[Explanation]
“Takeda Castle” which is wielded authority in the country of Tajima is the mountain castle of the total stone wall which was extensively remodeled in the Toyotomi Era. Originally it was founded by Mr. Otagaki, a vassal of a mountain family who had power in the San’in region.

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After that, enter the Sengoku period, cast by Oshida family warlords “Hashiba Hideyoshi” who was appointed officer of the Chugoku Regional Capture Strategy and falling castle. Since then, Hideyoshi ‘s younger brother’ Hidenaga’ becomes a governing authority in castle. After that, Takeda Castle was appointed castle owner “Akamatsu Hirohide” as the base of Tajima’s country, and promoted the refurbishment of the castle.

Takeda Castle is a typical mountain castle, surrounded by stone walls that are overwhelmed around the castle, and was built up in the castle of total stone wall. When the Sengoku Era also enters the latter period, Heaven is belonged to “Tokugawa Ieyasu” and the “Sekigahara fight” breaks out with the West Army led by “Ishida Mitsunari” who does not feel comfortable with the rise of Ieyasu.

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Waves of warfare also rushed to the San’in region, and Hirohide joined the castle attack in order to stop Miyabe of Tottori castle given to the West Army led by Ishida Mitsunari. Although Ieyasu reported the intention to surrendering the castle without losing the castle at Tottori castle, at the same time “Kamei Shigenori” who could not fulfill his duty also joined in the castle attack. “Shigenori” and “Hiroshi” that caused Ieyasu’s feelings to be bad, but in the long run, “Hirohide” is taken responsible and is ordered to commit suicide by belly cutting.

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Takeda castle which lost the castle owner was regarded as abandoned castle. Presently the pedestal of the castle tower and many stone walls are kept beautifully. Takeda Castle is certified as a national designated historic site, and it is also selected for Japan 100 Castle Castle 56th. In recent years it has become a bustling castle with many tourists, Takeda Castle surrounded by the sea of clouds and looks like a castle in the sky, so it is also called a castle in the sky or Machu Picchu in Japan.

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[Address,access]
Wadayama Town, Asago city Hyogo prefecture 669-5254

[Map]

[Explanation]
Echizen Ono Castle is a castle in Ohno City, Fukui Prefecture. In Tensho 3rd Year (1575), Oda Nobunaga gave the 30,000 Jewels in large field as a reward of “Nobunaga’s suppression of Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Uprising prize” from Echizen County’s “Kanamori Nagachika” and the rest was given to “Hara Masashige”.

The following year, it was the beginning of the Echizen Ono Castle when Naga Kon was the first Feudal lord of the Inuyama Castle, which was near the Kame Mountain where he noticed it. Naga Kon forms a Tanzaku castle town, which is why it is called little Kyoto of Hokuriku region.

Kanamori will be transferred to Hida Takayama in Tensho 14th year (1586). After that, Echizen Matsudaira became a Shogunate control after three generations, and until the establishment of Doi, the castle owner was swiftly changed.

The castle was burned down in Anei Era 4th year (1775), and it was rebuilt except for Castle tower in Kansei 7th year (1795). Originally it was a double-tiered guardian tower with a watchtower on the 2nd floor of the Great Tenshi, a small tenant on the 2nd floor, a telescope (Tengu Shoin) called a tengu guardtower was attached to complex castle tower, but it was not rebuilt since it was destroyed in 1795.

The castle has been destroyed after Meiji Restoration after the end of the Tokugawa period.

Temporarily built at the summit of the mountain is estimated and reconstructed by the reinforced concrete structure with reference to the historical drawing and the castle tower of another castle at the time of construction, in 1968 (1968) by the donation of Sagaku Hagiwara former samurai.

The interior of the reconstructed Castle tower is used as a museum that displays materials on historic castle owners such as Kanamori and Doi. “Laputa’s Assembly” made by volunteers in Ohno city was established to spread the beautiful scenery where Echizen Ono Castle covered with morning fog floating in the center of the large field between mountains of Fukui Prefecture.

Nnationwide it is now known as the “castle of the sky (Echizen Ono castle)”.

[Address,access]
3-109 Ohno Castle Town Fukui Prefecture 912-0087

[Map]

[Explanation]
Tsuwano castle was a mountain castle located in Tsuwano in Shimane prefecture. It is a typical mountain castle that was built at the top of a mountain that was 367m, and it was located in the south west side of Tsuwano basin. During Kamakura period, in 1283, Yoriyuki Yoshimi came to this area to protect the along the coast of the west Iwami region.

The construction of the castle began in 1295, and it was completed in 1324. After the completion Yoshimi-shi continued to govern this region for 14 generations. Yoshimi-shi belonged to Ouchi-shi during the early Sengoku period, but towards the end of Sengoku period they belonged to Mori-shi. The 11th generation lord, Masayori Yoshimi, defeated Sue troops after the battle against Harukata Sue, who defeated Ouchi-shi, that went on for more than 100 days.

At that time Mori-shi supported Yoshimi, and from then on they belonged to Mori-shi, In 1600, the 14th generation lord, Hironaga Yoshimi, protected Osaka castle at the battle of Sekigahara. However, Mori-shi was defeated and Yoshimi-shi was sent to Hagi along with Mori-shi.

Instead Naomori Sakazaki, who belonged to the east troops, became the owner of the castle and started to remodel it. Demaru (small towers built onto and projecting from a larger castle) and Oribemaru were built, and the castle tower was also built in Ninomaru. In 1616 Naomori committed suicide at the incident of Senhime, and Sakazaki-shi was subject to Kaieki.

In 1617, Masanori Kamei became the owner of the castle. Hancho (domain office) was placed at Tsuwano basin. Since then until the Meiji restoration, the castle became the residence of 11 generations of Kamei-shi. In 1686, Tsuwano castle was hit by a lightening and burnt down, and it was never rebuilt.

In 1871 it was completely demolished, and on October 14th 1942, it was registered as a national historic site. On April 6th 2006, it as chosen as the 66th castle of Japan’s 100 famous castles.

[Address,access]
Ushiroda, Tsuwano, Kanoashi-gun, Shimane

[Map]

[Description]
Okao Castle was a medieval mountain castle in Nankoku, Kochi Prefecture and was the castle of the Great general Chousokabe Motochika who became the champion of Shikoku during the Warring States Period.
In the early Kamakura period, it is said that “Chousakabe Yoshitoshi” who moved to Tosa from Shinano to build.

When the administration’s “Hosokawa Masamoto” was assassinated in the Muromachi period, the control power in Tosa, which was the manager of the Hosokawa family, declined, and when entering the age of warring States, Tosa Kunaide dominated the era of Local warlords rivarly.

Okabe Castle fell aside, the head of the time “Chousokabe Kenjo” was attacked by Motoyama, Yamada, Kira and others, the castle fell and the conglomerate escaped and concealed himself.

After that, the ark of Nishitosa Nakamura castle “Ichijo” came back to the Oka0 Castle again. However, after a while, Ken Tsuide retired to the “Kunichika” as the hero of the head of the Chosokabe family. The Kunichika intensely fought with another family and finally extended Tosa by 4 times with Aki, Motoyama, and Ichiji.

When the Kunichika died of illness, the former “Motochika” succeeded the Chosokabe family, destroyed Motoyama and Aki, and further banished his son-in-law’s “Ichijo Kanesada” to Bungo and unified Tosa Ichikuni. In addition, the Motochika reigned Awa, Sanuki, and Iyo and extended the influence until the Unification of Shikoku Toitsu.

Meanwhile, in the center, Toyotomi Hideyoshi has nearly captured the heaven, and eventually raises the army of Shikoku. The Motochika tried thorough do-or-die war, but finally he surrendered to Hideyoshi taking in the surroundings and was relieved only Tosa Ichikuni. Tensho 16 years (1588), Motochika moved to the Great Kousaka Yamashiro (now Kochi Castle) base, but returned to the Okao main castle again due to poor flood control. However, in Tensho 19 (1591), Okatoyo Castle that Chousakabe made as a residence for a long time because of building a new “Urato Castle” and going to there, eventually this becomes the abandoned castle.

The current Okao Castle Ruins are maintained as a national historic site through stonewalls, a bending wheel, a base, an air hole, a well, etc. after passing through Kochi prefecture designated historic sites.

[Address,access]
Okayoshi Town Sansei Hachiman Nankoku city, Kochi prefecture 783-0044 1099

[Map]