Toyama castle

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Toyama castle was a Sengoku fortress in Etchû province, the central power base of the Jinbo clan. In the Edo period, it became the center of Toyama han, governed by a branch of the Maeda clan.

It was originally built by retainers of the Jinbo clan, sometime around 1543. It served as the center of the clan's power during struggles against the Shiina clan for dominance in the region.

The castle fell to Uesugi Kenshin in 1560, who allowed the Jinbo retainers to maintain control of it, after declaring their loyalty to the Uesugi. Under Kojima Motoshige, Toyama repelled attacks from the Ikkô-ikki of Etchû in 1572.

The castle soon fell, however, to the forces of Oda Nobunaga, who installed Sassa Narimasa in Toyama in 1581. Under Narimasa, the moats, foundation, and towers were expanded and renovated.

Following the death of Nobunaga, the castle came into the hands of the Maeda clan. Maeda Toshinaga retired to Toyama in 1605, passing on the position of daimyô of Kaga han to his brother Maeda Toshitsune. Around 1639, Toshitsune granted Toyama to his son Maeda Toshitsugu as a separate domain (han).

Lords of Toyama

Link

References

  • Inoue, Munekazu. Nihon no Meijô Yûzankaku Publishers, 1992.
  • Terada Shôichi (ed.) Meijô wo aruku 2: Kanazawa-jô. Tokyo: PHP Kenkyûsho, 2002.