Kamiakasaka Castle (Kamiakasaka Fortification)

A mountain castle newly built in the area around Mount Kongō in Kawachi Province by Kusunoki Masashige, who was on the side of Emperor Go-Daigo and re-raised arms in the 2nd year of Genkō (1332). It is said to have been the main castle of the Kusunoki clan. In the intercalary 2nd month of Genkō 3 (1333), this castle, defended by Hirano Shōgen Nyūdō and others, fell to an attack by the forces of the Kamakura shogunate; however, the shogunate's forces also suffered many casualties, and together with the Battle of Chihaya Castle, it made a major contribution to the overthrow of the shogunate. Today, remains of contour-following yokobori (horizontal moats) and kuruwa (enclosures) survive, and these are thought to have been renovated during the Sengoku period. After the Kenmu Restoration (1333), during the Nanboku-chō period of conflict (the Nanboku-chō period), it functioned as an important base of the Southern Court. Together with the surrounding outlying castles, it formed the Akasaka castle complex, but in the 5th year of Enbun / 15th year of Shōhei (1360), it fell into the hands of the Northern Court.