Ikoyama Castle
Ikoyamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin on the border of Motosu (via Hōrinji) and Gifu (via Oku) municipalities. Ruins consist of earthworks such as dorui (earthen ramparts), baileys and trenches. The highlight is the unebori (ridge moat) configuration to the rear of the fort. There are tw
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History
Ikoyamajō is said to have first been built in 1278 by Fujisaki Yasutsuna, though the ruins seen today appear to date to the 16th century. In 1527, Nishimura Kankurō is recorded as the castellan of Ikoyamajō. This 'Nishimura Kankurō' may or may not have been Saitō Dōsan. Since there may have also been two men of that name, father and son, it could have been either of them.
Takenaka Hanbē's coup d'état attempt of 1564 forced Saitō Yoshitatsu to flee Inabayamajō to Ibijō via Ikoyamajō, indicating he took an indirect route over the mountains. Mino Province had been conquered by Oda Nobunaga by 1567 and Ikoyamajō is thought to have been destroyed or abandoned around this time.
Field Notes
Ikoyamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin on the border of Motosu (via Hōrinji) and Gifu (via Oku) municipalities. Ruins consist of earthworks such as dorui (earthen ramparts), baileys and trenches. The highlight is the unebori (ridge moat) configuration to the rear of the fort. There are two main bailey areas, with the upper bailey being on a steep peak above the fort's approach. There are some pocket terraces and climbing trenches along this steep approach. Separating the upper and lower baileys is a trench complex with dorui and a dobashi (earthen bridge).
Along the ridge between Ikoyamajō and neighbouring Kakeborajō, I found a very steep creek with mounding on one side, which made me think it may have been a tatebori (climbing trench) or an augmented and fortified natural feature. It was hard to imagine the creek being formed naturally, but I am not an expert on how geological forces stitch mountains together; anyway, it was not a feature depicted on any of the maps I had.
Ikoyamajō sits between Kakeborajō and Hōrinjijō in the Monjuyama fort group (the peak of Monjuyama is the site of Yamaguchijō). I approached Ikoyamajō from Kakeborajō before proceeding onto Hōrinjijō since the fort group forms a circuit upon the mountains around the valley where Hōrinji village is. I completed an unclosed loop, starting at Motosu Station and finishing at Oribe Station, the next station along on the Tarumi Railway.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Ikoyama Castle |
| Japanese Name | 祐向城 |
| Founder | Fujisaki Yasutsuna; Nishimura Kankurō |
| Year Founded | 1278; 1527 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Unebori, Dobashi, Dorui, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Motosu or Oribe stations on the Tarumi Railway. Hike from Hōrinjijō (20 mins) or Kakeborajō (10 mins). |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 45 mins |
| Location | Motosu, Gifu Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.51439, 136.6854 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Kyūtarō no Sengoku Shiro Meguri | |
| Shiro Rekishi Meguri | |
| Jōseki Meguri Bibōroku | |
| Yogo | |
