Moriyama Castle (Izu)
History
Izu-Moriyamajō was built by Ashikaga Masatomo as a branch castle of Horigoe Palace in Izu in 1455. The yamajiro served as a mountain redoubt. Ashikaga Masatomo, the third son of Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshinori, formerly a priest and later an official of the Ashikaga Shogunate, initially tried to establish himself in Sagami following the orders of his brother, Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, but was forced to relocated to Izu owing to lingering resistance to the Shogunate in Kantō following the rebellion of Ashikaga Shigeuji, the former Kantō Kubō (Deputy Shōgun in Kantō), who had retreated to Koga in Shimosa, becomming the Koga Kubō. Ashikaga Masatomo, based at Horigoe Palace, was known as the Horigoe Kubō. Kantō was effectively split in two by these dual powers and neither could exert effective control. The Horigoe Palace suffered extensive fire damage in 1460 and the palace was relocated to the site of the Enjōji Hōjō-tei (see: Hojo Clan Residence) beneath Izu-Moriyamajō. Izu-Moriyamajō was later used in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to besiege Nirayamajō.
Visit Notes
Some earthwork ruins remain, chiefly trenches, terracing and perhaps small baileys. At one place a bridge spans a dry moat, but I did not find this. At the summit there is a look-out which gives views of the surrounding plains, Mount Fuji visible in the background.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Izu Moriyama Castle |
| Japanese Name | 伊豆守山城 |
| Founder | Ashikaga Masatomo |
| Year Founded | 1455 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Horikiri, Kuruwa |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Izu-Nagaoka Station on the Izuhakone Line; 20 minute walk to trailhead |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7; Mountain |
| Time Required | 30 minutes |
| Location | Izunokuni, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35° 2' 43.37" N, 138° 56' 17.99" E |
|
|
|
| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
Enable comment auto-refresher