Ogura Castle (Omi)
History
Ogurajō was built by Ogura Kagemi in the 11th century - it is said - as the fortified base of the Ogura Clan, which inhabited the site into the Sengoku Period. The castle had a strategic clifftop location over-looking the Echi River. Ogura Sanefusa sided against the hegemonic Rokkaku Clan in their battle with Oda Nobunaga. Although Nobunaga would ultimately be victorious, Sanefusa was killed when the Rokkaku attacked Ogurajō in retaliation in 1570. It seems the castle may have been destroyed at this time. Sanefusa's wife and children fled to Owari, then Nobunaga's core territory. Sanefusa's wife became Nobunaga's concubine and his children became his vassals.
Visit Notes
Echi-Ogurajō has some earthworks ruins but they are not all easy to make-out, or at least to distinguish from natural terrain. Features at this site include dorui (earthen ramparts), kuruwa (baileys) and karabori (dry moats). The most prominent feature is a segment of dorui with karabori, but the latter is now a road with modern ishigaki lining the sides. The site has a stone marker at the foot of the cliff which the ruins sit on. There are also explanation boards but some are quite old and manky.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Ogura Castle |
| Japanese Name | 小倉城 |
| Founder | Ogura Kagemi |
| Year Founded | 11th century (claimed) / Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Kuruwa, Dorui, Karabori |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Yōkaichi Station on the Ōmi Railway Main Line is the nearest station |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7 |
| Time Required | 20 minutes |
| Location | Higashi-Oumi, Shiga Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35° 5' 36.38" N, 136° 16' 52.79" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Kojōdan | |
| Hōrōki | |
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