Oishi Castle (Bitchu)

Oishijō is a medieval castle which later became a fortified position during the siege of Bitchū-Takamtsujō. It was located in Kibi County, Bitchū Province. No ruins remain and the site is now a shrine, Oishi-jinja.

History

Oishijō was a medieval fort, and the base of the Oishi Clan. It was later the site of the encampment of Katō Kiyomasa during the 1582 spring invasion of Bitchū by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A lengthy siege ensued at Bitchū-Takamatsujō, and the castle was eventually flooded by the construction of dykes in one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mostfamous victories. Kiyomasa used the site of Oishijō, also called Hōonjiyama-jin after a nearby temple, during this time. The Oishi Clan helped to defend nearby Kamojō from Toyotomi (Hashiba) forces in 1582, so they may have abandoned Oishijō to make a more cohesive defence of Kamojō, a larger castle, thoguh the Oishi Clan would betray their fellow defenders during the course of the battle.

Just south of the Hōonjiyama-jin site is the site of the 'Ashimori River Sluice', where it is said that water was diverted by Katō Kiyomasa for the flooding of Bitchū-Takamatsujō. Accordingly the fort is believed to have provided defence for this vital infrastructure; any force seeking to destroy the dyke would've been repulsed from the fort. The site of this sluice gate is now a modern river embankment and no ruins remain, but there is a stone marker just south of the Kibi Line railway.

Field Notes

Oishijō is a medieval castle which later became a fortified position during the siege of Bitchū-Takamtsujō. It was located in Kibi County, Bitchū Province. No ruins remain and the site is now a shrine, Oishi-jinja.

Gallery

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  Shrine Gate
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Castle Profile
English Name	Oishi Castle (Bitchu)
Japanese Name	備中生石城
Alternate Names	報恩寺山陣 Hōonjiyama-jin
Founder	Oishi Clan; Katō Kiyomasa
Year Founded	Sengoku Period; 1582
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features
Visitor Information
Access	Ashimori Station on the Kibi Line; 5 minute walk
Hours	24/7 free; shrine
Time Required	10 minutes
Location	Okayama, Okayama Prefecture
Coordinates	34.7003, 133.80324
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2022
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
Friends of JCastle
Jōkaku Hōrōki

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