Senmi Castle
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History
Senmijō was first built by the Obinata Clan, vassals of the Murakami Clan, to protect the mountain passes which led to their territory from the west. On the otherside of the mountains was the territory of the Nishina Clan. This was during the first half of the 16th century.
In 1552, Takeda forces invaded Azumi County, and Yamagata Masakage attacked Senmijō. The fierce battle saw castellan Obinata Nagatatsu slain, and the castle fall under Takeda control. In subsequent years the castle changed hands due to in-fighting within the Obinata Clan. The clan was split between supporting the Takeda and resisting, and this dispute became an all out civil war within the clan (see Fumimichi Castle). But in 1555 the pro-Takeda faction of the Obinata took back the castle from the rebels.
Many defeated clans in Nagano, like the Murakami Clan, fled to Echigo to be with Uesugi Kenshin following the advance of Takeda Shingen. However, the Kai-Takeda Clan met its final demise in 1582 (see Taira-yashiki), and thereafter Uesugi Kagekatsu took back territory in Shinano, including Senmijō which became a frontline castle against the resurgent Ogasawara Clan (former official governors of Shinano Province).
Ogasawara Sadayoshi ordered the Nishina Army to attack Senmijō in 1584, and they successfully conquered the castle, only to see it fall back into Uesugi Kagekatsu's hands a couple of months later. The Nishina attacked once more that year, but this time failed to capture the mountain fortress. The following year, 1585, Ogasawara Sadayoshi successfully conquered Senmijō, and that year installed Futatsugi Morimasa as castellan, who rebuilt the castle.
In 1590, following the fall of Odawara to Toyotomi Hideyoshi which cemented his position as undisputed leader of Japan, Uesugi Kagekatsu, defying the general trend toward peace that Toyotomi-kampku (regent) was trying to encourage, brazenly attacked Ogasawara lands, and re-captured Senmijō in the autumn. The kampaku was not best pleased, and ordered Uesugi Kagekatsu to retreat, which he did. Thereafter Ishikawa Iemasa was appointed castellan of Senmijō.
Gallery
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| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Senmi Castle |
| Japanese Name | 千見城 |
| Founder | Obinata Clan |
| Year Founded | Early 16th Century |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Horikiri, Kuruwa, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Shinano-Ômachi Station on the Ôito Line; rental e-bike |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 150 minutes |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Ômachi, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36.60735, 137.91629 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2023 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Kojō Seisuiki | |
| Ranmaru | |
| Yogo | |
