Sakamoto Castle

Sakamoto Castle (坂本城, Sakamoto-jō) was a lakeside castle in the Sengoku period, located in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.[1]

Sakamoto Castle
坂本城
Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Statue of Mitsuhide in Sakamoto Castle park
Sakamoto Castle is located in Shiga Prefecture
Sakamoto Castle
Sakamoto Castle
Sakamoto Castle is located in Japan
Sakamoto Castle
Sakamoto Castle
Coordinates35°3′35.374″N 135°52′37.744″E
TypeMizu style castle
Site information
OwnerOda clan, Toyotomi clan
Conditionruins
Site history
Built1571
Built byAkechi Mitsuhide
Demolished1586
Garrison information
Past
commanders		Akechi Mitsuhide, Niwa Nagahide, Asano Nagamasa

Akechi Mitsuhide was the commander of the castle.[2]

History

After the Siege of Mount Hiei, Sakamoto was given to Akechi Mitsuhide who built Sakamoto Castle under orders from the warlord Oda Nobunaga because Sakamoto was a strategically important place to rule. [3] Luís Fróis described the castle as the second best castle in Japan at the time.[4]

After the loss of Battle of Yamazaki, Mitsuhide tried to return to the castle but he was killed on the way.[4] Surrounded by Toyotomi's army, Mitsuhide's adopted son Akechi Hidemitsu set fire to the castle and killed himself.[5][6]

In 1583, Sakamoto castle was given to Niwa Nagahide and he rebuilt the castle.[6] In 1586, Asano Nagamasa abandoned the castle and moved to Ōtsu Castle by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's order.[5] (Stones and materials were transferred to Ōtsu Castle.[4])

Nowadays nothing remains of the original castle, and a statue of Akechi Mitsuhide stands in Sakamoto Castle's park.[5][3] (Low stone wall remains in the Lake Biwa and can be seen when the water level drops.[4][7]) A gate from Sakamoto Castle was relocated to Saikyō-ji Temple near the castle. (Akechi clan's tombs are also at Saikyō-ji Temple.)[4]

  • Monument of Sakamoto Castle
    Monument of Sakamoto Castle
  • Monument of Sakamoto Castle Honmaru base
    Monument of Sakamoto Castle Honmaru base
  • Monument of Sakamoto Castle Ninomaru base
    Monument of Sakamoto Castle Ninomaru base
  • Former Sakamoto Castle's gate (Gate of Saikyo-ji Temple)
    Former Sakamoto Castle's gate (Gate of Saikyo-ji Temple)
  • View from Sakamoto Castle park
    View from Sakamoto Castle park

References
  1. "坂本城" (in Japanese). 滋賀県観光情報. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  2. "坂本城跡から将棋の駒や青磁が出土　琵琶湖水運の拠点として繁栄" (in Japanese). 産経west. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  3. "坂本城と亀山城の歴史を紐解く！" (in Japanese). 歴人マガジン. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  4. "坂本城" (in Japanese). コトバンク. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  5. "明智光秀の幻の城、近江・坂本城跡には何があるのか" (in Japanese). Line トラベル. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  6. "坂本城" (in Japanese). 大津歴史舞台. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  7. "今一番アツい戦国武将！　明智光秀ゆかりの城" (in Japanese). 城びと. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
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