Yonago Castle

History

Around 1467 Yamana Muneyuki built a fort on Mt. Iinoyama just to the East of Minatoyama where Yonago Castle stands today. Kikkawa Hiroi founded the first real castle here on Minatoyama in 1591, but was not there to see it completed. After losing in the Battle of Sekigahara Kikkawa was moved to Iwakuni and Nakamura Kazutada became the new lord of Yonago in 1601. The castle was completed in 1602. Kazutada's family line abruptly ended with his sudden death in 1609. Kato Sadayasu became the new lord until he was transferred to Ozu in 1617. The Ikeda clan then ruled until 1632 when control of the castle was passed to their retainer the Arao Naritoshi. The Arao family ruled over Yonago Castle until the Meiji Restoration when they voluntarily returned teh castle to the government in 1869. In 1873 most of the castle buildings were sold and a few years later the remaining castle structures were dismantled.

Visit Notes

Yonago Castle was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't originally planning to stop here but I had enough time on my way back from Gassan Toda and the taxi driver to Gassan Toda highly recommended it so I did. Yonago Castle seems to get overshadowed by nearby castles in the Top 100 but the extensive stone walls, nice views and park make this a must see for castle fans visiting the area.

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Gallery

Path to the Naizenmaru
entrance to the Naizenmaru
stone walls of the honmaru
stone walls and the foundation of the main keep
main keep foundation
entrance to the honmaru and stone walls
honmaru entrance
view from the honmaru
looking down from the honmaru
extension of the Honmaru
View form Honmaru
Mizute Gate Ruins
West entrance to the Honmaru
Stone walls of the Honmaru
Stone walls of the Honmaru
Stone walls of the Honmaru
Ohara Nagayamon Gate
Ohara Nagayamon Gate
A view of the masugata from outside
inside of the masugata gate
map

Castle Profile
English Name	Yonago Castle
Japanese Name	米子城
Alternate Names	Iinoyama-jo
Founder	Kikkawa Hiroie
Year Founded	1591
Castle Type	Hilltop
Castle Condition	No main keep but other buildings
Designations	Next 100 Castles, National Historic Site
Historical Period	Edo Period
Features	stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	Yonago Sta.; 15 min walk
Visitor Information
Time Required
Website	http://www.yonago-city.jp/section/edu/bunka/castle/appearance.htm
Location	Yonago, Tottori Prefecture
Coordinates	35° 25' 29.39" N, 133° 19' 27.34" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2011
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	2010
Admin Visits	November 19, 2010

3.00

(7 votes)

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ARTShogun

43 months ago

Score 0

updated to yellow for Nagayamon on-site.

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ARTShogun

78 months ago

Score 1

Yonagojō is a great castle site with lots of ishigaki (stone ramparts) to inspect, including nobori-ishigaki, ramparts which climb the mountain slope. The ishigaki cladding the Honmaru (main bailey) at the top of the mountain is particularly impressive. Other ruins remain around the (内膳丸) bailey further down the mountain and at the base of the mountain by the Fukaura-kuruwa (enclosure) where one finds a masugata (square layout gate complex) and nagayamon (row-gatehouse), the latter relocated from offsite. The castle extended around the mountain. The Ninomaru and Sannomaru baileys are now built over by sports facilities. The Sannomaru looped all the way around Iinoyama, the site of an older fort directly opposite Yonagajō.

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ARTShogun

80 months ago

Score 1

In town somewhere (I didn't see myself) there is a sweet shop built in the shape of a large castle keep.

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A22cricketAshigaru

162 months ago

Score 1

Some stone walls. Best memory of this site is climbing to the top after a snow storm and getting a picture of the sunset.

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