Kamo Castle (Bitchu)

History

It is not known when Kamojō was first built but it is said to have belonged to Okamoto Hayato in medieval times. Kamojō was the castle of Kaminoyama Motō in the 16th century, and was part of a series of fortifications in the area the Mōri Clan used to protect Chūgoku against forces alligned with Oda Nobunaga. In 1582, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces attacked the castle, leading to a dramatic battle. At that time Kamojō was an expansive fort with multiple baileys, capable of holding off a large attack - if only for a time. Kamojō was defended by the Kaminoyama, Katsura and Oishi clans. Oishi Hiroie and his men protected Kamojō's eastern bailey, and Katsura Hiroshige and his men defended the castle's western bailey. A vassal of Ukita Hideie, part of the attacking forces, a local man called Togawa, convinced the Oishi to betray the defenders of Kamojō (perhaps he had taken hostages the Oishi knew). It is said that Katsura Hiroshige anticipated the betrayal and so set the western bailey ablaze; he attacked the second bailey and forced Ukita's forces to retreat in the chaos. Katsura's men killed 57 of Ukita's men as they retreated back to the camp. So much damage had been done that Kamojō nonetheless fell due to a combination of internal strife and attacking forces. The fall of Kamojō paved the way for the siege and flooding of nearby Bitchū-Takamatsujō.

Visit Notes

Not much remains of Kamojō in Tsukubo County. A sign on the roadside points to the castle’s second bailey where there are some remnants of dorui (earthen ramparts). Viewed from above it seems like the surrounding rice paddies, which are situated at lower elevation, where reclaimed from the castle’s moat. Probably this was swampland in medieval times.

Gallery

Dorui remains and sign board about castle

Castle Profile
English Name	Bitchu Kamo Castle
Japanese Name	備中鴨庄城
Alternate Names	加茂城
Founder	Okamoto Hayato; Kaminoyama Clan
Year Founded	Sengoku Period
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Hori, Dorui
Features
Visitor Information
Access	Kibitsu Station on the Kibi Line; 25 minute walk
Visitor Information	24/7 free; fields
Time Required	10 minutes
Website	http://bitchu.jp/muneharu/oshiro/7shiro/kamo.html
Location	Okayama, Okayama Prefecture
Coordinates	34° 40' 26.33" N, 133° 49' 45.52" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2022
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
Friends of JCastle
Jōkaku Hōrōki

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