Sakamoto Castle
| Sakamoto Castle | |
|---|---|
坂本城 | |
Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan | |
 Statue of Mitsuhide in Sakamoto Castle park | |
  Sakamoto Castle  Sakamoto Castle | |
| Coordinates | 35°3′35.374″N 135°52′37.744″E / 35.05982611°N 135.87715111°E |
| Type | Mizu style castle |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Oda clan, Toyotomi clan |
| Condition | ruins |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1571 |
| Built by | Akechi Mitsuhide |
| Demolished | 1586 |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders | Akechi Mitsuhide, Niwa Nagahide, Asano Nagamasa |
Sakamoto Castle (坂本城, Sakamoto-jō) was a lakeside castle in the Sengoku period, located in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.[1]
Akechi Mitsuhide was the commander of the castle.[2]
History
After the Siege of Mount Hiei, Sakamoto was given to Akechi Mitsuhide who built Sakamoto Castle under orders from the warlord Oda Nobunaga because Sakamoto was a strategically important place to rule. [3] Luís Fróis described the castle as the second best castle in Japan at the time.[4]
After the loss of Battle of Yamazaki, Mitsuhide tried to return to the castle but he was killed on the way.[4] Surrounded by Toyotomi's army, Mitsuhide's adopted son Akechi Hidemitsu set fire to the castle and killed himself.[5][6]
In 1583, Sakamoto castle was given to Niwa Nagahide and he rebuilt the castle.[6] In 1586, Asano Nagamasa abandoned the castle and moved to Ōtsu Castle by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's order.[5] (Stones and materials were transferred to Ōtsu Castle.[4])
Nowadays nothing remains of the original castle, and a statue of Akechi Mitsuhide stands in Sakamoto Castle's park.[5][3] (Low stone wall remains in the Lake Biwa and can be seen when the water level drops.[4][7]) A gate from Sakamoto Castle was relocated to Saikyō-ji Temple near the castle. (Akechi clan's tombs are also at Saikyō-ji Temple.)[4]
Gallery
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Monument of Sakamoto Castle -
Monument of Sakamoto Castle Honmaru base -
Monument of Sakamoto Castle Ninomaru base -
Former Sakamoto Castle's gate (Gate of Saikyo-ji Temple) -
View from Sakamoto Castle park
References
- ^ "坂本城" (in Japanese). 滋賀県観光情報. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "坂本城跡から将棋の駒や青磁が出土 琵琶湖水運の拠点として繁栄" (in Japanese). 産経west. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ a b "坂本城と亀山城の歴史を紐解く！" (in Japanese). 歴人マガジン. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "坂本城" (in Japanese). コトバンク. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ a b c "明智光秀の幻の城、近江・坂本城跡には何があるのか" (in Japanese). Line トラベル. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ a b "坂本城" (in Japanese). 大津歴史舞台. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "今一番アツい戦国武将！ 明智光秀ゆかりの城" (in Japanese). 城びと. Retrieved 25 July 2019.