Chihaya Castle
History
Chihaya Castle was built in 1332 by Kusunoki Masashige, a loyalist to Emperor Go-Daigo. After the fall of nearby Akasaka Castle, Kusunoki built up Chihaya Castle to defend against the Hojo. When they attacked in 1333, he successfully forced them out. The tactics used by Kusunoki to defend the castle, such as creating dummy warriors with straw and extra armor, knocking down trees and pushing boulders onto enemies as they tried to ascend, etc. have made the Siege of Chihaya Castle one of Japan's stand-out military battle tales.
Chihaya Castle remained under the emperor's domain until the Ashikaga overtook it in 1390. The castle was then abandoned.
Visit Notes
There are no structures or walls remaining from the castle. Chihaya Shrine was built on the former castle grounds.
On weekends, there are frequent buses (2 or 3 per hour) from Kawachinagano Station. There are also buses from Tondabayashi Station. Buses take about 20-30 minutes. Get off at Kongosanguchi.
The Castle Stamp is located inside Matsumasa Restaurant. They also have a paper with information about the castle.
Profile and photos by Jcastle contributor Phibbyfan.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Chihaya Castle |
| Japanese Name | 千早城 |
| Founder | Kusunoki Masashige |
| Year Founded | 1332 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | Top 100 Castles, Top 100 Mountaintop Castles, National Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Main Keep Structure | None |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Bus from Kawachinagano Station or Tondabayashi Station |
| Visitor Information | Always open/free |
| Time Required | 1.5 hours |
| Website | http://www.chihayaakasaka.org/e-index.html |
| Location | Osaka, Osaka |
| Coordinates | 34° 25' 2.03" N, 135° 39' 4.32" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2014 |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
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