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History
It is not known when Kamojō was first built but it is said to have belonged to Okamoto Hayato in medieval times. Kamojō was the castle of Kaminoyama Motō in the 16th century, and was part of a series of fortifications in the area the Mōri Clan used to protect Chūgoku against forces alligned with Oda Nobunaga. In 1582, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces attacked the castle, leading to a dramatic battle. At that time Kamojō was an expansive fort with multiple baileys, capable of holding off a large attack - if only for a time. Kamojō was defended by the Kaminoyama, Katsura and Oishi clans. Oishi Hiroie and his men protected Kamojō's eastern bailey, and Katsura Hiroshige and his men defended the castle's western bailey. A vassal of Ukita Hideie, part of the attacking forces, a local man called Togawa, convinced the Oishi to betray the defenders of Kamojō (perhaps he had taken hostages the Oishi knew). It is said that Katsura Hiroshige anticipated the betrayal and so set the western bailey ablaze; he attacked the second bailey and forced Ukita's forces to retreat in the chaos. Katsura's men killed 57 of Ukita's men as they retreated back to the camp. So much damage had been done that Kamojō nonetheless fell due to a combination of internal strife and attacking forces. The fall of Kamojō paved the way for the siege and flooding of nearby Bitchū-Takamatsujō.
Visit Notes
Not much remains of Kamojō in Tsukubo County. A sign on the roadside points to the castle’s second bailey where there are some remnants of dorui (earthen ramparts). Viewed from above it seems like the surrounding rice paddies, which are situated at lower elevation, where reclaimed from the castle’s moat. Probably this was swampland in medieval times.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Bitchu Kamo Castle |
| Japanese Name | 備中鴨庄城 |
| Alternate Names | 加茂城 |
| Founder | Okamoto Hayato; Kaminoyama Clan |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Flatland |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Hori, Dorui |
| Features | |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Kibitsu Station on the Kibi Line; 25 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | 24/7 free; fields |
| Time Required | 10 minutes |
| Website | http://bitchu.jp/muneharu/oshiro/7shiro/kamo.html |
| Location | Okayama, Okayama Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34° 40' 26.33" N, 133° 49' 45.52" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2022 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
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