- Izushi Castle (Toyooka City)
- Tajima Takeda Castle (Asago City)
- Kuroi Castle (tamba City)
- Sasayama Castle (Tamba-Sasayama City)
- Arioka Castle (Itami City)
- Amagasaki Castle (Amagasaki City)
- Sumoto Castle (Sumoto City)
- Rikan Castle (Sayo-cho)
- Mikazuki Jinya (Sayo-cho)
- Ojio (Okishio) Castle (Himeji City)
- Tatsuno Castle (Tatsuno City)
- Kanjosen Castle (Aioi City)
- Ako Castle (Ako City)
- Akashi Castle (Akashi City)
On orders from the Tokugawa shogunate to the daimyo (lords) of Western Japan to construct castles, in relation to the siege of Osaka Castle, Sasayama Castle was built in a period of less than one year in 1609. Todo Takatora was the magistrate in charge of constructing the castle, and devised a bold, distinctive design with a series of square compounds the castle and kakuumadashi (defensive gateway barriers) arrayed at the entrances on three sides of the outer moat. In 2000, the Oshoin Palace of the castle was restored. Enjoy visiting it as well as viewing historic samurai residences and machiya with tsuma-iri (entrance on the gabled side of the house) that still survive in the surrounding castle town.
【Sasayama Castle】
【The restored Oshoin Palace】
The palace is believed to have been built at the same time as the castle during the Edo period (1603-1868)
and it remained standing until 1944.
Restoration work was carried out based on old drawings,
old photographs, excavations and so forth. It was completed at 2000.
Such restorations of rooms of ruined castles are rare,
and the scale of this one is comparable to that of the Ninomaru Palace at Nijo Castle in Kyoto.
【Minami-umadashi】
The remains of umadashi, defensive gates often employed in Eastern Japan,
can still be seen at Sasayama Castle.
The castle entrance and exit was surrounded by a moat in front of it
and earthen walls and securely protected by umadashi.
【South side of main building (part 1)】
Overall view of stone walls / Tenshudai on right edge
【South side of main building (part 2)】
Karamete (back gate) / Uzumi-Mon Gate utilizing height differentials
【West side of main building】
An inubashiri (lit. “dog run,” a narrow inset in wall ramparts,or in an embankment of earth forming a footpath or ledge)
encircles the inner moat at the base of the stone wall.
【Yakami Castle seen to the east from Sasayama Castle / Mountain on the right is Mt. Takagi】
The castle that was home to the Hadano clan,
which ruled during the war-torn Sengoku period (in the 16th century), can be seen.
【Samurai residence in the castle town (part 1)】
【Samurai residence in the castle town (part 2)】
【Castle town / Kawaramachi Tsuma-iri Shoka (merchant’s house with entrance on gabled side) (part 1)】
【Castle town / Kawaramachi Tsuma-iri Shoka (merchant’s house with entrance on gabled side) (part 2)】
