Jan 26, 2022 (OshareJapan) - It’s not every day that you find a castle on stilts, let alone one on top of a rock on top of a mountain.
The Japanese Samurai were a high-risk bunch, but this unique architecture was just the kind of ticket the samurai clans needed to survive and protect the daimyo and their land. We visited two of Japan’s top samurai castle ruins to discover their rich history and a tale of one bad*$$ female samurai queen of the castle. More history of Naegi Castle and Iwamura Castle and the woman samurai (onna-musha) that ruled these central Japan plains????
???? Naegi Castle (苗木城, Naegi-jō)
A short distance from Nakatsugawa Station in the heart of Gifu, you’ll find the remains of a castle perched on top of naturally occurring boulders. The castle was built some 600 years ago as the ultimate fortress for the prominent Toyama Family due to its impenetrable wooded surroundings. As the castle was built during time of war, construction was rushed and so the ingenious use of boulders helped to expedite the build. Unlike most castles in Japan, Naegi did not have white exterior walls, earning it the nickname “Akakabe Castle” owing to the red (aka) clay used to build its walls (kabe). The castle remained under the rule of the Toyama clan for an impressive 12 generations before being dismantled in 1871 to pay off their debts. Visitors to the ruins can climb to the top of an observatory and see how precariously the castle was perched on these massive rocks and see remnants of the castle gate, prison, and walls.
If you’re not a huge history buff, this “Machu Pichu of Japan” offers more than just a glimpse into Japanese history, but also the Kiso Valley below and Mt Ena beyond. You might also begin to understand why it gained its other nickname, “The Misty Castle” as it appears to float above the clouds. The architecture and stunning positioning of Naegi Castle makes it one of the most unique castles in Japan.
???????? Iwamura Castle (岩村城, Iwamura-jō)
Alongside Takatori Castle in Nara and Matsuyama Castle in Okayama, Iwamura is considered to be one of Japan’s 3 major mountaintop castles and the highest castle in Japan. Strategically located 717m up, it’s easy to understand why this castle was so hard to attack. But that isn’t the only interesting point to note about the castle; it's famed for being ruled by a female samurai, Lady Otsuya, the aunt of the famous samurai Oda Nobunaga. When her husband fell ill and died, she protected the castle from the Takeda clan single-handedly & after it slipped into enemy hands, she strategically remarried to gain it back. Her warlord nephew did not take kindly on this and executed her, bringing an end to his good reputation, but still their legacies live on. Lady Otsuya is said to have possessed “unmatched beauty” and her image has since been used in tv dramas, manga, and video games.
Although all that now remains of her castle is its foundations, steep forested slopes, and a museum with a replica of its original white walls, the ruins are still impressive enough to earn it a place in Japan’s top 100 finest castles. Why not stop by the nearby castle town where you can pick up local award winning “Lady of the Castle” (“onna joshu”) sake and traditional Japanese snacks, too?
