Sakamoto Castle | |
---|---|
坂本城 | |
Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan | |
Coordinates | 35°3′35.374″N 135°52′37.744″E / 35.05982611°N 135.87715111°E |
Type | Mizu style castle |
Site information | |
Owner | Oda clan, Toyotomi clan |
Condition | ruins |
Site history | |
Built | 1571 |
Built by | Akechi Mitsuhide |
Demolished | 1586 |
Garrison information | |
Past commanders | Akechi Mitsuhide, Niwa Nagahide, Asano Nagamasa |
Sakamoto Castle (坂本城, Sakamoto-jō) was a lakeside castle in the Sengoku period, located in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.[1]
Akechi Mitsuhide was the commander of the castle.[2]
After the Siege of Mount Hiei, Sakamoto was given to Akechi Mitsuhide who built Sakamoto Castle under orders from the warlord Oda Nobunaga because Sakamoto was a strategically important place to rule. [3] Luís Fróis described the castle as the second best castle in Japan at the time.[4]
After the loss of Battle of Yamazaki, Mitsuhide tried to return to the castle but he was killed on the way.[4] Surrounded by Toyotomi's army, Mitsuhide's adopted son Akechi Hidemitsu set fire to the castle and killed himself.[5][6]
In 1583, Sakamoto castle was given to Niwa Nagahide and he rebuilt the castle.[6] In 1586, Asano Nagamasa abandoned the castle and moved to Ōtsu Castle by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's order.[5] (Stones and materials were transferred to Ōtsu Castle.[4])
Nowadays nothing remains of the original castle, and a statue of Akechi Mitsuhide stands in Sakamoto Castle's park.[5][3] (Low stone wall remains in the Lake Biwa and can be seen when the water level drops.[4][7]) A gate from Sakamoto Castle was relocated to Saikyō-ji Temple near the castle. (Akechi clan's tombs are also at Saikyō-ji Temple.)[4]