Hachioji castle

• Japanese:八王子城(Hachiouji-jou)
• Type:Mountain
• Founder:Hôjô Ujiteru 北条氏照 (1540?-1590)
• Year:1572?
• Destroyed:1590
• Location:Musashi province
• (about 2 km NW of Takao Station in Hachiôji City, Tokyo)

Shiroyama seen from the east

Hachioji Castle was located on Mt. Fukazawa 深沢山 near Kobosatsu Pass 小仏峠, the place where Kôshu Kaidô, a highway to Kai province enters the Kantô Plain. It was built by the Hôjôs of Odawara castle, the dominant family of the Kantô at that time. It was overwhelmed and destroyed during Hideyoshi's siege of Odawara.

The castle was built as an outpost of Odawara Castle by Hôjô Ujiteru, the younger brother of Hôjô Ujimasa. In 1569 Takeda Shingen of Kai had passed through the Kôshû highway to attack Takiyama castle 滝山城, located near where the Akikawa River flows into the Tama River. According to some sources, Hachioji Castle was begun soon after, but perhaps only some basic fortifications were made, as other sources give various dates in the 1580s.

Diagram of the castle as it was in the 16th century, viewed from the south. The approach was from the right. The residential area was at the bottom right. The Hon-maru was at the top of the mountain, with the Matsuki Circuit 松木曲輪 just below it.

Original stonework near the residential entrance

The steep sides of the mountain were also fortified with stonework.

The flat top of the mountain where the hon-maru was located is only about eight meters in diameter.

On 1590/6/23 Maeda Toshiie's troops attacked and overwhelmed this circuit

Link

• Hachioji city

References

• Nihon no Meijo
• Hachiôji City Education Committee, 八王子城跡(Remains of Hachiôji Castle) (pamphlet, picked up 2008)
• Hachiôji City Education Committee(?), Hôjô Dates and Geneology Chart (sheet, picked up 2008)
• Hachiôji City Tourism Department, 八王子城跡散歩まっぷ (Walking Map of the Remains of Hachiôji Castle), 2006 (pamphlet).