Sakamoto Castle: Difference between revisions

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|Japanese Name=坂本城
|Japanese Name=坂本城
|Romaji Name=Sakamoto-jo
|Romaji Name=Sakamoto-jo
|Alternate Names=
|Founder=Akechi Mitsuhide
|Founder=Akechi Mitsuhide
|Year Founded=1571
|Year Founded=1571
Line 9: Line 8:
|Castle Condition=No main keep but other buildings
|Castle Condition=No main keep but other buildings
|Historical Period=Pre Edo Period
|Historical Period=Pre Edo Period
|Main Keep Structure=
|Year Reconstructed=
|Artifacts=
|Features=stone walls
|Features=stone walls
|Access=Hiezansakamoto Sta (JR Kosei Line) or Keihan Matsunobanba Sta.; 20 min walk
|Access=Hiezansakamoto Sta (JR Kosei Line) or Keihan Matsunobanba Sta.; 20 min walk
Line 19: Line 15:
|City=Otsu
|City=Otsu
|Prefecture=Shiga Prefecture
|Prefecture=Shiga Prefecture
|Notes=I would rate this castle ruin as a half-star site as there isn’t very much left to see. Only a few remnants of stone walls near the shores of Lake Biwa and a statue of Akechi Mitsuhide can be found at a park which is located at one of its former outer baileys. The park is next to Route 161 and about 200 metres from a MacDonalds restaurant. Also, there is a “Sakamoto Castle Ruin” stone monument placed about two hundred metres from the park (follow the canal from the park.) Access is either from Keihan Matsunobanba Station or JR Hiezansakamoto Station. It is around a 20 minute walk from either one of these stations. While Sakamoto Castle Ruin isn’t really worth a visit by itself, but when it is combined with a visit to see the Anou-shu Zumi stone walls in Sakamoto and a walk around Mt. Hie, it makes for a good day trip from Kyoto. If you ever wondered where Nobunaga and Hideyoshi’s castle builders came from, go to Sakamoto and see these stonemasons’ legacy. There are lots of ishigaki here and more than at many castle ruins in Japan. They are mainly located between Keihan Sakamoto Station and the cable car station up to Mt. Hie.
|Notes=There is essentially nothing left of the castle to see today. There is a small castle park with a statue of Akechi Mitsuhide and some fake stone walls that were put up when the park was built but they are not remnants of the original stone walls and in fact the park is not even on the castle grounds.  
 
In the fall of 2021, low rainfalls and few typhoons in late 2021 caused the water level of Lake Biwa to drop, revealing some remnants of the honmaru stone walls that have been underwater for years.  Those are the main photos you see below. There is also some stonework along side XX temple that is thought to be the edge of the Ninomaru Bailey.  
 
While Sakamoto Castle Ruin isn’t really worth a visit by itself, when it is combined with a visit to see the Anou-shu Zumi stone walls in Sakamoto and a walk around Mt. Hie, it makes for a good day trip from Kyoto. If you ever wondered where Nobunaga and Hideyoshi’s castle builders came from, go to Sakamoto and see the stonemasons’ legacy. There are Many original stone walls here and more than at many castle ruins in Japan. They are mainly located between Keihan Sakamoto Station and the cable car station up to Mt. Hie.
|History=After annihilating the warrior monks of Hiezan in 1571, Oda Nobunaga ordered Akechi Mitsuhide to construct a castle at Sakamoto. Sakamoto Castle was a lakeside castle of strategic importance as it guarded the Western Omi Road, the road to the mountain pass into Kyoto from Omi (present day Shiga Prefecture), and it was also directly linked to Azuchi Castle by boats across Lake Biwa. It was also built to monitor the activities of the Enryakuji monks and to guard the western shores of southern Lake Biwa. Sakamoto Castle replaced nearby Usayama Castle, whose garrison was defeated in battle by the combined forces of Asai and Asakura in 1570. In 1586, four years after the death of Akechi Mitsuhide, this castle was dismantled and replaced by Otsu Castle as the local castle for controlling the area of southern Lake Biwa around Sakamoto and Otsu.
|History=After annihilating the warrior monks of Hiezan in 1571, Oda Nobunaga ordered Akechi Mitsuhide to construct a castle at Sakamoto. Sakamoto Castle was a lakeside castle of strategic importance as it guarded the Western Omi Road, the road to the mountain pass into Kyoto from Omi (present day Shiga Prefecture), and it was also directly linked to Azuchi Castle by boats across Lake Biwa. It was also built to monitor the activities of the Enryakuji monks and to guard the western shores of southern Lake Biwa. Sakamoto Castle replaced nearby Usayama Castle, whose garrison was defeated in battle by the combined forces of Asai and Asakura in 1570. In 1586, four years after the death of Akechi Mitsuhide, this castle was dismantled and replaced by Otsu Castle as the local castle for controlling the area of southern Lake Biwa around Sakamoto and Otsu.
|Year Visited=Viewer Contributed
|Year Visited=Viewer Contributed, 2021
|AddedJcastle=2012
|AddedJcastle=2012
|Japanese Notes=
|Visits=November 20, 2021
|Visits=
|GPSLocation=35.05993, 135.87714
|GPSLocation=35.05993, 135.87714
|Contributor=
|Contributor=RaymondW
|FriendsLinks=
|rating_average=0.5
|rating_average=0.5
|castleElev=86
|castleElev=86

Revision as of 16:32, 19 February 2022

There is essentially nothing left of the castle to see today. There is a small castle park with a statue of Akechi Mitsuhide and some fake stone walls that were put up when the park was built but they are not remnants of the original stone walls and in fact the park is not even on the castle ground

Sakamoto8.jpg

History

After annihilating the warrior monks of Hiezan in 1571, Oda Nobunaga ordered Akechi Mitsuhide to construct a castle at Sakamoto. Sakamoto Castle was a lakeside castle of strategic importance as it guarded the Western Omi Road, the road to the mountain pass into Kyoto from Omi (present day Shiga Prefecture), and it was also directly linked to Azuchi Castle by boats across Lake Biwa. It was also built to monitor the activities of the Enryakuji monks and to guard the western shores of southern Lake Biwa. Sakamoto Castle replaced nearby Usayama Castle, whose garrison was defeated in battle by the combined forces of Asai and Asakura in 1570. In 1586, four years after the death of Akechi Mitsuhide, this castle was dismantled and replaced by Otsu Castle as the local castle for controlling the area of southern Lake Biwa around Sakamoto and Otsu.


Field Notes

There is essentially nothing left of the castle to see today. There is a small castle park with a statue of Akechi Mitsuhide and some fake stone walls that were put up when the park was built but they are not remnants of the original stone walls and in fact the park is not even on the castle grounds.

In the fall of 2021, low rainfalls and few typhoons in late 2021 caused the water level of Lake Biwa to drop, revealing some remnants of the honmaru stone walls that have been underwater for years. Those are the main photos you see below. There is also some stonework along side XX temple that is thought to be the edge of the Ninomaru Bailey.

While Sakamoto Castle Ruin isn’t really worth a visit by itself, when it is combined with a visit to see the Anou-shu Zumi stone walls in Sakamoto and a walk around Mt. Hie, it makes for a good day trip from Kyoto. If you ever wondered where Nobunaga and Hideyoshi’s castle builders came from, go to Sakamoto and see the stonemasons’ legacy. There are Many original stone walls here and more than at many castle ruins in Japan. They are mainly located between Keihan Sakamoto Station and the cable car station up to Mt. Hie.


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Gallery
  • original honmaru stone wall ruins
  • Sakamoto6.jpg
  • Sakamoto2.jpg
  • Sakamoto3.jpg
  • Sakamoto7.jpg
  • Sakamoto4.jpg
  • Sakamoto9.jpg
  • Sakamoto1.jpg
  • Akechi Mitsuhide statue
  • Sakamoto Castle Park - not original stone walls
  • Sakamoto14.jpg
  • Sakamoto Castle Park
  • Sakamoto Castle Park
  • Sakamoto17.jpg
  • Sakamoto18.jpg
  • Ryosha Shrine, stone walls thought to be the outer moat
  • Sakamoto10.jpg
  • Sakamoto5.jpg
  • Sakamoto11.jpg
  • Relocated Gate from Castle (Saikyouji General Gate)
  • Relocated Omotemon Gate 聖衆来迎寺表門（坂本城移築城門）
  • SakamotoRelocatedGateShoujuraikoujiAdam.JPG
  • Third Bailey stone walls
  • Third Bailey stone walls
  • Third Bailey well


Castle Profile
English Name Sakamoto Castle
Japanese Name 坂本城
Founder Akechi Mitsuhide
Year Founded 1571
Castle Type Flatland
Castle Condition No main keep but other buildings
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Features stone walls
Visitor Information
Access Hiezansakamoto Sta (JR Kosei Line) or Keihan Matsunobanba Sta.; 20 min walk
Hours free open park
Time Required 60 mins
URL Castle Website
Location Otsu, Shiga Prefecture
Coordinates 35.05993, 135.87714
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2012
Contributor RaymondW
Admin Year Visited Viewer Contributed, 2021
Admin Visits November 20, 2021


1.33
(3 votes)
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