Aoyama Castle (Omi)
Aoyamajō is a forested earthworks castle ruin in Higashi-Ōmi. It is a hirayamajiro type, gakejiro subtype castle, meaning that the castle was built overlooking a steep change in elevation – a cliff – on one side, and on its three other sides where the terrain was flat earthen ramparts were heaped up
History
Aoyamajō was built as a satellite fortification of Ogurajō by the Ogura Clan. The site is now forest and tanuki nesting grounds.
Field Notes
Aoyamajō is a forested earthworks castle ruin in Higashi-Ōmi. It is a hirayamajiro type, gakejiro subtype castle, meaning that the castle was built overlooking a steep change in elevation – a cliff – on one side, and on its three other sides where the terrain was flat earthen ramparts were heaped up and dry moats dug. These earthworks have lasted well, with the dorui (berms) going all around the shukuruwa (main bailey) except where it borders the cliff side, and deep karabori (dry moats) making the castle ruins quite clear. The karabori become tatebori (climbing moats) where they meet the cliff line and fall. The shukuruwa is now rather over-grown. I found many tanuki (raccoon-dog) burrows dug into the ramparts, and, sure enough, a tanuki appeared nearby.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Aoyama Castle |
| Japanese Name | 青山城 |
| Founder | Ogura Clan |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Karabori, Tatebori, Kuruwa |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Shin-Yōkaichi Station on the Ōmi Rail Man'yo-Akane Line; 15 minute drive or 100 minute walk |
| Hours | Free; 24/7; Forest |
| Time Required | 30 minutes |
| Location | Higashi-Oumi, Shiga Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.09672, 136.26776 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Kojōdan | |
