* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Hiratsuka Castle (Sagami)
平塚城
Hiratsuka Castle (Sagami) is a historic castle in the Kantō region (A residence built in the Kamakura period, fortified by the Omori clan in the Muromachi period; said to have been abandoned in 1512). Its lord was A branch of the Miura clan; Omori Noriyori (Omori clan).
Overview
Overview
Hiratsuka Castle was a flatland castle in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. It began as a residence built by a branch of the Miura clan in the Kamakura period and was later fortified with earthen ramparts and moats by the Omori clan. It is distinct from another castle of the same name in Kita Ward, Tokyo.
Background and Lords
In the Kamakura period, when a branch of the Miura clan governed the area, a residence was built at Hiratsuka. Omori Noriyori of the Omori clan later replaced the Miura as lord and is said to have turned the residence into a fortress by adding earthen ramparts and moats.
Structure
The castle combined a residential compound with defensive works, and its main enclosure was reportedly ringed by inner and outer moats. The main enclosure lay on what is now the grounds of Hiratsuka Agricultural High School and has since been backfilled.
Battles and Abandonment
During the Nagao Kageharu Rebellion, Noriyori sided with Kageharu and fought the Ogigayatsu Uesugi forces led by Ota Dokan. The castle is said to have fallen to Dokan in 1478 (Bunmei 10). The Miura are said to have briefly returned, and the castle was abandoned in 1512 (Eisho 9) amid Hojo Soun's advance into Sagami. Exact dates and details rest on limited sources and should be treated with caution.
Present Condition
Few remains survive; only an earthen rampart stands within the precincts of Yakumo Shrine on the castle's eastern side. The site is not designated as a historic site. Excavations have uncovered a tenmoku tea bowl attributed to the Miura era, 14th-15th century ceramics, and ditch-like features.
Highlights
- Earthen rampart surviving in the precincts of Yakumo Shrine
- A castle linked to the Nagao Kageharu Rebellion and Ota Dokan
- Tenmoku tea bowl of the Miura era found in excavations
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.