression of an Edo period compound here, but, of course, the residence is occupied and not open to the public.
The profile of the yashiki was retained, according to castle-bloggers, with moats and embankments all, as a means of preventing flood damage in the event that the nearby Yahagi River should over-flow. That could account for the ruins surviving so long.
Castle Profile | |
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English Name | Kawashimamurako Castle |
Japanese Name | 河島村古城 |
Alternate Names | 河嶋村古城・太田屋敷 (Ôta-yashiki) |
Founder | Ôta Kazue |
Year Founded | Late 16th Century |
Castle Type | Fortified Manor |
Castle Condition | Ruins only |
Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
Artifacts | Dorui, Hori |
Features | water moats |
Visitor Information | |
Access | Horiuchi-Kōen Station on the Meitetsu-Nishio Line; 25 minute walk |
Visitor Information | Access Limited |
Time Required | 15 minutes |
Website | https://blog.goo.ne.jp/midorishako/e/0bbb4fa4347f88b0ba25ba9bde158a9e |
Location | Anjō, Aichi Prefecture |
Coordinates | 34° 55' 28.27" N, 137° 6' 25.96" E |
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Admin | |
Added to Jcastle | 2023 |
Contributor | ART |
Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
Friends of JCastle | |
Jōkaku Shashin Kiroku | |
Umoreta Kojō | |
Shiseki Tanbōki |
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