Kouzaka Castle (Omi)
Kōzakajō is a hirajiro (flatland castle) ruin in Nishikōzaka Township, Nagahama Municipality. The site of the main bailey is now a park. Although the bailey used to be surrounded by dorui (earthen ramparts) and 3m-wide mizubori (moats), now it is surrounded by rice paddies and a very shallow mound o
History
Kōzakajō was the residence of the Kōzaka Clan, though its construction date is unknown. The Kōzaka Clan were vassals of the Kyōgoku Clan. Later, Kōzaka Okinobu served Azai Nagamasa at Odanijō. His son, Kōzaka Masanobu, served Toyotomi Hidenaga, and fought with the Western Army at Sekiǵahara; the clan reverted to farming upon defeat. At this time Kōzaka Sadanobu served as the last lord of Kōzakajō.
In the Edo period, the family remained influential locally, protecting water rights over local wells, and negotiating with villagers on the other side of the Anegawa for irrigation rights. The neighbourhood names of Igando and Shinando remain (corruptions of honourific titles Iga-no-kami and Shinano-no-kami respectively, plus 'do' indicating a residential hall), and these, as well as trace amounts of ruins, indicate that the Kōzaka clan had residences beyond the main bailey in the east and north. The main bailey is indicated on Edo period maps as 'Marunōchi', surrounded by moats and earthen ramparts. The extant gate on-site is relocated from the residence at Igando.
Field Notes
Kōzakajō is a hirajiro (flatland castle) ruin in Nishikōzaka Township, Nagahama Municipality. The site of the main bailey is now a park. Although the bailey used to be surrounded by dorui (earthen ramparts) and 3m-wide mizubori (moats), now it is surrounded by rice paddies and a very shallow mound of earth to the south which may be what remains of the dorui.
The highlight of this site, however, is the extant thatched-roof gate on-site. It was relocated from a residence called Igando used by the castellan to the northwest of the site (another residence, Shinando, was located to the northeast). This gate is so old and built from rickety, perishable materials, that it almost seems dream-like. How can such ephemeral architecture still be standing?
The gate, a wire mesh over its thatching, is situated at the entrance of a small garden. Swampy rice paddies bristle beside it, and a large stone stele overlooks it from the garden. A flowering sarusuberi ("monkey-slip"; crape myrtle) bush and a palm stand beside the gate, complementing the thatching and lending it an almost tropical appeal.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Kouzaka Castle (Omi) |
| Japanese Name | 近江上坂城 |
| Founder | Kōzaka Clan |
| Year Founded | Unknown |
| Castle Type | Flatland |
| Castle Condition | No main keep but other buildings |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Kayabukimon |
| Features | gates |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Drive 3 mins from Nagahama IC |
| Hours | 24/7 free; park |
| Time Required | 10 mins |
| Location | Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.40388, 136.31304 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Umoreta Kojō | |
| Jōshi Meguri Bibōroku | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
