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History
Oishijō was a medieval fort, and the base of the Oishi Clan. It was later the site of the encampment of Katō Kiyomasa during the 1582 spring invasion of Bitchū by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A lengthy siege ensued at Bitchū-Takamatsujō, and the castle was eventually flooded by the construction of dykes in one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mostfamous victories. Kiyomasa used the site of Oishijō, also called Hōonjiyama-jin after a nearby temple, during this time. The Oishi Clan helped to defend nearby Kamojō from Toyotomi (Hashiba) forces in 1582, so they may have abandoned Oishijō to make a more cohesive defence of Kamojō, a larger castle, thoguh the Oishi Clan would betray their fellow defenders during the course of the battle.
Just south of the Hōonjiyama-jin site is the site of the 'Ashimori River Sluice', where it is said that water was diverted by Katō Kiyomasa for the flooding of Bitchū-Takamatsujō. Accordingly the fort is believed to have provided defence for this vital infrastructure; any force seeking to destroy the dyke would've been repulsed from the fort. The site of this sluice gate is now a modern river embankment and no ruins remain, but there is a stone marker just south of the Kibi Line railway.
Visit Notes
Oishijō is a medieval castle which later became a fortified position during the siege of Bitchū-Takamtsujō. It was located in Kibi County, Bitchū Province. No ruins remain and the site is now a shrine, Oishi-jinja.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Bitchu Oishi Castle |
| Japanese Name | 備中生石城 |
| Alternate Names | 報恩寺山陣 Hōonjiyama-jin |
| Founder | Oishi Clan; Katō Kiyomasa |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period; 1582 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Features | |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Ashimori Station on the Kibi Line; 5 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | 24/7 free; shrine |
| Time Required | 10 minutes |
| Location | Okayama, Okayama Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34° 42' 1.08" N, 133° 48' 11.66" 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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