Obara Castle

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01Obara.JPG

History

Obarajō was built by Satomi Yoshitoshi in 1337. The Satomi Clan were enfeoffed with the surrounding area in 1429. In 1501 the current layout of the castle was built-up to enclose the lord's manor. The castle was abandoned in 1591 following the fall of the Hōjō at Odawarajō.


Visit Notes

Obarajō is a single bailey fortification which was surrounded by tall dorui (earthen embankments), of which the northern corner remains prominent. There are traces of dorui in the countryside surrounding the castle and so at some point the castle may have had up to two outer baileys. Formerly mizubori (water moats) also surrounded the castle but they were filled in in 1991, despite the castle being a historically designated site from 1982. The reason for this was apparently "environmental maintenance", according to a sign. Possibly it was due water levels in nearby rice paddies. The bailey is now the site of a shrine to the fox-god Inari, called aptly O'Shiro-Inari-jinja.


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Gallery
  • Embankment
  • Embankment


Castle Profile
English Name Obara Castle
Japanese Name 小原城
Founder Satomi Yoshitoshi
Year Founded 1337
Castle Type Flatland
Castle Condition Ruins only
Designations Local Historic Site
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Artifacts Dorui, Kuruwa, Mizubori-ato
Features
Visitor Information
Access Tomobe Station on the Mito Line; 30 minute walk
Visitor Information Free, 24/7
Time Required 15 minutes
Location Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture
Coordinates 36° 21' 42.95" N, 140° 19' 22.51" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2018
Contributor ART
Admin Year Visited Viewer Contributed


1.50
(2 votes)
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