Sakamoto Castle

Castle in Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan

Sakamoto Castle

坂本城

Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Statue of Mitsuhide in Sakamoto Castle park

Sakamoto Castle

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Sakamoto Castle

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Coordinates| 35°3′35.374″N 135°52′37.744″E﻿ / ﻿35.05982611°N 135.87715111°E﻿ / 35.05982611; 135.87715111
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]

## History[edit]

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]

## Gallery[edit]

* Monument of Sakamoto Castle

* Monument of Sakamoto Castle Honmaru base

* Monument of Sakamoto Castle Ninomaru base

* Former Sakamoto Castle's gate (Gate of Saikyo-ji Temple)

* View from Sakamoto Castle park

## References[edit]

1. ^ "坂本城" (in Japanese). 滋賀県観光情報. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
2. ^ "坂本城跡から将棋の駒や青磁が出土 琵琶湖水運の拠点として繁栄" (in Japanese). 産経west. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
3. ^ a b "坂本城と亀山城の歴史を紐解く！" (in Japanese). 歴人マガジン. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
4. ^ a b c d e "坂本城" (in Japanese). コトバンク. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
5. ^ a b c "明智光秀の幻の城、近江・坂本城跡には何があるのか" (in Japanese). Line トラベル. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
6. ^ a b "坂本城" (in Japanese). 大津歴史舞台. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
7. ^ "今一番アツい戦国武将！ 明智光秀ゆかりの城" (in Japanese). 城びと. Retrieved 25 July 2019.

## External links[edit]

* Sakamoto Castle by Otsu city official