Imao Castle (Mino)
Imaojō is a hirajiro (flatland castle) ruin and jin'ya site in Imao village of Hirata Township, Kaiźu Municipality. The site of the main bailey is now Imao Elementary School, which sits on slightly elevated terrain. Any fortified embankments here have been effaced over time, but one can get a sense
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History
Imaojō was constructed by Nakashima Shigenaga, a vassal of Saitō Toshikuni who governed Mino Province, in the late 15th century. The castle consisted of a few baileys overlooking the Nakae River from its terrace. In 1567, Takagi Sadahisa, a vassal of Oda Nobunaga, took over the castle. By 1583, Moridera Tadakatsu was castellan. In 1584, Yoshimura Ujikichi took over as castellan, having been rewarded for his actions during the Komaki-Nagakute campaign.
In 1587, Ichihashi Nagakatsu became castellan, lording a fief worth 10,000 koku by 1599. Imaojō was used as a base from which to attck Western Army positions during the Sekiǵahara campaign. Subsequent to that battle, Ichihashi's fief grew by 100% to 20,000 koku.
In 1608, Imaojō was decommissioned and was superceded by Imao-jin'ya, constructed by Takenoshi Masanobu, a senior retainer of the Owari-Tokugawa. As a sub-fief, Imao-jin'ya administrated territory worth 30,000 koku. In 1868 it briefly became the centre of a domain in its own right before being abolished in 1871 upon the end of feudalism.
Maps from the 18th century show the site possessing three areas enclosed by earthen ramparts: the Oshiro-yashiki, the Shoin-yashiki, and the Yaku-yashiki; the latter was presumably used by administrative staff. Waterways drawn from the river stretched around and between these baileys.
Field Notes
Imaojō is a hirajiro (flatland castle) ruin and jin'ya site in Imao village of Hirata Township, Kaiźu Municipality. The site of the main bailey is now Imao Elementary School, which sits on slightly elevated terrain. Any fortified embankments here have been effaced over time, but one can get a sense of the terrain. There is a signboard about the history of the site in front of the school.
In Imai village there is a gatehouse which was originally built at the jin'ya, which was the successor to the castle, built in the 17th century. The date the gatehouse was constructed is unknown, at least to me, but it appears to be a fusion of yakuimon and nagayamon type gates, with rowhouse annexes attached either side of the gate, the roof of which is elevated above the annexes. The gatehouse, originally the omotemon (front gate) of the jin'ya, now serves as the main gate for a temple, Seiganji.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Imao Castle (Mino) |
| Japanese Name | 美濃今尾城 |
| Alternate Names | Imao-jin'ya |
| Founder | Nakashima Shigenaga; Takenoshi Masanobu |
| Year Founded | Late 15th Century; 1608 |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | No main keep but other buildings |
| Historical Period | Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Nagayamon (relocated) |
| Features | gates |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Nearest station is Komono Station on the Yōrō Railway |
| Hours | 24/7 free; temple |
| Time Required | 20 mins |
| Location | Kaizu, Gifu Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.25278, 136.62808 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| [www.hb.pei.jp/shiro/mino/imao-jyo/ Jōkaku Hōrōki] | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
