Kokuryou Castle (Tanba)
History
Tanba-Kokuryōjō is thought to have been constructed at some point by Akai Yukie in the Sengoku Period. Akai Yukie was the younger brother of Akai Naomasa, lord of Kuroi Castle , and so Kokuryōjō is thought to have been a satellite fortification of Kuroijō. Kokuryōjō linked Kuroijō with another yamajiro (mountaintop castle) across the valley, called Miojō, which was another Akai-controlled castle. Kokuryōjō is a clifftop castle, a sub-type of hirayamajiro, part flatland and part elevated castle. In the south, on level ground, embankments were erected, and a moat was dug around them. The dorui (earthen ramparts) remain, but as for moats only a climbing moat can be seen now, descending to the fields below the terrace. Kokuryōjō is thought to have been destroyed in 1579 during Akechi Mitsuhide’s conquest of Tanba. The castle, which served as a fortified residence, is now the site of a temple which shelters behind the old ramparts.
Visit Notes
Kokuryōjō, now a temple, retains some tall, thick dorui. There is modern ishigaki but that is for the temple, though the effect is complimentary. I had a decent look around here, and even followed a trench down the side of the hill. One can see that this is a clifftop castle which overlooked a fertile plain. These "Gakejiro" are technically hirayamajiro because one portion is built like a hirajiro (flatland castle), and the rest, the cliff-facing side, is built like a yamajiro (mountain castle).
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Kokuryou Castle (Tanba) |
| Japanese Name | 丹波国領城 |
| Founder | Akai Yukie |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Fortified Manor |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Tatebori |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Kuroi Station on the Fukuchiyama Line; 55 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7; Temple |
| Time Required | 20 minutes |
| Location | Tanba, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35° 8' 44.41" N, 135° 7' 50.16" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Hōrōki | |
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