Mito Castle was a 12th-century Japanese castle with an extensive history, now in ruins, located in what was Hitachi Province. [1] The castle ruins are located in the city of Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.
Mito Castle was a 12th-century Japanese castle with an extensive history, now in ruins, located in what was Hitachi Province. [1] The castle ruins are located in the city of Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.
The castle was originally constructed in 1214 by Baba Sukemoto. This clan continued the rule of the castle, until it was taken in 1416 by Edo Michifusa. It was originally named Baba castle, however after it was taken by the Edo clan, it was expanded and given its present name.
During the Edo Era the castle was held by the Mito branch of the Tokugawa clan, one of the Gosanke, three branch families of the Tokugawa that could provide an heir if necessary. The Mito branch was founded by Yorifusa Tokugawa, the 11th son of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first Tokugawa shōgun. The proximity of Mito to Edo meant that the Mito branch of the family was influential throughout the Edo era.
A large fire destroyed many of the buildings in 1764. The castle was decommissioned, as were many castles in Japan, during the Meiji period. [2] [1]
Little of the Castle now remains, except moats, one gate and the Kodokan, a school that was located in front of the castle. There are several modern schools located on the castle's former site, which have gates and fences done in the style of a castle.
Ibaraki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Ibaraki Prefecture has a population of 2,871,199 and has a geographic area of 6,097.19 square kilometres. Ibaraki Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, Tochigi Prefecture to the northwest, Saitama Prefecture to the southwest, Chiba Prefecture to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.
Okazaki Castle is a Japanese castle located in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Okazaki Castle was home to the Honda clan, daimyō of Okazaki Domain, but the castle is better known for its association with Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Tokugawa clan. The castle was also known as "Tatsu-jō " (龍城).
The Tokugawa clan is a Japanese dynasty that was formerly a powerful daimyō family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of the Minamoto clan through the Matsudaira clan. The early history of this clan remains a mystery. Members of the clan ruled Japan as shōguns from 1603 to 1867.
The Matsudaira clan was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province. During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of the Matsudaira clan, Matsudaira Motoyasu became a powerful regional daimyo under Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi and changed his name to Tokugawa Ieyasu. He subsequently seized power as the first shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan during the Edo period until the Meiji restoration of 1868. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, many cadet branches of the clan retained the Matsudaira surname, and numerous new branches were formed in the decades after Ieyasu. Some of those branches were also of daimyō status.
Ueda Castle is a Japanese castle located in Ueda, northern Nagano Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Ueda Castle was home to a cadet branch of the Matsudaira clan, daimyō of Ueda Domain, but the castle is better known for its association with the Sengoku period Sanada clan. It was also called Amagafuji-jō or Matsuo-jō. The castle was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1934.
Aoba Castle is a Japanese castle located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Throughout the Edo period, Aoba Castle was home to the Date clan, daimyō of Sendai Domain. The castle was also known as Sendai-jō (仙台城) or as Gojō-rō (五城楼). In 2003, the castle ruins were designated a National Historic Site.
The Owari Tokugawa family is a branch of the Tokugawa clan, and it is the seniormost house of the Gosanke.
Obama Castle was a seaside-style castle located in what is now the city of Obama, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. During the Edo period, it was the headquarters of a junior branch of the Sakai clan, who were hereditary daimyō of Obama Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. The castle was also known by the name of Unpin Castle.
Nihonmatsu Castle is a Japanese castle located in what is now the city of Nihonmatsu, northern Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Throughout most of the Edo period, Nihonmatsu Castle was home to the Niwa clan, daimyō of Nihonmatsu Domain. The castle was also known as "Kasumi-ga-jō" (霞ヶ城) or "Shirahata-jō" (白旗城). The castle is one of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan, and in 2007 was designated a National Historic Site. The castle grounds are also a noted venue for viewing sakura in spring.
Komoro Castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Komoro, central Nagano Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Komoro Castle was home to a junior branch of the Makino clan, daimyō of Komoro Domain. It was also known as Ana-jō or Hakatsuru-jō. Today, it is open to public as Kaikoen（懐古園）.
Yamagata Castle is a flatland-style Japanese castle located in the center of the city of Yamagata, eastern Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Throughout the Edo period, Yamagata Castle was the headquarters for the daimyō of Yamagata Domain. The castle was also known as "Ka-jō" (霞城). The castle grounds are protected as a National Historic Site by the Japanese government
Takasaki Castle is a Japanese castle located in Takasaki, southern Gunma Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Tatebayashi Castle was home to a branch of the Matsudaira clan, daimyō of Takasaki Domain, but the castle was ruled by a large number of different clans over its history. The castle was also known as "Wada-jō" (和田城).
Tsuchiura Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Hitachi Province, Japan. It was centered on Tsuchiura Castle in what is now the city of Tsuchiura, Ibaraki. It was ruled for much of its history by the Tsuchiya clan.
Kasama Castle is a Japanese castle located in Kasama, central Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Kasama Castle was home to a junior branch of Makino clan, daimyō of Kasama Domain, but castle and domain went through many changes in clans during the early Edo period.
Tsuchiura Castle is a flatland-style Japanese castle located in Tsuchiura, southern Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Tsuchiura Castle was home to the Tsuchiya clan, daimyō of Tsuchiura Domain. The castle was also known as "Ki-jō".
Sakura Castle was a 17th-century castle, now in ruins, in Sakura, Chiba Prefecture. It was designated one of Japan's Top 100 Castles by the Japanese Castle Foundation.
Tsutsujigasaki Castle was the fortified residence of the final three generations of the Takeda clan, located in the center of the city of Kōfu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. It is not a Japanese castle in the proper sense of the word, and is not referred to as a "castle" in Japanese, as it was famously the policy of the Takeda clan to "make men your castle, men your walls, men your moats". Nevertheless, it is listed as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles. The ruins have been protected as a National Historic Site since 1938. The site is open to the public and now contains the Takeda Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of the Takeda clan.
Takatō Castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Ina, southern Nagano Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Takatō Castle was home to a cadet branch of the Naitō clan, daimyō of Takatō Domain. The castle was also known as Kabuto Castle. Built sometime in the 16th century, it is now largely ruins.
Takaoka Castle was a flatland-style Japanese castle in what is now the city of Takaoka, Toyama Japan. It was originally constructed in 1609, and was only used for a few years before being dismantled. The site of its ruins are now a park. The castle is designated one of Japan's Top 100 Castles by the Japanese Castle Foundation.The ruins are protected as a National Historic Site.
Coordinates: 36°22′22″N140°28′42″E / 36.3728°N 140.4783°E
100 Fine Castles of Japan by region | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hokkaidō |  | |
| Tōhoku | ||
| Kantō | ||
| Chūbu | ||
| Kansai | ||
| Chūgoku | ||
| Shikoku | ||
| Kyūshū a | ||
a including Okinawa. | ||
| General | |
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| National libraries | |
