* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Niitakayama Castle
新高山城
Niitakayama Castle is a historic castle in Chūgoku dating from the Said to date from the Nanboku-chō period; substantially expanded by Kobayakawa Takakage from 1552; abandoned in the closing years of the Tenshō era, whose lord was Kobayakawa clan (notably Kobayakawa Takakage).
Overview
Overview
Niitakayama Castle was a medieval mountain fortress in Hongo-cho, Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, built on Mount Takayama (197.6 meters) on the west bank of the Numata River, facing its sister stronghold, Tsuma-Takayama Castle, across the river. A fortification is said to have already existed there under the Kobayakawa clan, the local power based in Numata, as early as the Nanboku-chō period. From 1552 onward, Kobayakawa Takakage — the third son of Mōri Motonari, adopted to head the Kobayakawa family — substantially rebuilt and expanded the castle, which then served as the clan's main stronghold for 45 years.
Structure
The entire mountain was fortified on a massive scale, with the main enclosure at the summit and terraced flat platforms cut into the slopes below to form additional baileys; a Kobayakawa naval base was also maintained at the foot of the mountain. Well-preserved stone walls and masugata gate structures survive, offering valuable evidence of late-medieval castle-building techniques.
Present State
When Takakage relocated his base to the newly built Mihara Castle on the Seto Inland Sea in the final years of the Tenshō era, Niitakayama Castle was abandoned. Together with the ruins of Takayama Castle, the clan's earlier stronghold, and Mihara Castle, its later seat, the ruins were designated a National Historic Site as the "Kobayakawa Clan Castle Ruins" in 1957, and the castle was selected as one of Japan's Continued 100 Fine Castles in 2017.
Connection to Swords
According to the Meitō Gensō Jiten (Dictionary of Legendary Swords), Kobayakawa Takakage — who ruled from Niitakayama Castle — carried a tachi known as "Namikuguri Munechika," measuring roughly 67.5 cm and signed "Munechika," attributed to Sanjō Munechika, the founding smith of the Sanjō school. Records indicate that after Takakage's death the blade passed to the Takahashi family of Kaminouno-ryō village in Yoshiki District, Suō Province (present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture). For Takakage, who commanded the Mōri naval forces and later served as one of the Five Elders under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, carrying a renowned blade was an important expression of his authority as a warlord.
Highlights
- Honmaru (main enclosure) — the central bailey of the Kobayakawa stronghold atop the mountain
- Stone walls and masugata gate structures — evidence of advanced late-medieval castle engineering
- Kobayakawa Clan Castle Ruins (National Historic Site) — designated jointly with Takayama Castle and Mihara Castle ruins
- Naval base ruins — the foot-of-mountain base of the Kobayakawa fleet
- Continued 100 Fine Castles — selected in 2017
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.