In 1334, Ikeda Noriyoshi built a small fort on this site, which over time was repeatedly expanded and rebuilt. During the Ōnin War of 1467–1477, the Ikeda clan supported the Western Coalition. As a result, Ikeda Castle was attacked and captured by the forces of the Eastern Coalition, but it was soon recaptured, allowing it to avoid serious destruction.
In the early 16th century, during internal conflicts within the Hosokawa clan, the castle repeatedly became a battlefield and suffered from the fires that accompanied these clashes. This is evidenced by the results of archaeological excavations, which revealed layers of burned earth dating to this period, as well as the remains of wooden structures that had been charred into charcoal. After each such episode of destruction, the castle was rebuilt once again.
In 1557, Ikeda Katsumasa confronted the forces of the Oda clan. After the capture of the castle in 1558, Oda Nobunaga highly praised Katsumasa’s abilities, made him one of his vassals with an income of 60,000 koku of rice, and allowed him to retain Ikeda Castle. Katsumasa subsequently strengthened and rebuilt the castle, making use of the plans and ideas provided by Nobunaga.
In 1570, Araki Murashige rose in rebellion against the Ikeda clan. Initially, he had served as a vassal of Ikeda Katsumasa and became a member of the Ikeda family by marrying the daughter of Ikeda Nagamasa. Later, however, Murashige aligned himself with the Miyoshi clan, organized a revolt, expelled Katsumasa, and seized power within the Ikeda clan. Although he was considered a supporter of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki, in 1571 he sided with Oda Nobunaga in Nobunaga’s conflict with the shogun. In 1574, Murashige took part in suppressing the uprising of Itami Tadataka in Kawachi Province, besieged Itami Castle, and captured it. As a reward for this victory, Nobunaga granted the castle to Murashige, and around the same time the castle was renamed Arioka.
After Murashige moved to Arioka Castle, Ikeda Castle was almost no longer used. Nevertheless, in 1578 Murashige defected to the rebel Ikkō-ikki, and during the siege of Arioka Castle by Oda forces, Ikeda Castle served as the headquarters of the punitive expedition. After the fall of Arioka Castle in 1579, Ikeda Castle was permanently abandoned and ceased to be used.
In 1989, large-scale archaeological investigations were carried out on the castle ruins, leading to the discovery of remains of fortifications and various artifacts dating to the Sengoku period.
In 2000, the ruins were turned into Ikedashiroato Park. Earthen rampart walls (dobei), several types of gates, and a mihari-no-yagura watchtower were reconstructed. Towers of this type are considered predecessors of the tenshu donjons of later periods. At the same time, this tower is a notional, “fake” reconstruction, since according to surviving descriptions and excavation materials, no such structure actually existed on the grounds of the historical castle.
Overall, the reconstructed buildings represent a clear and high-quality example of the fortifications of a typical early to mid–Sengoku period castle, even though they are not directly tied to the historical Ikeda Castle itself. In addition, the site features a beautiful garden with a pond inhabited by carp and turtles, which also attracts visitors.
See also
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle
Aizu-Wakamatsu is the most powerful and at the same time the oldest castle in the Tōhoku region in the north of Honshu Island. Its history begins in the 14th century and is closely connected with the Ashina clan, whose members claimed descent from the legendary Taira family.
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Maruoka Castle
Maruoka Castle is located in the central part of the former city of Maruoka, which is now part of the city of Sakai. This area lies in the northeastern part of Fukui Prefecture. The castle was built on the bank of the Kuzuryu River, on the side opposite Fukui City, which once served as the administrative center of the former Echizen Province. Thanks to its location, Maruoka held significant strategic importance, as it controlled two major routes at once: the Hokurikudo highway leading from Kaga Province and the Mino Kaido road connecting these lands with Mino Province.
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Marugame Castle
Marugame is part of the so-called “Authentic Dozen,” a group of twelve castles whose donjons have survived to the present day without major reconstructions since the Edo period.
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Iyo Matsuyama Castle
Historically, the center of Iyo Province—corresponding to today’s Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku—was the city of Imabari, while the Matsuyama area was regarded as an agricultural hinterland with broad plains and low hills. During the Muromachi period, the central part of the province was governed by the Kano clan from Yuzuki Castle. With the onset of the Sengoku period, however, this clan lost its former influence and was forced to survive in the shadow of the more powerful Mori and Chōsokabe clans. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s forces conquered Shikoku in 1587, the northern part of Iyo Province was granted to Fukushima Masanori, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake.” In 1595, Masanori was transferred to Kiyosu Castle, and the lands around Matsuyama were given to another of the Seven Spears, Katō Yoshiaki, who received Masaki Castle and an income of 60,000 koku of rice.
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Kanazawa Castle
Construction of Kanazawa Castle began in 1580 on the orders of Sakuma Morimasa, a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. The castle was built on the site of the Ikko-ikki sect's Oyama Gobo temple, which is why it is sometimes called Oyama Castle. Morimasa managed to build several moats and begin construction of a castle town. However, after his defeat at the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, he was executed, and ownership of the castle passed to Maeda Toshiie (1538–1599).
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Nakatsu Castle
Kuroda Yoshitaka (1546–1604) was one of the closest advisors to the legendary military commander Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He took part in key military campaigns of the late 16th century, including the campaign against Shikoku in 1585 and the campaign against Kyushu in 1587. Later, during the second campaign in Korea, Yoshitaka served as chief advisor to the commander of the invasion forces, Kobayakawa Hideaki. After Hideyoshi's death, he swore allegiance to Tokugawa Ieyasu, thereby securing his influence and patronage under Japan's new leader.
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Edo Castle
The history of Edo Castle dates back to the Heian period, when the Edo clan built a small fort on this site. In 1457, the vassal of the Uesugi clan, Ota Dokan (1432–1486), constructed a full-scale castle here. Internal conflicts weakened the Uesugi clan, and in 1524, Ota Dokan’s grandson, Ota Yasutaka, surrendered the castle without resistance to the forces of Hojo Soun, the ambitious leader of the Hojo clan. While Odawara Castle remained the clan's main stronghold, Edo was considered a key strategic fortress.
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Samurai Museum Shinjuku
Situated in the vibrant district of Shinjuku, the museum showcases an extensive collection of samurai armor, weapons, and cultural artifacts spanning from the Kamakura to the Edo period. The exhibits aim to convey the samurai's unwavering commitment to honor and discipline, reflecting how their spirit continues to influence modern Japanese culture.
