Ogawa Castle (Owari)
History
Owari-Ogawajō was built by Mizuno Sadamori in the late 15th century. Earlier iterations of the castle may have included a residence built by Ogawa Shigefusa in the Kamakura Period. In 1580 Mizuno Tadamori became lord of Ogawajō. The castle built by Tadamori was also called 'New Castle', whereas the original castle built by Sadamori was called 'Old Castle', since they are built in disparate but overlapping areas. The structure of the castle consisted of a main encloure, surrounded by ramparts and moats, with between two and five lesser baileys radiating westward of it, each surrounded by earthwork ramparts. The outermost and second largest bailey was also referred to as the 'New Castle' or as Takayabujō (高薮城, 'Tall Thicket Castle'). At least two baileys between the old and new areas of the castle contained yashiki (residences). The Mizuno would go on to serve the Tokugawa. In the Edo Period the Ogawa Domain was formalised with Mizuno Wakenaga as its head and patriarch of the Owari-Ogawa; a reward for his services in the Battle of Sekigahara, the domain was valued at 10,000 koku. However, Mizuno was transferred to Shinshiro Domain in Mikawa Province in 1606, and thereupon Ogawajō was abandoned.
Visit Notes
I had planned to visit Ogawajō at the same time as Kariyajō, but this never happened so I decided I should go back this time after visiting sites in Nagoya. There was much less than I expected though. The ruin consists of a portion of large dorui. It is fenced off. At least though it had been cleared of vegetation when I went. This dorui used to be very extensive, but now only a single segment remains; perhaps it was the largest portion and hosted a tower but I don't know. I found one relocated gate from the castle at the nearby Odai Park (於大公園), which was some consolation. The gate is attached to a temple, Kenkon'in, which was the clan temple of the Mizuno, lords of Ogawa Castle. The gate's relation to Ogawajō, however, is based on oral tradition and whether or not it actually stood at Ogawajō has not been verified.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Ogawa Castle (Owari) |
| Japanese Name | 尾張緒川城 |
| Alternate Names | Takayabujō (高薮城) |
| Founder | Mizuno Sadamori |
| Year Founded | Late 15th Century |
| Castle Type | Flatland |
| Castle Condition | No main keep but other buildings |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Ogawa Station on the Taketoyo Line; 12 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7; Park |
| Time Required | 30 minutes |
| Location | Higashiura, Aichi Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34° 58' 44.94" N, 136° 58' 0.91" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Hōrōki | |
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