Kawagoe castle
Encyclopedia
is a flatland Japanese castle
in the city of Kawagoe
, in Japan's Saitama Prefecture
. It is the closest castle to Tokyo
to be accessible to visitors, as Edo castle
is now the Imperial palace
, and largely inaccessible.
Along with a number of other castles in the region, Kawagoe saw much action in the 15th-16th centuries, as the Hōjō clan
and two branches of the Uesugi clan
vied for control of the Kantō region
. In the 1450s, Kawagoe was held by the Yamanouchi branch of the Uesugi; the Ogigayatsu branch controlled nearby Shirai castle in Shimōsa Province, and the newly built Edo castle, which significantly bolstered their tactical advantages over their Yamanouchi cousins.
Decades later, when the Hōjō clan sought to gain control of the Kantō, Kawagoe served as an important base of operations. Hōjō Ujitsuna
seized it in 1537, and took Edo castle
in 1524. For roughly two decades after that, the Uesugi launched a number of attempts to regain the region; in the 1545 battle of Kawagoe
, the Hōjō garrison of Kawagoe defeated an attempted siege of Edo castle; this victory would lead to the end of Uesugi power in the region, and the near-total destruction of that clan.
The Hōjō having secured themselves in the region, Kawagoe served for another forty-five years as a satellite fortress defending Edo
, and the clan's central castle at Odawara
. Kawagoe commanded the road to Echigo province
to the west, and its location on the Sumida River
and near the Edo River
were important elements of its tactical significance in defending the Kantō from attacks from the north.
From the fall of the Hōjō until the end of the Edo period
, it was the headquarters of the Kawagoe Domain
.
Today only a mound on which a yagura, or tower, and the still remain on the original site. In 1967 the Saitama Prefectural Government designated it as a Tangible Cultural Property. The was relocated back to the enclosure but not quite on the original site. It was also designated as a Tangible Cultural Property in 1991.
Japanese castle
' were fortresses composed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century...
in the city of Kawagoe
Kawagoe, Saitama
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and is about a 30-minute train ride from Ikebukuro in Tokyo.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 343,926...
, in Japan's Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. It is the closest castle to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to be accessible to visitors, as Edo castle
Edo Castle
, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
is now the Imperial palace
Kokyo
is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda area of Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains several buildings including the main palace , the emperor left Kyoto Imperial Palace for Tokyo...
, and largely inaccessible.
Along with a number of other castles in the region, Kawagoe saw much action in the 15th-16th centuries, as the Hōjō clan
Late Hojo clan
The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...
and two branches of the Uesugi clan
Uesugi clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan and particularly notable for their power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods ....
vied for control of the Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
. In the 1450s, Kawagoe was held by the Yamanouchi branch of the Uesugi; the Ogigayatsu branch controlled nearby Shirai castle in Shimōsa Province, and the newly built Edo castle, which significantly bolstered their tactical advantages over their Yamanouchi cousins.
Decades later, when the Hōjō clan sought to gain control of the Kantō, Kawagoe served as an important base of operations. Hōjō Ujitsuna
Hojo Ujitsuna
was the son of Hōjō Sōun, founder of the Go-Hōjō clan. He continued his father's quest to gain control of the Kantō ....
seized it in 1537, and took Edo castle
Siege of Edo
In the 1524 Siege of Edo, also known as the Battle of Takanawahara, the Hōjō, led by Hōjō Ujitsuna, besieged Edo castle, which was held by Uesugi Tomooki...
in 1524. For roughly two decades after that, the Uesugi launched a number of attempts to regain the region; in the 1545 battle of Kawagoe
Battle of Kawagoe
The 1545-1546 ' was part of a failed attempt by the Uesugi clan to regain Kawagoe Castle from the Late Hōjō clan in the sengoku period of Japan...
, the Hōjō garrison of Kawagoe defeated an attempted siege of Edo castle; this victory would lead to the end of Uesugi power in the region, and the near-total destruction of that clan.
The Hōjō having secured themselves in the region, Kawagoe served for another forty-five years as a satellite fortress defending Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
, and the clan's central castle at Odawara
Odawara Castle
is a landmark in the city of Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.-History:Odawara was a stronghold of the Doi clan during the Kamakura period, and a fortified residence was built by their collateral branch, the Kobayakawa clan stood on the approximate site of the present castle...
. Kawagoe commanded the road to Echigo province
Echigo Province
was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Etchū Provinces. Today the area is part of Niigata Prefecture, which also includes the island which was the old Sado Province. This province was the northernmost part of the...
to the west, and its location on the Sumida River
Sumida River
The is a river which flows through Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi and flows into Tokyo Bay. Its tributaries include the Kanda and Shakujii rivers....
and near the Edo River
Edo River
thumb|The Edo River in [[Nagareyama, Chiba]] PrefectureThe is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It splits from the Tone River at the northernmost tip of Narita City, crosses through Nagareyama and Matsudo, and empties into Tokyo Bay at Ichikawa. The Edo forms the borders between Tokyo, Chiba,...
were important elements of its tactical significance in defending the Kantō from attacks from the north.
From the fall of the Hōjō until the end of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, it was the headquarters of the Kawagoe Domain
Kawagoe Domain
The was a feudal domain of Japan during the Momoyama and Edo periods of the history of Japan. It was located in Iruma District, now part of Saitama Prefecture, in Musashi Province . The domain had its headquarters at Kawagoe Castle in the present-day city of Kawagoe.The domain had its beginning in...
.
Modern fate
In 1870 dismantlement of the castle began. Some of the buildings were relocated in Kawagoe and to nearby cities.Today only a mound on which a yagura, or tower, and the still remain on the original site. In 1967 the Saitama Prefectural Government designated it as a Tangible Cultural Property. The was relocated back to the enclosure but not quite on the original site. It was also designated as a Tangible Cultural Property in 1991.