Iida Castle (Totomi)
Iidajō is an okajiro (hilltop castle) ruin in Iida village, Mori Township, Shūchi County. Ruins consist of earthworks such as trenches, baileys and dorui (earthen ramparts). To the east the castle-mount is cut-off from the adjacent terrain by a feature called a tanibori ('valley moat'). The main ba
History
Iidajō was built by the Yamauchi Michiyasu in 1545 when he relocated from Iidakojō ('Iida Old Castle'). The Yamauchi would compete with and eventually become vassals to the Imagawa Clan of Suruga Province. In 1569, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered Sakakibara Yasumasa and Ôsuga Yasutaka to attack Iidajō. The castle was captured and Yamauchi Michiyasu was killed in the assault. Iidajō was destroyed in 1572 by Takeda forces following Takeda Shingen's invasion of Tokugawa Ieyasu's territory.
Field Notes
Iidajō is an okajiro (hilltop castle) ruin in Iida village, Mori Township, Shūchi County. Ruins consist of earthworks such as trenches, baileys and dorui (earthen ramparts). To the east the castle-mount is cut-off from the adjacent terrain by a feature called a tanibori ('valley moat').
The main bailey and second bailey, divided by a small terrace, are surrounded by tall, wide dorui. In the northeast the dorui broadens into a sub-bailey serving as a look-out platform.
Several ridges of the hill are also protected with horikiri (trenches) and berms. Several terraced sub-baileys are also found around the hillside; I saw a fox in one (this site is decently maintained but most visitors likely don't bother with the smaller baileys, inviting wildlife).
Note: This site is Iidajō in Tôtōmi Province (Shizuoka Prefecture), not to be confused with Iidajō in Shinano Province (Nagano Prefecture).
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Iida Castle (Totomi) |
| Japanese Name | 遠江飯田城 |
| Founder | Yamauchi Michiyasu |
| Year Founded | 1545 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | Local Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Horikiri, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Nearest station is Enden Station on the Tenryū-Hamanako Railway; 45 min walk. |
| Hours | 24/7 free; park |
| Time Required | 30 mins |
| Location | Mori, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34.8048, 137.92153 |
|
|
|
| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Shiseki no Yawa | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
| Yogo | |
