Rikan Castle

Best to be reached by car. Take route 443 from Hirafuku station towards north east direction. After an underpass of the freeway look out to the right for a bridge. It will take you to an unsealed road. The road requires 4WD when wet. Bush parking space available. At the end of the unsealed road is a

History

Bessho Atsunori, a relative of the Akamatsu clan, built this castle in 1349 to help protect their main castle, Shirohata Castle, in the north. This remained an Akamatsu alligned castle for more than 200 years. In 1578, the lord of the castle, Bessho Nagaharu, was attacked by Amago Katsuhisa and Yamanaka Yukimori because he opposed the Oda. That same year, the Amago were attacked by the Mouri and Rikan Castle came under control of Ukita Naoie, a vassal of the Mouri.

After the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) the castle came under the control of the Ikeda Terumasa. Terumasa's nephew Yoshiyuki renovated the castle including building a 3 level main keep. The stone walls you see today also date from this renovation. The main keep was too grand and the castle too strongly built that fearing retaliation from the Tokugawa Bakufu, Ikeda Terumasa removed Yoshiyuki and dismantled the main keep and other significant structures from the castle. In 1615 Terumasa's sixth son Teruoki became lord of the castle until he took over Ako Castle in 1631. Rikan Castle was also decommissioned at this time.

Field Notes

Best to be reached by car. Take route 443 from Hirafuku station towards north east direction. After an underpass of the freeway look out to the right for a bridge. It will take you to an unsealed road. The road requires 4WD when wet. Bush parking space available. At the end of the unsealed road is a steep walking track.

Photos and profile by user Ucu_Maksudi.

Gallery

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Castle Profile
English Name	Rikan Castle
Japanese Name	利神城
Alternate Names	Untotsu-jo, Hirafuku-jo, Kumotsuki-jo
Founder	Bessho Atsunori
Year Founded	1349
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	Hirafuku Station (Chizu Line); and long walk (~60 mins) or car (unsealed road) and short walk (10-15mins)
Hours	400m walk from the end of the unsealed road. Around 10-15 minutes of steep track.
Time Required
URL	Castle Website
Location	Sayo-cho, Hyogo Pref., Hyogo Prefecture
Coordinates	35.046861, 134.379272
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