Hachimanyama-jo Castle (八幡山城)
the Asai clan, Hidetsugu HASHIBA, Takatsugu KYOGOKU, Kuruwa (walls of a castle), stone wall
Hachimanyama-jo Castle was a yamajiro (a castle built atop a mountain to take advantage of the mountain's topography) constructed near Gamo County of Omi Province (present Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture). It is well-known as the residential castle of Hidetsugu TOYOTOMI.
Summary
Hachimanyama-jo Castle was constructed on top of Mt. Hachiman (286 meters above sea level). Its castle town was formed by relocating the Azuchi-jo Castle town. Today, a part of the castle town was selected as 'Omi Hachiman City Preservation District for Groups of Historic Hachiman Buildings', along with 'the precinct of Himure-hachimangu Shrine' and 'Hachiman-bori Moat' within the town. Drawing its water from Lake Biwa, Hachiman-bori Moat served not only as a moat during battles, but also as a waterway. Although there was a reclamation plan of the site to make a park and a parking lot in the 1970s, the castle was revived by citizens' movements including 'Yomigaeru Omihachiman no Kai' (Revitalize Omihachiman), 'Hachiman-bori wo Mamoru Kai' (Save Hachiman-bori Moat). The place now has become a famous tourist attraction and is often used as a backdrop for historical films.
History
In 1585, Hachimanyama-jo Castle was constructed by Hidetsugu HASHIBA. Omi 430,000 koku.
In 1590, he moved to Kiyosu-jo Castle in Owari Province. Increased to 1,000,000 koku. And Takatsugu KYOGOKU entered the castle in place of Hidetsugu. 28,000 koku.
In 1595, Hachimanyama-jo Castle was demolished as Takatsugu KYOGOKU moved to Otsu-jo Castle.
Site
Tourists can use the ropeway that brings them to the top of Mt. Hachiman in 4 minutes. The stone wall of the castle still exists today. Zuiryu-ji Temple (Omihachiman City), which was founded by Nisshu (Tomo), the mother of Hidetsugu and an older sister of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, was relocated in 1961 to the location where the Honmaru (the keep of a castle) once stood. Also, in 2001, ruins of Hidetsugu TOYOTOMI's residence were discovered at the foot of Mt. Hachiman.