The exact time when structures first appeared on the site of the present-day castle is unknown; however, it is generally believed that the first fortified buildings were constructed here during the Muromachi period, when these lands were controlled by the Shibata clan.
Most likely, within the boundaries of the future city of Shibata there were fortified administrative buildings and the clan’s main residence, while the primary military base was located at nearby Izumino Castle. The Shibata clan descended from Sasaki Moritsuna, one of the influential allies of the first shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199). As a reward for his participation in suppressing a rebellion in Echigo Province, Moritsuna received lands in the northern part of the province, and his descendants became the founders of the local Shibata, Nakajō, and Takemata clans. During the Muromachi period, the governors of the province were members of the Uesugi clan, but their seat was located in the south, which allowed the northern clans to retain a certain degree of independence. The situation changed during the Sengoku Jidai period, when the famous warlord Uesugi Kenshin unified southern Echigo under his rule and began advancing northward. As a result of this campaign, many northern daimyō acknowledged the authority of the Uesugi clan. The head of the Shibata clan, Shibata Nagaatsu (1538–1580), became one of Kenshin’s seven closest generals and fought alongside him in many battles. After Uesugi Kenshin’s death in 1578, a civil war over succession broke out within the Uesugi clan.
The Shibata initially supported Uesugi Kagekatsu (1556–1623), but later entered into armed conflict with him, forming an alliance with Oda Nobunaga. The new head of the Shibata clan, Shibata Shigeie (1547–1587), seized the territory around present-day Niigata City and built Niigata Castle on the coast of the Sea of Japan. After Oda Nobunaga’s death in 1582, the Uesugi clan grew closer to Japan’s new de facto ruler, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1586, Kagekatsu received Hideyoshi’s permission to deal with his longtime enemy and by 1587 had completely taken over the Shibata lands. Shigeie led a final desperate assault against the Uesugi forces with only 700 remaining warriors and, after all his companions were killed, committed seppuku on the battlefield. The Uesugi retained control of these lands until 1598, when they were ordered by Hideyoshi to relocate to Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle. The northern lands of Echigo were divided among Hideyoshi’s vassals, and the area around Shibata passed into the hands of Mizoguchi Hidekatsu (1548–1610).
After Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory in the Sekigahara campaign in 1600, Hidekatsu’s rights to these holdings were confirmed, as he had assisted in suppressing an uprising in Echigo instigated by Uesugi Kagekatsu. Despite being classified as tozama daimyō, or “outside lords,” the Mizoguchi clan was not transferred to other regions and ruled Shibata Castle and its domain for twelve generations until the beginning of the Meiji era. In 1873, in accordance with an edict of the new Meiji government, most of the castle structures were dismantled. Until 1945, the castle grounds were used by the Imperial Japanese Army, and since 1953 part of the land has been occupied by a base of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, which is closed to the public. The main buildings of Shibata Castle were erected as early as 1598, but construction continued for more than fifty years, and the complex was not fully completed until 1654 under the third daimyō of the Shibata Domain, Mizoguchi Nobunao.
The main enclosure, the honmaru, had a pentagonal shape with sides of approximately 100 meters and was protected by an earthen rampart (dorui), with stone walls (ishigaki) on the south and west sides, topped by plastered walls (dobei); the entire enclosure was surrounded by a wide water-filled moat (mizubori). It is believed that the shape of the honmaru followed the boundaries of the former fortified residence of the Shibata clan. The second enclosure, the ninomaru, was triangular in shape and was likewise protected by ramparts, plastered walls, and a water moat. The third enclosure, the sannomaru, adjoined the ninomaru on the south and had a similar defensive system. Overall, the castle complex measured roughly 500 meters in length and 200 meters in width. In total, the castle contained 11 towers and five gates, and instead of a classic donjon, a three-story corner tower located in the main enclosure was used. Of the sixteen principal structures of the castle, only two have survived to the present day.
The main gate, Otemon, has survived since its reconstruction in 1732. The two-story corner tower Sumi-yagura was originally located in the second enclosure and was built after the fire of 1668 that destroyed most of the original castle buildings; in the 20th century it was relocated to its current position within the former honmaru. Both surviving structures are designated as national treasures with the status of “Important Cultural Property.” In addition, portions of the earthen ramparts, stone walls, and a small section of the water moat have also been preserved. In 2004, the two-story Tatsumi-yagura tower and the three-story Sangai-yagura tower, which served as the donjon, were reconstructed. These towers were rebuilt based on surviving photographs, constructed of wood, and erected using authentic techniques, making them one of the few examples in the country of a proper approach to the reconstruction of Japanese castles.
The Sangai-yagura tower features a design unique in Japan: the ridge of its roof is shaped like the letter “T,” which results in three shachihoko figures being placed at the ends of the beams. Because a large portion of the castle is now located within the grounds of a Self-Defense Forces base, public access to the reconstructed Sangai-yagura tower is closed. The military has established a museum at the entrance to the base, where, among other exhibits, the history of the castle is presented. In 2006, Shibata Castle was included in the list of the “100 Outstanding Castles of Japan.” In the castle town (jōkamachi), several samurai residences and ashigaru houses from the Edo period have been preserved.
See also
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Sunomata Castle
Oda Nobunaga, as part of his “final solution” to the conflict with the Saitō clan, conceived the construction of a fort in the Sunomata area, which was intended to serve as a forward base for an attack on Inabayama Castle (later renamed Gifu). Sunomata was a swampy area located between Ogaki Castle, a stronghold of the Oda clan, and Inabayama, the main fortress of the Saitō clan. Earlier attempts to build fortifications in this area, carried out by Oda generals Sakuma Nobumori and Shibata Katsuie, had all ended in failure. After that, the task was entrusted to the young vassal Kinoshita Tokichirō, who later became known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
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Okayama Castle
According to a number of accounts, the earliest fortifications on the site of present-day Okayama Castle appeared as early as the 14th century and were built by the Nawa clan. The Asahigawa River was used as a natural defensive barrier, protecting one side of the fortifications.
In the early 16th century, the Kanamitsu clan constructed a new castle here, which at the time was known as Ishiyama. In 1573, it came under the control of the Ukita clan, after which Ukita Naoie (1529–1582) launched large-scale reconstruction efforts. He did not live to see the work completed, and construction was continued by his son Hideie. -
Nagahama Castle
Hashiba, later known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, received Odani Castle and the surrounding lands from Oda Nobunaga after the defeat of the Azai clan. However, Odani Castle was located high in the mountains, which made it poorly suited for the effective administration of the territory. For this reason, in 1575 Hideyoshi began constructing a new castle in the village of Imahama on the shore of Lake Biwa. Taking the character naga from Nobunaga’s name, he renamed both the village and the new castle Nagahama.
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Kokura Castle
Kokura Castle is traditionally considered to have been founded by Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563–1645), although by the time the Hosokawa clan came to control these lands, the fortification had already existed since at least 1569 and was most likely built by members of the Mori clan.
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Ikeda Castle
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.
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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.
