Ohkuwa Castle (Mikawa)
Ôkuwajō is an okajiro (hilltop castle) ruin in Ôkuwa Township, Toyota Municipality. Ruins include earthworks such as karabori (dry moats) and dorui (earthen ramparts). The fort's layout is like a residence more so than a fortified redoubt, and was probably lived in on a full-time basis unlike most m
History
Ôkuwajō was built by the Kawai Clan and the castellan was Kawai Yajūrō. The Kawai resisted Imagawa Yoshimoto in 1550. Following Yoshimoto's death in 1560, the Matsudaira furthered their control of western Mikawa, and vassalised the Kawai in 1565. Ôkuwajō, along with surrounding forts, fell to Kai-Takeda forces from 1571.
Field Notes
Ôkuwajō is an okajiro (hilltop castle) ruin in Ôkuwa Township, Toyota Municipality. Ruins include earthworks such as karabori (dry moats) and dorui (earthen ramparts). The fort's layout is like a residence more so than a fortified redoubt, and was probably lived in on a full-time basis unlike most mountaintop forts.
The main bailey is roughly square, and is surrounded by dorui, with the dorui toward the front being the tallest. Karabori surround the inner compound, and dorui is also piled up in places on the outside of the karabori too. A dobashi (earthen bridge) spans the karabori to permit access to the inner bailey. An outer obikuruwa (ring bailey) surrounds these features.
With much of the surrounding terrain sloping quite gently, Ôkuwajō feels more like a hirajiro (flatland castle) constructed at elevation than it does a yamajiro (mountaintop castle), but it is most properly categorised as an okajiro, which is a subset of yamajiro used for low-lying hill forts.
Although the ruins are interesting, there are signposts, and even an easy walking path, outside of the main bailey the site is heavily overgrown, with the moats and outer ramparts being hidden beneath shrubs and weeds. I covered everything but much of this site was difficult to photograph with any clarity. One day I hope we'll be able to easily take three-dimensional photographs, but in a mere two dimensions I fear these photos will struggle to show the site's structure.
Note: this site is Ôkuwajō in Mikawa Province (Aichi Pref.), and is not to be confused with Ôgajō in Mino Province (Gifu Pref.), which uses the same kanji: 大桑城.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Ohkuwa Castle (Mikawa) |
| Japanese Name | 三河大桑城 |
| Founder | Kawai Yajūrō |
| Year Founded | c.1550 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Karabori, Dorui, Dobashi, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Trail is to the east of site, beneath Tomoeǵaoka ES |
| Hours | 24/7 free; park |
| Time Required | 30 mins |
| Location | Toyota, Aichi Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.04244, 137.37914 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Umoreta Kojō | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
| Jōseki Meguri Bibōroku | |
| Jōkaku Shashin Kiroku | |
| Yogo | |
