Doi Castle (Mikawa)
Doijō represents a group of sites in the Doi Township of Okazaki Muncipality. In addition to Doijō itself, the complex of fortifications included at one point or other Doishimo-yashiki ('Doi Lower Residence') and Doikojō ('Doi Old Castle'). No ruins remain of any of these fortifications, but there a
History
Doijō was constructed in the early 16th century by Honda Nobushige, the son of Honda Kiyoshige and the grandson of Honda Hidekiyo. The castle had a footprint of 400m north-to-south and 200m east-to-west, making it a large castle for the time. The fort's layout consisted of three baileys arranged in a row (as opposed to being concentric). There was also a villa (shimoyashiki) to the southeast. The Honda became vassals of the Matsudaira in the Sengoku period.
Honda Hirotaka, Honda Nobushige's son, was born at Doijō in 1527, would go on to serve Tokugawa Ieyasu, fighting in the siege of Tōjōjō in 1561 and in the Mikawa Revolt of 1563 when Doijō was surrounded by enemies. In 1564 Hirotaka conquered Taharajō and made it his new base, relocating his men from Doijō. He placed the Ōta Clan in charge of Doijō in his absence, but the surrounding settlement soon emptied out.
In 1573, Doi Toshikatsu was born at Doijō (the Doi Clan were originally called the Saotome, and Toshikatsu was adopted by them but is thought to have been the biological son of Mizuno Nobumoto, Tokugawa Ieyasu's uncle). He would go on to become an important statesman in the Edo government, cementing diplomatic ties and trade relations with Ayuttahaya (proto-modern Thailand; Sengoku wotaku may know that the King of Siam had samurai bodyguards).
In 1590, when Tanaka Yoshimasa became the lord of Okazakijō, he ordered Doijō demolished, and its moats filled in for farming space. We know about the structure of Doijō because ruins remained up until 1955 in the form of earthworks, but these were demolished to make way for housing.
Field Notes
Doijō represents a group of sites in the Doi Township of Okazaki Muncipality. In addition to Doijō itself, the complex of fortifications included at one point or other Doishimo-yashiki ('Doi Lower Residence') and Doikojō ('Doi Old Castle'). No ruins remain of any of these fortifications, but there are some clues as to their history scattered around the town. Honda Hidekiyo's cenotaph can be found on the former castle grounds behind a row of houses.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Doi Castle (Mikawa) |
| Japanese Name | 三河土井城 |
| Founder | Honda Nobushige |
| Year Founded | Early 16th Century |
| Castle Type | Flatland |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Features | |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Okazaki Station on the Tōkaidō Main Line; 30 minute walk |
| Hours | 24/7 free; fields |
| Time Required | 20 minutes |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34.92161, 137.13429 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2024 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Umoreta Kojō | |
| Jōshi Meguri Bibōroku | |
| Jōkaku Shashin Kiroku | |
