Kochi castle is located near the south shore of the island of [[Shikoku]] in Kochi City in Kochi Prefecture (the historical province of [[Tosa province|Tosa]]). The castle began its life as a basic [[yamashiro]] in the mid 1300’s. [[Chosokabe Motochika]] raised a larger, permanent structure in place of this in [[1588]] but soon moved his headquarters further south to [[Urado castle]]. After the Chosokabe found themselves on the losing side of the [[battle of Sekigahara]] in [[1600]] this fief was given to [[Yamauchi Kazutoyo|Yamanouchi Kazutoyo]]. Yamanouchi initially used Urado castle as his base, but soon reversed the Chosokabe move and transferred to Kochi. He began to rebuild the castle in [[1602]] and completed the tenshu in [[1603]]. Construction on the castle was completed in [[1611]]. The castle was heavily damaged by an earthquake in [[1707]]. Just as repairs were being completed, the tenshu and honmaru complex were destroyed by fire in [[1712]]. Another fire in [[1727]] added further damage to the castle grounds. A major reconstruction project was begun in [[1729]], with the tenshu and a turret gate being completed in [[1747]]. Construction finished up in [[1753]]. While the castle was never tested in warfare, an invasion of sorts brought down the castle-termites damaged the tenshu to the verge of collapse in the mid-20th century and it had to be disassembled beginning in 1949. The damaged parts were replaced and reconstruction was completed in 1955. | Kochi castle is located near the south shore of the island of [[Shikoku]] in Kochi City in Kochi Prefecture (the historical province of [[Tosa province|Tosa]]). The castle began its life as a basic [[yamashiro]] in the mid 1300’s. [[Chosokabe Motochika]] raised a larger, permanent structure in place of this in [[1588]] but soon moved his headquarters further south to [[Urado castle]]. After the Chosokabe found themselves on the losing side of the [[battle of Sekigahara]] in [[1600]] this fief was given to [[Yamauchi Kazutoyo|Yamanouchi Kazutoyo]]. Yamanouchi initially used Urado castle as his base, but soon reversed the Chosokabe move and transferred to Kochi. He began to rebuild the castle in [[1602]] and completed the tenshu in [[1603]]. Construction on the castle was completed in [[1611]]. The castle was heavily damaged by an earthquake in [[1707]]. Just as repairs were being completed, the tenshu and honmaru complex were destroyed by fire in [[1712]]. Another fire in [[1727]] added further damage to the castle grounds. A major reconstruction project was begun in [[1729]], with the tenshu and a turret gate being completed in [[1747]]. Construction finished up in [[1753]]. While the castle was never tested in warfare, an invasion of sorts brought down the castle-termites damaged the tenshu to the verge of collapse in the mid-20th century and it had to be disassembled beginning in 1949. The damaged parts were replaced and reconstruction was completed in 1955. |