Difference between revisions of "Nakasai Castle"

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(Created page with "{{Castle |English Name=Nakasai Castle |Japanese Name=那珂西城 |Romaji Name=Nakasaijō |Founder=Naka Saburōzaemon |Year Founded=1221 |Castle Type=Hilltop |Castle Condition...")
 
 
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|English Name=Nakasai Castle
 
|English Name=Nakasai Castle
 
|Japanese Name=那珂西城
 
|Japanese Name=那珂西城
|Romaji Name=Nakasaijō
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|Romaji Name=Nakasai-jo
 
|Founder=Naka Saburōzaemon
 
|Founder=Naka Saburōzaemon
 
|Year Founded=1221
 
|Year Founded=1221
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|Access=Hitachi-Kounosu Station on the Suigun Line; 90 minute walk
 
|Access=Hitachi-Kounosu Station on the Suigun Line; 90 minute walk
 
|Visitor Information=24/7 free; temple
 
|Visitor Information=24/7 free; temple
|Time Required=One Hour
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|Time Required=60 mins
|City=Shirasato
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|City=Shirosato
 
|Prefecture=Ibaraki Prefecture
 
|Prefecture=Ibaraki Prefecture
|Notes=The ruins of Nakasai Castle consist of earthworks such as tall dorui (earthen ramparts) and karabori (dry moats). It is classified as a hirayamajiro (hilltop castle) because it is built on a sloping clifftop, 30m tall. The moats also run between the clifftop and the ramparts of the main bailey, providing an extra line of defence in addition to the elevation itself. I noted this feature earlier at Chōjayamajō, and later at Uriźurajō too. By contrast, even though the Ina Valley in Nagano Prefecture has many clifftop castle sites, they relied soley on the terrain to protecte them from the cliffside.  
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|Notes=The ruins of Nakasai Castle consist of earthworks such as tall dorui (earthen ramparts) and karabori (dry moats). It is classified as a hirayamajiro (hilltop castle) because it is built on a sloping clifftop, 30m tall. The moats also run between the clifftop and the ramparts of the main bailey, providing an extra line of defence in addition to the elevation itself. I noted this feature earlier at [[Chojayama Castle]], and later at [[Urizura Castle]] too. By contrast, even though the Ina Valley in Nagano Prefecture has many clifftop castle sites, they relied soley on the terrain to protecte them from the cliffside.  
  
 
The castle ruin is now the site of a temple, Hōdōin, which occupies the main bailey. The temple, however, consists of just a cemetary, main hall and priest's house, and there is still a lot of empty space, the inner precincts of the castle being quite vast. The dorui the whole way around the main bailey is well preserved, and there are what I think may be segments of dorui rising out of the surrounding countryside which previously constituted the castle's outer baileys. The size of the castle, known from historical maps, meant that it could be fairly called a small town. Viewed from satellite images, we can see that a large jutting promontory pushes from the mountainous interior in the direction of Mito and that Nakasaijō was located on its tip, with the Naka River to the north. This commanding position allowed the castle to lord over the surrounding plains.
 
The castle ruin is now the site of a temple, Hōdōin, which occupies the main bailey. The temple, however, consists of just a cemetary, main hall and priest's house, and there is still a lot of empty space, the inner precincts of the castle being quite vast. The dorui the whole way around the main bailey is well preserved, and there are what I think may be segments of dorui rising out of the surrounding countryside which previously constituted the castle's outer baileys. The size of the castle, known from historical maps, meant that it could be fairly called a small town. Viewed from satellite images, we can see that a large jutting promontory pushes from the mountainous interior in the direction of Mito and that Nakasaijō was located on its tip, with the Naka River to the north. This commanding position allowed the castle to lord over the surrounding plains.
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The Satake sided with Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his campaign against the Hōjō at Odawarajō, which Nakasaijō likely played a part in, and became very powerful in Hitachi as a result. The Clan would side with Ishida Mitsunari at the Battle of Sekigahara, however, and be punished by the victorious Tokugawa Ieyasu by their removal to a small, isolated fief based around Kubotajō, Akita, in 1602. Nakasaijō was abandoned at this time.
 
The Satake sided with Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his campaign against the Hōjō at Odawarajō, which Nakasaijō likely played a part in, and became very powerful in Hitachi as a result. The Clan would side with Ishida Mitsunari at the Battle of Sekigahara, however, and be punished by the victorious Tokugawa Ieyasu by their removal to a small, isolated fief based around Kubotajō, Akita, in 1602. Nakasaijō was abandoned at this time.
 
|Year Visited=Viewer Contributed
 
|Year Visited=Viewer Contributed
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|AddedJcastle=2020
 
|GPSLocation=36.45759, 140.40813
 
|GPSLocation=36.45759, 140.40813
 
|Contributor=ART
 
|Contributor=ART
 
}}
 
}}

Latest revision as of 16:49, 28 April 2020

Nakasaijou (1).JPG

History

Nakasai Castle is thought to have been first built in 1221, perhaps by Naka Saburōzaemon as his residence. The Naka Clan were vassals of the Ônaka Clan. The castle, then under Naka Michitoki, was involved in the civil war of the Nanbokuchō Period, and in 1365 the Naka Clan, then under Naka Muneyasu, was relocated to Tamba, and the Satake Clan took over the area. It is perhaps the Satake Clan then which built up the castle as we see it today, clearly a Sengoku Period construction. It consisted of three principal baileys separated by moats, and an outer residential area.

The Satake sided with Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his campaign against the Hōjō at Odawarajō, which Nakasaijō likely played a part in, and became very powerful in Hitachi as a result. The Clan would side with Ishida Mitsunari at the Battle of Sekigahara, however, and be punished by the victorious Tokugawa Ieyasu by their removal to a small, isolated fief based around Kubotajō, Akita, in 1602. Nakasaijō was abandoned at this time.


Visit Notes

The ruins of Nakasai Castle consist of earthworks such as tall dorui (earthen ramparts) and karabori (dry moats). It is classified as a hirayamajiro (hilltop castle) because it is built on a sloping clifftop, 30m tall. The moats also run between the clifftop and the ramparts of the main bailey, providing an extra line of defence in addition to the elevation itself. I noted this feature earlier at Chojayama Castle, and later at Urizura Castle too. By contrast, even though the Ina Valley in Nagano Prefecture has many clifftop castle sites, they relied soley on the terrain to protecte them from the cliffside.

The castle ruin is now the site of a temple, Hōdōin, which occupies the main bailey. The temple, however, consists of just a cemetary, main hall and priest's house, and there is still a lot of empty space, the inner precincts of the castle being quite vast. The dorui the whole way around the main bailey is well preserved, and there are what I think may be segments of dorui rising out of the surrounding countryside which previously constituted the castle's outer baileys. The size of the castle, known from historical maps, meant that it could be fairly called a small town. Viewed from satellite images, we can see that a large jutting promontory pushes from the mountainous interior in the direction of Mito and that Nakasaijō was located on its tip, with the Naka River to the north. This commanding position allowed the castle to lord over the surrounding plains.




Gallery


Castle Profile
English Name Nakasai Castle
Japanese Name 那珂西城
Founder Naka Saburōzaemon
Year Founded 1221
Castle Type Hilltop
Castle Condition Ruins only
Designations Prefectural Historic Site
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Artifacts Karabori, Kuruwa,Yokobori, Dorui
Features trenches
Visitor Information
Access Hitachi-Kounosu Station on the Suigun Line; 90 minute walk
Visitor Information 24/7 free; temple
Time Required 60 mins
Location Shirosato, Ibaraki Prefecture
Coordinates 36° 27' 27.32" N, 140° 24' 29.27" E
Loading map...
Admin
Added to Jcastle 2020
Contributor ART
Admin Year Visited Viewer Contributed


3.00
(one vote)
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