The impressive ruins of Koriyama Castle sit atop a small hill, surrounded by two rivers. The strategic positioning and strong layout of the castle served it well through the final years of the Sengoku period and the peaceful days of the Edo period.
Tsutsui Junkei (1549-1584), after defeating Matsunaga Hisahide with the assistance of Oda Nobunaga, relocated from Tsutsui Castle to Koriyama and built the magnificent castle as a symbol of his mastery over the Yamato region. Two years after its completion in 1580, Akechi Mitsuhide attacked Oda Nobunaga in the Honno-ji Incident and sought Tsutsui’s military assistance at Horagatoge Pass. Tsutsui, who had served under Akechi since allying with the Oda, hesitated and observed the unfolding events before deciding his course of action. This delayed response led to the Japanese saying “Horagatoge wo kimekomu,” meaning “to wait and see what happens at Horagatoge,” used sarcastically to describe someone who waits to join the winning side.
In 1595, Mashita Nagamori ruled the area from the fine castle but was forced out following the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. For the next 15 years, Koriyama remained vacant until the Tokugawa installed Mizuno Katsushige in Yamato, tasking him with reconstructing the now-dilapidated structures. The Honda clan also served as lords of Koriyama.
In 1724, the Yanagisawa clan of Kofu (Yamanashi Prefecture) became masters of Koriyama. Upon hearing of Lord Yanagisawa Yoshisato’s transfer, the peasants of Kofu promptly paid their annual rice tax and saw their lord off with respect. He brought with him 5,286 retainers and their families to Koriyama, along with his prized pet goldfish. This led to a prosperous side business for many lower-ranked samurai, sustaining them long after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when the samurai were disbanded. The Yanagisawa clan also introduced silkworm farming, improving the local economy. They remained in control of Koriyama until the Meiji Restoration. Koriyama Castle was destroyed in 1873. The surrounding deep moats, impressive stonework, and the castle’s Rinkakushiki layout, with the Honmaru protected on all four sides by surrounding baileys and precincts, offer much for castle enthusiasts to enjoy. Having been built in 1580, the stone walls exhibit a mixture of stoneworking methods.
The Otemon gate, Ote Mukai Yagura, Tamon Yagura, and Ote East Yagura have been well reconstructed and are open at certain times during the year. Plans are underway to reconstruct the Gokuraku Bridge and Hakutaku gate. Koriyama Castle was designated one of the Alternative Top 100 Castles in early 2017.
See also
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Matsushiro Castle
Matsushiro Castle, originally known as Kaizu Castle, is located in what was once Matsushiro town, now part of Nagano City. The site is recognized as a National Historic Site of Japan. Situated on the northern Shinano flatlands between the Chikuma River and a former riverbed that serves as a natural outer moat to the north, the castle and its surrounding town were prone to flooding due to their location.
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Fushimi Castle
Fushimi Castle, also known as Momoyama Castle or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is located in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto. Originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1592 and 1594 as his retirement residence, the castle was destroyed by the 1596 Keichō–Fushimi earthquake and later rebuilt. However, it was demolished again in 1623, and its site now houses the tomb of Emperor Meiji. A replica of the castle was constructed nearby in 1964.
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Odawara Castle
Odawara Castle, located in the city of Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is a reconstructed historical site with roots dating back to the Kamakura period (1185–1333). The current donjon (main keep) was rebuilt using reinforced concrete in 1960 on the stone foundation of the original structure, which was dismantled between 1870 and 1872 during the Meiji Restoration.
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Shinpu Castle
Shinpu Castle was a Japanese hirayama-style fortress from the Sengoku period, situated in what is now Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture. It served as the main stronghold of warlord Takeda Katsuyori. Designated as a National Historic Site in 1973, the castle occupies a strategic position on a mountain with steep cliffs, overlooking the Kamanashi River to the west of Kofu, where Takeda Shingen’s Tsutsujigasaki Castle once stood.
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Takato Castle
Takato Castle, located in the city of Ina in southern Nagano Prefecture, Japan, was a notable stronghold during the Sengoku period. By the end of the Edo period, it was the residence of a cadet branch of the Naito clan, the daimyo of the Takato Domain. Also known as Kabuto Castle, it was originally constructed in the 16th century and is now mostly in ruins.
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Takatenjin Castle
Takatenjin Castle was a yamashiro-style fortress from Japan's Sengoku period, situated in the Kamihijikata and Shimohijikata districts of Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture. Designated a National Historic Site in 1975, with an expanded protected area in 2007, its ruins remain a significant historical landmark.
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Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
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Yamanaka Castle
Yamanaka Castle, established by Hojo Ujiyasu in the 1560s, is located in what is now eastern Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. This castle served as the first line of western defense for the main Hojo Castle at Odawara. Carved into the side of a 586-meter-high mountain, Yamanaka Castle was strategically positioned along the Tokaido Highway, offering superb views of nearby Mt. Fuji, the ocean, and the road leading to Odawara.
