Tottori Castle

History

Yamana Nobumichi built Tottori Castle in 1545. The castle is well known for a famous attack that took place in 1581 when Hideyoshi laid siege to the castle for 200 days. After exhausting their supplies, Kikkawa Tsuneie, lord of the castle, gave up on the condition that his soldier's lives be spared. Miyabe Keijun took over the castle at this point, but was replaced by Ikeda Nagayoshi after the Battle of Sekigahara. Ikeda expanded or rebuilt much of the castle..

Visit Notes

viewer donated

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Gallery

gate
stone walls, moats
stone walls
stone walls
gosankai yagura stone foundation
ninomaru
stone walls
stone walls and stairs
the ido(well) of the honmaru
the remnants of the main keep foundation
a view from the Honmaru with the sand dunes afar
map
Tenkyuu Ishigaki, restored
Nobori-ishigaki
sannomaru gate ruin
Yamashitanomaru ishigaki
Ninomaru gate ruin, sloping ishigaki
Tenshudai from below
Top of the mount

Castle Profile
English Name	Tottori Castle
Japanese Name	鳥取城
Alternate Names	Kyusho-jo, Kyushosan-jo
Founder	Yamana Nobumichi
Year Founded	1532
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	No main keep but other buildings
Designations	Top 100 Castles, Top 100 Mountaintop Castles, National Historic Site
Historical Period	Edo Period
Features	gates, stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	Tottori Sta. (San'in Line, 5 minute bus, 5 min walk; 30+ min walk to the top of the mountain and the honmaru
Visitor Information
Time Required
Website	http://www.torican.jp/famous/look/index.html#01
Location	Tottori, Tottori Prefecture
Coordinates	35° 30' 26.75" N, 134° 14' 24.00" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2009
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

2.67

(12 votes)

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ARTShogun

43 months ago

Score 0

The Ohtemon Gate has now been reconstructed and is opening for visitors. This site continues to get more appealing!

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ARTShogun

43 months ago

Score 0

＊reconstructed gate

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ARTShogun

43 months ago

Score 0

Upgraded (?) to "has buildings" due to extant gate.

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ARTShogun

73 months ago

Score 1

Added photos to gallery, including pictures of the inner citadel at the top of the mountain, and restored tenkyuu ishigaki.

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ARTShogun

78 months ago

Score 1

For people who like castle structures then this castle will disappoint with only one small remaining gate. However, for those who appreciate ishigaki, this mighty ruin is a very rewarding visit. Tottorijō's epic ishigaki (stone ramparts) stand at the foot of the castle, surrounded by the moat, and at the castle summit where they can be seen from miles away (I could see them from Kawaharajō). Tottorijō's most awesome feature is the Tenkyū ishigaki, a spherical shaped rampart. It is one of a kind. The trek to the summit is not trivial, but the climb is worth it for the view and the ishigaki around the honmaru (main bailey), including the tenshukakudai (donjon platform). The conspicuous western-style house at the foot of the castle was built by Meiji aristocrats and was the first building in Tottori to have electric lights. It now serves as a museum but we didn't have time to check it out.

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ARTShogun

85 months ago

Score 0

This site is amazing. I really do recommend it for anyone who visits castle ruins. Plus the restored tenkyuu ishigaki is like nothing you've seen before. It's a big site with a rewarding climb to the top and epic stone ramparts both at the foot of the castle and those that can be seen at the top from miles away (i could see them from Kawahara Castle).

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SuupaahiirooAshigaru

93 months ago

Score 0

Only two stars? No yagura or tenshukaku, but these castle walls are among the most impressive I have seen in Japan. Highly recommended.

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Kiddus i2003Gunshi

125 months ago

Score 0

Shame there is so little left to see.

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RaymondWDaimyo

150 months ago

Score 0

When I went to Tottori City, it was overcast and rainy. Apart from Tottori Castle Ruin, I also made it to the sand dunes, but I did not know about Watanabe Art Museum. Thanks for mentioning it here on Eric's website. I will definitely go back to Tottori City again because I have only done half of the castle site, and I still need to get my 100 Meijo stamp.

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FurinkazanDaimyo

150 months ago

Score 0

Normally i don't visit castlesites where there aren't buildings remaining or reconstructed, but since i was at Tottori to visit the Watanabe Art Museum, i did make a visit to this one. The weather was outstanding to go to the honmaru and so i did. The trail to the top is very small and steep, so Raymond you did well. I wouldn't have tried myself if it was raining. The ishigaki are nice and there are some portions still being reconstructed. The view from the honmaru is incredible. You even see the so famous sanddunes of Tottori.

The museum i visited contains alot of armors and weapons, but also ceramics, statues and more everyday stuff, even from other countries.

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RaymondWDaimyo

184 months ago

Score 0

Oops...forgot to include my name in the above comment. Eric, I will send you a few photos when I get them sorted.

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