Miki Castle
History
Miki Castle was build by Bessho Noriharu in 1492, as the main base of the Bessho Clan. Around 1550 it was expanded into a large castle. In March 1578, Toyotomi Hideyoshi besieged Miki Castle with 7,000 soldiers under the orders of Oda Nobunaga. The army of Hideyoshi was not so strong at this time, and the Mori Clan, the strong warlord of Chugoku Region supported the Bessho Clan. Hideyoshi was squeezed by the Mori army, which attacked Kouzuki Castle (Hyogo Pref.). Hideyoshi abandoned Kouzuki-jo and gave priority to the attack on Miki Castle. Hideyoshi built positions and long fences surrounding Miki Castle and tried to stop the supply line. Hideyoshi gradually strengthen his siege and totally stopped the supply line. In January 1580, being totally starved after over two year siege, Nagaharu decided to open the castle under the condition of his suicide and mercy for the people. Nagaharu killed his family and himself and in the farewell poem he stated that "Now I do not have any grudge to die to save the people". Later this battle is regarded as one of three famous sieges of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, along with siege of Tottori Castle (Tottori Pref.) and Bitchu Takamatsu Castle (Okayama Pref.). After the death of Nagaharu, Miki Castle was kept as a local base for this area, and finally abolished in 1616. Now the former Honmaru at the edge of the terrace remains as a park, and although developed the terrain still keeps the trace of the former castle.
Visit Notes
Not so much to see at the castle but there are some nice things to see around the town. There is a museum for tools near the castle. Miki is known in Japan for it's metal work for chisels, saw blades, etc. You can also still see some of Hideyoshi's positions around the castle.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Miki Castle |
| Japanese Name | 三木城 |
| Alternate Names | Bessho-jo, Kamayama-jo |
| Founder | Bessho Noriharu |
| Year Founded | 1492 |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | National Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Features | samurai homes, walls, castle town |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Mikiuenomaru Station (Kobe Dentetsu / Ao Line), walk 5 minutes. |
| Visitor Information | open any time |
| Time Required | 45 mins |
| Website | https://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/spot/419 |
| Location | Miki, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34° 47' 59.57" N, 134° 59' 16.30" E |
|
|
|
| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2020 |
| Contributor | Andrew A |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
Enable comment auto-refresher