Ohnoda Castle (Azumi)
Ônodajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in the Ôshio area of Miasa Township, Ômachi Municipality. The layout of the fort is linear, following the ridge running north to south. The northern portion and southern portion of the fort are separated by a narrow ridge, along which a tatebori (climb
.jpg)
History
Ônodajō was constructed by Teźuka Jirō, a vassal of the Nishina Clan, to protect the mountain passes from any incursions by the Obinata Clan to the north or the Kōsaka Clan to the east during the Sengoku period. There is an oral tradition that Minamoto Shigeyoshi, second son of Kiso Yoshinaka (not the son of Minamoto Yoshikuni of the same name), first built the castle in the Kamakura period, but this is not confirmed. The ruins are in anycase from a later time.
In the middle 16th century, Takeda Shingen invaded Aźumi, and conquered Ônodajō, using it as a springboard to attack Senmijō in the valley to the north. In 1582, Tokugawa, Ogasawara and Hōjō forces invaded Kai, and Takeda Katsuyori fell on his sword. Ogasawara Sadayoshi and Uesugi Kagekatsu continued to contest parts of Nagano, and in 1583, Uesugi vassal Imokawa Chikamasa rebuilt Ônodajō as a way to penetrate behind enemy lines. Ônodajō was a satellite fortification of Senmijō at this time. In the following years, however, the Ogasawara would be victorious, capturing Senmijō in 1585 with the help of the Nishina Clan, with Ônodajō likely having been abandoned by its defenders the year before.
Field Notes
Ônodajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in the Ôshio area of Miasa Township, Ômachi Municipality. The layout of the fort is linear, following the ridge running north to south. The northern portion and southern portion of the fort are separated by a narrow ridge, along which a tatebori (climbing moat) can be seen. It eats into the ridge to create a narrow bridge of earth - a dobashi of sorts.
Ônodajō's northern portion is long, and the bailey is lumpy, with indications of terraced ledges below to bolster the mountainside defence. To the very end there is a bulwark with trenches below along a perilously rocky and steep ridge. Ônodajō's southern portion is made up of baileys separated by horikiri (trenches).
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Ohnoda Castle (Azumi) |
| Japanese Name | 安曇大野田城 |
| Founder | Minamoto Shigeyoshi; Teźuka Jirō; Imokawa Chikamasa |
| Year Founded | Early Kamakura Period; Sengoku Period; 1583 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Features | |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Shinano-Ômachi Station on the Ôito Line; rental e-bike |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 60 minutes |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Ômachi, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36.54266, 137.91088 |
|
|
|
| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2023 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Ranmaru | |
| Yogo | |
