Niwase Castle
This castle ruin is about 5 minutes walk from JR Niwase Station. There isn’t much to see here except for some of the moats and the site of the former castle keep, which has been converted and is used as a site for a shrine.
History
This castle was originally considered to be part of the Natsukawa Castle, located only 300 metres away. Another name for Niwase Castle was Kouge Castle. It was constructed in a marshy area, so it was a difficult castle to build. Ukita’s retainer Togawa Michiyasu expanded the old castle and improved the surrounding castle town. From 1699 until the beginning of the Meiji Period, this castle was ruled by the Itakura Clan. Niwase Castle is a typical example of a Numajiro (沼城), a marshland castle. In 1793, Itakura Katsuyasu built Sugayama Shrine on the castle grounds. Some of the original ishigaki and moats can still be seen at this castle ruin. In the Okayama Prefectural Museum, there is a painting of the castle design.
Photos and profile by RaymondW.
Field Notes
This castle ruin is about 5 minutes walk from JR Niwase Station. There isn’t much to see here except for some of the moats and the site of the former castle keep, which has been converted and is used as a site for a shrine.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Niwase Castle |
| Japanese Name | 庭瀬城 |
| Alternate Names | Kouge-jo |
| Founder | Togawa Michiyasu |
| Year Founded | After 1600 |
| Castle Type | Flatland |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Edo Period |
| Features | stone walls |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Niwase Sta. (San'yo Line, Hakubi Line); 5 min walk |
| Hours | Open year round |
| Time Required | 20 minutes |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34.64299, 133.84913 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2013 |
| Contributor | RaymondW |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
