Uneme Castle
Unemejō is an okajiro (hilltop fort) type yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Uneme Township, Yokkaichi Municipality. Ruins consist primarily of earthworks, including dorui (earthen ramparts), karabori (dry moats), kuruwa (baileys) and tatebori (climbing trenches). These ruins are for the most par
History
Unemejō was constructed, according to a 1788 document called the Furuyasōshi, by Gotō Motokiyo in 1187. Alternatively, according to the Sangokuchishi, a 1761 geographic survey, the castle was built later by Gotō Motohide in 1260 after he became the head of the township of Uneme. In any case, the ruins appear to date to the Sengoku period. Unemejō was attacked by forces loyal to Oda Nobunaga in 1568 and destroyed along with its last lord, Gotō Fujikatsu.
Field Notes
Unemejō is an okajiro (hilltop fort) type yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Uneme Township, Yokkaichi Municipality. Ruins consist primarily of earthworks, including dorui (earthen ramparts), karabori (dry moats), kuruwa (baileys) and tatebori (climbing trenches). These ruins are for the most part well maintained and there are bridges and walkways to aid explorers.
The layout of Unemejō is vaguely Italy-shaped, and it even has a detached bailey complex to serve as Sardinia; or, the shape of a boot kicking a ball, but who plays footy in heels? The trail to the castle goes up through a creek area directly to the main bailey. The main bailey is accessed via a masugata (crank-shaped) gate complex of dorui, and dorui rings basically the whole bailey. There is a deep well in the main bailey, and a signboard with information. To the north of the main bailey are the second and third baileys, each surrounded by dorui and separated by large horikiri (trenches); these earthworks may well be this site's highlight.
To the southeast of the main bailey there is a narrow trail that descends to what the map I was using, produced by the legendary castle-explorer of Jōkaku Hōrōki, designates the eighth bailey. In our Italy analogy, this bailey would be the peninsula of Salento. This bailey has dorui on the east-facing side, and has horikiri both fore and aft.
To the southwest is our Calabria and Sicily. I actually came that way after first visiting Sardinia, the detached bailey, which necessitated descending and climbing the steeply shorn hillside (not recommended), across the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Calabrian spur is made up of the three baileys (the lowermost of which in our belaboured analogy will have to be Sicily) with ramparts formed from the ridge, and is almost as large as the three integral baileys above. It connects eventually with the main bailey via a handsome dobashi (earthen bridge) which a wooden bridge has been built atop.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Uneme Castle |
| Japanese Name | 采女城 |
| Founder | Gotō Motokiyo; Gotō Motohide; Gotō Fujikatsu |
| Year Founded | 1187; 1260; Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Karabori, Dorui, Dobashi, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Utsube Station on the Yokkaichi-Asunarō Line; 20 minute walk to trailhead |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 90 mins |
| Location | Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34.93133, 136.5747 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Kojōshi | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
| Yogo | |
