Ota Castle

Japanese: 太田城 - おおたじょう

Hirayamajiro (Hirayama Castle) was a castle built on a hill in Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture, during the Warring States period. It was the main castle of the Satake clan, a feudal lord during the Warring States period. It was built on a hill north of JR Hitachiota Station. It is said to have originated in 1109 (Tennin 2), when Fujiwara Michinobu, a descendant of Fujiwara Hidesato (Tawara Tōta), who played an active role in the Taira no Masakado Rebellion, moved to this area from Shimotsuke Province and built the castle. Later, Minamoto Masayoshi, the grandson of Minamoto Yoshimitsu, who distinguished himself in the Gosannen War, moved to this area and took on the name of the Satake clan. Takayoshi, the second head of the Satake clan, subjugated Fujiwara Michimori, the lord of Ota Castle, and entered Ota Castle. From then on, it was the main castle of the Satake clan until Satake Yoshinobu, who unified Hitachi at the end of the Warring States period, moved his castle to Mito Castle (Mito City). It is a famous castle that is counted as one of the Seven Famous Castles of Kanto (Ota Castle, Kawagoe Castle, Oshi Castle, Maebashi Castle, Kanayama Castle, Karasawayama Castle, Utsunomiya Castle) or one of the Three Mountain Castles of Kanto (Ota Castle, Kanayama Castle, Karasawayama Castle). Parts of the earthworks and enclosures remained until the end of the Taisho period, but the castle ruins are now almost completely buried under the city. The main enclosure was located around where Ota Elementary School is now, the second enclosure was located in the area from Horimachi to Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine in the same city, and the third enclosure was located in the area of Sakaemachi in the same city. It is about a 10-minute walk from Hitachi-Ota Station on the JR Suigun Line. ◇It is also called Satake Castle, Maizuru Castle, and Seiryu Castle.

Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Information

Japanese:

茨城県常陸太田市にあった戦国時代の平山城(ひらやまじろ)。戦国大名佐竹氏の本城だった城である。JR常陸太田駅北方の高台の上に築かれていた。平将門の乱で活躍した藤原秀郷（俵藤太）の子孫の藤原通延が1109年（天仁2）、下野国からこの地に入部し、築城したのが起源といわれる。その後、後三年の役で戦功をあげた源義光の孫の源昌義がこの地に入部して佐竹氏を称し、佐竹氏第2代の隆義が太田城主の藤原通盛を服属させて太田城に入城し、以後、戦国時代末期に常陸を統一した佐竹義宣が居城を水戸城（水戸市）に移すまで佐竹氏の本城となった。関東七名城（太田城、川越城、忍城、前橋城、金山城、唐沢山城、宇都宮城）の一つに、あるいは関東三山城（太田城、金山城、唐沢山城）の一つに数えられるほどの名城で、大正末期まで土塁や郭の一部が残っていたが、城跡は現在、ほとんど市街に埋没してしまっている。本郭は現在、太田小学校があるあたりに、二の郭は同市内堀町から若宮八幡宮一帯に、三の郭は同市栄町一帯にあった。JR水郡線常陸太田駅から徒歩約10分。◇佐竹城、舞鶴城、青龍城とも呼ばれる。

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