Suemori Castle
History
Suemorijō was built by Oda Nobuhide in 1548. Alongside Moriyamajō, commanded by Nobuhide's younger brother, Oda Nobumitsu, Suemorijō was part of a defensive line of fortifications to protect against invasions from the Matsudaira (Tokugawa) Clan of Mikawa and the Imagawa Clan of Suruga. In 1552 Oda Nobukatsu (also known as Oda Nobuyuki), Oda Nobunaga's younger brother, took over command of Suemorijō. Nobukatsu rebelled against Nobunaga along with Shibata Katsuie and Hayashi Hidesada. The rebels were defeated at the Battle of Inō and Nobukatsu fled back to Suemorijō where he was quickly surrounded. The siege ended peacefully after the intervention of the boys' mother, Tsuchida Gozen, who was also at Suemorijō, having moved in after the death of Nobuhide, her husband. Nobukatsu had always been her favourite son! But Nobunaga could not ignore his mother's request for mercy, and pardoned Nobuyuki - and his fellow conspirators - for his illigitimate rebellion. However, another rebellion attempt would come in 1558. This time Shibata Katsuie betrayed Nobukatsu to Nobunaga, and Nobukatsu was summoned to Kiyosujō under false pretences whereupon he was killed. At that time Suemorijō was sacked by Ikeda Nobuteru (also known as Ikeda Tsuneoki). Although Suemorijō was thought to have been abandoned at that time, it was also re-purposed during the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute in 1588, and the date of its final desertion is not known.
Visit Notes
Suemorijō, now the site of a shrine, is a remarkably well preserved earthworks castle ruin for being so close to central Nagoya. Unfortunately much of the ruins are fenced off and one cannot fully explore the deep and impressive karabori (dry moats). There are earthworks both around and behind the shrine which visitors cannot access. There are early Shōwa period buildings nearby, one of which is a dōjō, and one is a large structure which reminds one of the city hall on a smaller scale. This building is now abandoned... I hope it doesn't get demolished. Features at Suemorijō include kuruwa (baileys), karabori, and dorui (earthen ramparts).
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Suemori Castle |
| Japanese Name | 末森城 |
| Alternate Names | 末盛城 |
| Founder | Oda Nobuhide |
| Year Founded | 1548 |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Kuruwa, Dorui, Karabori |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Motoyama Station on the Nagoya subway Higashiyama and Meijō lines; 8 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7; Shrine |
| Time Required | 40 minutes |
| Location | Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35° 10' 0.55" N, 136° 57' 35.57" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Hōrōki | |
| Kojōdan | |
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