* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Yatabe Castle (Yatabe Jinya)
谷田部城（谷田部陣屋）
Yatabe Castle (Yatabe Jinya) is a historic castle in the Kantō region (Began as a medieval castle; Hosokawa Okimasa built the jinya in 1619 (Genna 5)). Its lord was Yatabe, Okami and Tagaya clans (medieval); Hosokawa clan (Yatabe Domain, Edo period).
Overview
Overview
Yatabe Castle stood in Yatabe, Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, and in the Edo period became Yatabe Jinya, the administrative seat of Yatabe Domain. The site is now occupied by Yatabe Elementary School.
The Medieval Castle
Its origins are described differently by different sources. One account holds that Oda Muneju of the Oda clan was assigned to Yatabe in Kawachi District and took the name Yatabe from the place, becoming the ancestor of the Yatabe clan, which ranked among the six branch families of the Oda. Other sources credit the Okami clan with building the castle, so the founder and date vary by source. In the Sengoku period the Yatabe reportedly stood in a position subordinate to the related Okami clan, and some accounts say the Tagaya clan held the area. The castle is said to have surrendered in 1570 (Genki 1) after being defeated by Tagaya Masatsune, though details need confirmation.
Yatabe Jinya in the Edo Period
Hosokawa Okimoto, second son of Hosokawa Fujitaka (Yusai), founded the line and received 10,000 koku at Motegi in Shimotsuke in 1610. After distinguished service in the Siege of Osaka he received additional lands in Hitachi Province, and in 1619 (Genna 5) Hosokawa Okimasa moved the domain office to Yatabe and built the jinya. The compound covered about 6,800 tsubo (about 22,400 square meters). Yatabe Domain was the only domain in present-day Tsukuba to survive as an independent domain until the end of the shogunate.
Present Condition
The site is now Yatabe Elementary School, with an information board near the school gate. The entrance of the residence was relocated to serve as a community center entrance, and the Hosokawa nine-star crest survives on its roof. The jinya gate was moved to a private house in Kitanakatsuma in the city. In the Edo period Yatabe prospered as a jinya town, a commercial center and traffic hub.
Highlights
- Relocated residence entrance with the Hosokawa nine-star crest
- Jinya gate relocated to a private house in Kitanakatsuma
- Seat of the only domain in Tsukuba to last until the end of the shogunate
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.