* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Anjo Castle
安祥城
Anjo Castle is a historic castle in the Chūbu region (Muromachi period (said to be built by Wada Chikahira)). Its lord was Matsudaira clan (later Oda Nobuhiro and Imagawa garrison).
Overview
Overview
Anjo Castle stood in Anjo, Hekikai District, Mikawa Province (present-day Anjo-cho, Anjo, Aichi Prefecture). It was a hilltop-plain castle on the tip of a tongue-shaped plateau and had no keep. It was surrounded by woods and deep paddies, with earthen ramparts and a moat inside.
Founding
It is said to have been built in the Eikyo era (first half of the fifteenth century) as a residence of the Wada clan, reportedly by Wada Chikahira. In 1471 (Bunmei 3) Matsudaira Nobumitsu of Iwazu Castle is said to have taken it over, and it became the seat of four generations of the Anjo Matsudaira (Chikatada, Nagatada, Nobutada and Kiyoyasu). The name was originally written with different characters (安城城); the present spelling (安祥城) dates from the Edo period.
Struggles for the castle
Even after the Matsudaira moved their base to Okazaki Castle, Anjo remained an important stronghold of the Anjo Matsudaira branch. In 1540 Oda Nobuhide took it and installed Oda Nobuhiro as castle commander. In 1545 Matsudaira Hirotada tried to retake it but was heavily defeated. In 1547 Takechiyo (the future Tokugawa Ieyasu) became a hostage of the Oda. The traditional account says he was seized by Toda Yasumitsu on his way to the Imagawa, but recent research favours the view that Hirotada submitted to the Oda and handed him over himself. In 1549 the Imagawa commander Taigen Sessai attacked; after a first failure he attacked again in the eleventh month and took the castle, capturing Nobuhiro and arranging his exchange for Takechiyo. The Imagawa then placed Amano Kageyasu, Ii Naomori and others as garrison commanders.
Abandonment and present state
After Imagawa Yoshimoto died at Okehazama and the Kiyosu Alliance was concluded, the castle lost its value as a frontier post and was abandoned around 1562. Troops were again stationed there during the Komaki-Nagakute campaign. Today it is maintained as Anjo Castle Ruins Park, with a monument, mound, scarps, moat and some enclosures remaining. Daijo-ji (Ryoun-in) has stood on the main enclosure site since 1792, and the Higashio Hachiman Shrine occupies the second enclosure. Excavations since 1988 have shown that Sengoku-period remains lie under the temple grounds.
Connection to Swords
Its fall in 1549 led to the hostage exchange between Takechiyo (the future Tokugawa Ieyasu) and Oda Nobuhiro, making it a symbol of the Sengoku struggles in western Mikawa.
Highlights
- Anjo Castle Ruins Park — monument, mound, scarps, moat and some enclosures remain
- Anjo City Historical Museum — located within the park area
- Origin of the hostage exchange — Oda Nobuhiro, captured when the castle fell, was exchanged for Takechiyo
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.