Hanakuma Castle

This castle is quite unique: the (faux restored) stone walls encase a multi-storey car park. This means that the ishigaki is perforated with fire exit doors and ventilation outlets, as well as two wide entrances at street level for cars to enter. So it’s a bit sad, but also quite curious. The walls

History

Hanakuma Castle was established in 1568. During the Miki Campaign (1578-1580) it served as a fortification watching over shipments of food being unloaded there by anti-Nobunaga forces. In 1580 Araki Murashige fled to and held up in the castle after losing Itami Castle following a year-long siege in 1579. Hanakuma Castle was thereupon besieged by Ikeda Terumasa and Ikeda Tsuneoki. A stalemate ensued lasting several months until July 2nd 1580 when Ikeda Terumasa’s troops approached the castle concealed in the long summer grass which surrounded it, assaulting and taking the castle’s garrison by surprise. At this time Ikeda Tsuneoki engaged head-on, fighting a fierce battle around the castle’s main gate. Tsuneoki sent a contingent to attack the rear gate and they entered the castle that way and attacked the castle defenders at the main gate from the rear, defeating them. The castle fell but Araki Murashige escaped again and lived out the rest of his days as a tea ceremony devotee. After Hanakuma Castle fell to Ikeda Tsuneoki it was abandoned. The materials were likely repurposed to build Hyogo Castle.

Field Notes

This castle is quite unique: the (faux restored) stone walls encase a multi-storey car park. This means that the ishigaki is perforated with fire exit doors and ventilation outlets, as well as two wide entrances at street level for cars to enter. So it’s a bit sad, but also quite curious. The walls of the car park’s three floors lean inward, following the shape of the ishigaki on the outside. This is particularly noticeable around the fire exits. This is the only clue from within that the car park is encased by a castle.

The stone walls you see here are all mock stone walls. Originally the Anoshu masons from Omi were brought in to build the stone walls, so those you see here are not representative of the correct style. The original main keep was located at nearby Fukutokuji Temple.

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Castle Profile
English Name	Hanakuma Castle
Japanese Name	花隈城
Founder	Wada Koremasa or Araki Murashige
Year Founded	1568
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	Hanakuma Station on the Hankyū Kōbe Express Line, 2 minute walk (turn right) Or, Motomachi Sta. (Tōkaidō Main Line), 5 minute walk (turn left) By car: parking is very convenient here.
Hours	24/7, free
Time Required	30 minutes
URL	Castle Website
Location	Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture
Coordinates	34.68816, 135.18291
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2016
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed, 2025
Admin Visits	October 11, 2025
Friends of JCastle
Jōkaku Hōrōki
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