NIPPON Kichi - 日本吉

2007/1/30

城山 Shiro-yama Shiroyama Hill

Jp En


Shiroyama is a hill in Saiki, Okayama Prefecture. It is 144m high, and also known as Hachimanyama.

The ruins of Saiki Castle (Tsuruya Castle) are sited on top of the hill. The first lord of the Saiki domain, Takamasa Mori, built Tsuruya Castle when he moved from his former land in Hita, Bungo-nokuni in 1601.

Although this castle was a 'hirayama-jiro' (castle made at the top of a hill), it featured a 'honmaru' (main fortress) with a trilaminar structure 'tenshu' (tower castle), a 'ninomaru' (secondary fortress), the 'nishidemaru' (western fortress) and the 'kitademaru' (northern fortress). This castle also had 5 'yagura' (watch tower), 1 flat-roofed 'yagura' and seven gates. It was made to withstand attack and be ready for warfare.

In 1637, the tenshu was razed in a fire and was never reconstructed. Later a 'sannomaru' (third fortress) was constructed at the base of the hill. The domain was administered from the sannomaru, after the loss of the tenshu.

Today, sannomaru's stone walls and yagura gate can still be seen at Shiroyama. The top of the hill has now changed into a park.

Standing quietly at the base of the hill are the former residences of the Saiki samurai, where the retainers of the Saiki domain used to live.

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Saiki, Oita Prefecture
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Shiroyama Hill




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