Mihara Castle
Encyclopedia
, also known as Ukishiro Castle, is a hirashiro (castle
on a plain) located in Mihara
, Hiroshima Prefecture
, Japan
.
, who built this castle to protect the Mori Clan
's coastline. Takakage constructed the castle on the coast, and connected it to two small islands, thus giving the castle its nickname- Ukishiro (floating castle). It had three baileys, thirty-two yagura
, and fourteen gates. The tenshu (keep) was never constructed, though its foundation was completed, and is believed to be the largest ever constructed.
After Toyotomi Hideyoshi
conquered Kyūshū
, Takakage was rewarded for being a loyal follower by being given land in Chikuzen
, Chikugo
, and Bizen
. As a result, he moved to Najima Castle
. However, he returned to reside at Mihara Castle following his 1595 retirement, and died there in 1597.
During the Meiji Restoration
, Mihara Castle avoided the destruction that most Japanese castles suffered during this era, due primarily to the fact that it became an Imperial Japanese Naval
base. However, many of the stone walls were torn down and all buildings demolished when Mihara Train Station was built in the castle in 1894 following the decommissioning of the naval base. It was further demolished in 1975, when a shinkansen
station and track split what remained in half.
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...
on a plain) located in Mihara
Mihara, Hiroshima
is a city located in Hiroshima, Japan.The city was founded on November 15, 1936.On March 22, 2005 the town of Daiwa, from Kamo District, the town of Kui, from Mitsugi District, and the town of Hongō, from Toyota District, merged with the old city of Mihara to form the new city of Mihara.As of March...
, Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
History
Mihara Castle was constructed in 1582 by Kobayakawa TakakageKobayakawa Takakage
was a samurai retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku period, and the son of Mōri Motonari. Adopted by the head of the Kobayakawa clan, Takakage took his name, and succeeded his adoptive father to become head of the Kobayakawa clan following his death in 1545.As head of the Kobayakawa...
, who built this castle to protect the Mori Clan
Mori clan
The Mōri clan was a family of daimyō, descended from Ōe no Hiromoto and established themselves in Aki Province. Their name was derived from a shōen in Mōri, Aikō District, Sagami Province. The generation of Hiromoto began to name themselves Mōri.After the Jōkyū War, Mōri was appointed to the jitō...
's coastline. Takakage constructed the castle on the coast, and connected it to two small islands, thus giving the castle its nickname- Ukishiro (floating castle). It had three baileys, thirty-two yagura
Yagura
Yagura is the Japanese word for "tower" or "turret." The word is most often seen in reference to structures within Japanese castle compounds, but can be used in a variety of other situations as well. The bandstand tower erected for Bon Festival is often called a yagura, as are similar structures...
, and fourteen gates. The tenshu (keep) was never constructed, though its foundation was completed, and is believed to be the largest ever constructed.
After Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
conquered Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Takakage was rewarded for being a loyal follower by being given land in Chikuzen
Chikuzen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today part of Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Chikugo Province. Chikuzen bordered Buzen, Bungo, Chikugo, and Hizen Provinces....
, Chikugo
Chikugo Province
is the name of a former province of Japan in the area that is today the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Chikuzen Province...
, and Bizen
Bizen Province
was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of Honshū, in what is today the southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Bitchu and Bingo Provinces. Bizen borders Mimasaka, Harima, and Bitchū Provinces....
. As a result, he moved to Najima Castle
Najima Castle
is a hilltop castle, located in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Today, only its ruins still stand.-External links:*...
. However, he returned to reside at Mihara Castle following his 1595 retirement, and died there in 1597.
During the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, Mihara Castle avoided the destruction that most Japanese castles suffered during this era, due primarily to the fact that it became an Imperial Japanese Naval
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
base. However, many of the stone walls were torn down and all buildings demolished when Mihara Train Station was built in the castle in 1894 following the decommissioning of the naval base. It was further demolished in 1975, when a shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
station and track split what remained in half.