Akozu Castle: Difference between revisions

From Jcastle.info
(XML import)
 
No edit summary
 
(4 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Castle
{{Castle
|English Name=
|English Name=Akozu Castle
 
|Japanese Name=赤尾津城
 
|Romaji Name=Akozujō
 
|Alternate Names=Takajō
 
|Founder=Ogasawara Mitsusada
Akozu Castle
|Year Founded=14th Century
|Japanese Name=
|Castle Type=Mountaintop
赤尾津城
|Castle Condition=No main keep but other buildings
|Romaji Name=
|Historical Period=Pre Edo Period
Akozu-jo
|Artifacts=Baileys; Mogi Tower
|Alternate Names=
|Features=turrets
Taka-jo
|Access=Ugo-Kameda Station on Uetsu Line
|Founder=
|Visitor Information=24hr / free
Ogasawara Mitsusada
|Time Required=1 hour
|Year Founded=
|City=Yurihonjo
14th Century
|Prefecture=Akita Prefecture
|Castle Type=
|Notes=I went to discover the extant ruins of this castle which sits on a mountain behind [[Kameda Castle]], now covered by mock reconstructions. I found two baileys of Akozujō, the honmaru (main bailey) and sannomaru (third bailey), which has the weird pagoda-shaped museum on it, now abandoned. I also passed over a ravine, a natural feature incorporated into the defences of the castle. Exploring these ruins was an adventure, not least because large parts of the mountain are neglected. There are no direction posts or markers, and all but one of the signs have been removed, and the remaining one you can see has been heavily edited, mostly to remove indications of the theme park which used to be on the mountain, its remaining abandoned buildings now scattered about.  Going by maps I found online, there used to be a ferris wheel and slides. The roads are barred. The road by which I descended the mountain is a raised, winding path now choked by vegetation. This creates a sense of foreboding, but if you brave this and reach the honmaru without getting lost, you will be rewarded with excellent views. Akozujō commanded a vast view and relied on a natural features for its defence.
Mountaintop
|History=Akozu Castle was established in the period of North and Southern Courts by Ogasawara Mitsusada, who founded the Akozu Clan. The castle was under the local supervision of the Yuri Clan for much of its history. As part of the Yuri faction, the Akozu Clan, as allies of the Tokugawa, marched out from the castle to participate in the Battle of Sekigahara. En route they heard that a large enemy force was amassing in the west and so the Yuri vassal serving as commander ordered the retreat back home. The Yuri commander was thereafter demoted and the reputation of the Yuri and Akozu suffered. Akozu Castle ceased to function in 1612 after the establishment of nearby Honjōjō.
|Castle Condition=
|Year Visited=Viewer Contributed
Ruins only
|AddedJcastle=2016
|Designations=
|GPSLocation=39.49801, 140.08997
 
|Contributor=ART
|Historical Period=
|rating_average=1.5
Pre Edo Period
|castleElev=110
|Main Keep Structure=
|ekiLatLng=39.493895,140.06302
 
|ekiElev=11
|Year Reconstructed=
|elevChange=99
 
|kamon=ogasawara.jpg
|Artifacts=
|kamonFam=Akozu
 
|adminRating=1
|oldID=594
 
|Features=
 
|Access=
 
Ugo-Kameda Station on Uetsu Line  
 
|Visitor Information=
 
24hr / free  
 
|Time Required=
1 hour
|City=
Yurihonjo, Akita Pref.
|Prefecture=
Akita Prefecture
|Notes=
 
 
There are no sign posts and some sites are neglected
<p><a href="http://jcastle.info/mypage/home/503">Profile and photos contributed by AdamT</a></p>
 
 
|History=
 
 
Akozu Castle was established in the period of North and Southern Courts by Ogasawara Mitsusada, who founded the Akozu Clan. The castle was under the local supervision of the Yuri Clan for much of its history. As part of the Yuri faction, the Akozu clan, as allies of the Tokugawa, marched out from the castle to participate in the Battle of Sekigahara. En route they heard that a large enemy force was amassing in the west and so the Yuri vassal serving as commander ordered the retreat back home. The Yuri commander was thereafter demoted and the reputation of the Yuri and Akozu suffered.  
The castle ceased to function in 1612 after the establishment of nearby Honjōjō.
 
 
|Visits=
 
|Japanese Notes=
 
 
|Year Visited=
Viewer Contributed
|Website=
 
|rating_average=
1.5
|castleElev=
110
|ekiLatLng=
39.493895,140.06302
|ekiElev=
11
|elevChange=
99
|kamon=
ogasawara.jpg
|kamonFam=
Akozu
|adminRating=
1
|oldID=
594
|GPSLocation=
39.498014,140.089970
}}
}}

Latest revision as of 15:02, 24 August 2021

I went to discover the extant ruins of this castle which sits on a mountain behind Kameda Castle, now covered by mock reconstructions. I found two baileys of Akozujō, the honmaru (main bailey) and sannomaru (third bailey), which has the weird pagoda-shaped museum on it, now abandoned. I also pas

Akozu3.jpg

History

Akozu Castle was established in the period of North and Southern Courts by Ogasawara Mitsusada, who founded the Akozu Clan. The castle was under the local supervision of the Yuri Clan for much of its history. As part of the Yuri faction, the Akozu Clan, as allies of the Tokugawa, marched out from the castle to participate in the Battle of Sekigahara. En route they heard that a large enemy force was amassing in the west and so the Yuri vassal serving as commander ordered the retreat back home. The Yuri commander was thereafter demoted and the reputation of the Yuri and Akozu suffered. Akozu Castle ceased to function in 1612 after the establishment of nearby Honjōjō.


Field Notes

I went to discover the extant ruins of this castle which sits on a mountain behind Kameda Castle, now covered by mock reconstructions. I found two baileys of Akozujō, the honmaru (main bailey) and sannomaru (third bailey), which has the weird pagoda-shaped museum on it, now abandoned. I also passed over a ravine, a natural feature incorporated into the defences of the castle. Exploring these ruins was an adventure, not least because large parts of the mountain are neglected. There are no direction posts or markers, and all but one of the signs have been removed, and the remaining one you can see has been heavily edited, mostly to remove indications of the theme park which used to be on the mountain, its remaining abandoned buildings now scattered about. Going by maps I found online, there used to be a ferris wheel and slides. The roads are barred. The road by which I descended the mountain is a raised, winding path now choked by vegetation. This creates a sense of foreboding, but if you brave this and reach the honmaru without getting lost, you will be rewarded with excellent views. Akozujō commanded a vast view and relied on a natural features for its defence.




Gallery
  • Akozu3.jpg
  • Akozu2.jpg
  • Akozu1.jpg


Castle Profile
English Name Akozu Castle
Japanese Name 赤尾津城
Alternate Names Takajō
Founder Ogasawara Mitsusada
Year Founded 14th Century
Castle Type Mountaintop
Castle Condition No main keep but other buildings
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Artifacts Baileys; Mogi Tower
Features turrets
Visitor Information
Access Ugo-Kameda Station on Uetsu Line
Hours 24hr / free
Time Required 1 hour
Location Yurihonjo, Akita Prefecture
Coordinates 39.49801, 140.08997
Loading map...
Admin
Added to Jcastle 2016
Contributor ART
Admin Year Visited Viewer Contributed


2.00
(one vote)
Loading comments...