Kushima Castle

Japanese: 玖島城 - くしまじょう

Hirayama Castle was built on a peninsula jutting out into Omura Bay in Kushima, Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture. The Omura clan, whose ancestor was Fujiwara no Sumitomo , had ruled this area as land steward since the Kamakura period, and in 1587 (Tensho 15 ), the lord at the time, Omura Yoshiaki , joined Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army during his Kyushu conquest, was granted his territory, and under Hideyoshi's pressure, converted from a Christian daimyo to Christianity. After Hideyoshi's death in 1598 (Keicho 3), construction of Kushima Castle was started in preparation for political instability, and the following year in 1599 (Keicho 4), the Omura clan moved their castle from Mishiro Castle to this location. The castle was owned by the Omura Domain (27,000 koku) even after the Edo Shogunate was established, and continued to exist until the Meiji Restoration. However, the castle was abandoned in 1871 (Meiji 4), and the buildings were demolished. In 1884 ( Meiji 17), Omura Shrine was built on the site of the main citadel to enshrine the successive generations of the Omura clan. It is a 10-minute walk from Omura Station on the JR Omura Line. From Omura Bus Terminal, take the bus bound for Isahaya for 7 minutes and get off at the Omura Park entrance.

Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Information

Japanese:

長崎県大村市玖島の大村湾に突き出した半島に築城された平山城(ひらやまじろ)。藤原純友(すみとも)を祖とする大村氏は鎌倉時代からこの地を地頭として領有し、1587年（天正15）、時の領主であった大村喜前(よしあき)は豊臣秀吉の九州征伐の際に秀吉軍に参陣し領土を安堵され、秀吉の圧力によってキリシタン大名から改宗。1598年（慶長3）の秀吉死後、政情不安に備えて玖島城の築城に着手し、翌1599年（慶長4）、三城城から居城を移した。江戸幕府開府後もこの城を領有し、大村藩（2万7000石）として明治維新まで存続したが、1871年（明治4）に廃城となり建造物は破却、1884年（明治17）に本丸跡に大村氏歴代を祀(まつ)る大村神社が建立された。JR大村線大村駅から徒歩10分。大村バスターミナルから諫早(いさはや)方面行きバス7分で大村公園入口下車、すぐ。

出典　講談社日本の城がわかる事典について　情報

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