Nanao castle

• Built: 1394-1427
• Founder: Hatakeyama Mitsuyoshi
• Japanese: 七尾城 (Nanao-jou)

Nanao castle was the chief fortress in Noto province, originally built sometime between 1394 and 1427 by Hatakeyama Mitsuyoshi, shugo of Noto at the time.

In 1571, Maeda Toshiie came to Noto leading the advance guard of Oda Nobunaga's forces; he seized the castle and claimed it as his own. Toshiie submitted to the authority of Uesugi Kenshin following Kenshin's invasion of Noto in 1577 and the fall of Nanao to his forces; having declared his loyalty to Kenshin, Toshiie was left in control of the castle.

He later moved many of the buildings to the site of Komaruyama castle, but some parts of the stone foundations which remain are believed to have been built during this period of Maeda occupation.

Lords of Nanao castle

• Hatakeyama Mitsuyoshi (c. 1394-1427 - ?)
• Hatakeyama Yoshimoto (? - 1514?)
• Hatakeyama Yoshifusa (1526-1545)
• Maeda Toshiie (1571-?)
• Hatakeyama Yoshinori (? - 1577)
• Yusa Tsugumitsu (c. 1577 - 1581)

References

• Terada Shôichi (ed.) Meijô wo aruku 2: Kanazawa-jô. Tokyo: PHP Kenkyûsho,　2002.