Shigisan Castle

Japanese: 信貴山城 - しぎさんじょう

This mountain castle was located in Heguri-cho , Ikoma-gun, Nara Prefecture. It was the castle of Matsunaga Hisahide, a representative figure of the uprising of the ruling class during the Sengoku period. Shigisan Castle was built in 1536 ( Tenbun 5) by Kizawa Nagamasa, a vassal of the Hatakeyama clan, who was the guardian of Kawachi Province, but in 1542 (Tenbun 11), Nagamasa was killed in battle and the castle fell into disuse. It was Matsunaga Hisahide who carried out extensive renovations of the castle from 1559 (Eiroku 2) to the following year. Mount Shigisan, at an altitude of 433m, is a strategic location connecting Kawachi Province and Yamato Province, and the castle was built on top of the mountain with a radial chain of walls stretching over 500m in both the east-west and north-south directions. Hisahide was a vassal of the Miyoshi clan, a senior vassal of the Hosokawa clan, the head of the three Kanrei (regent for the Ashikaga Shogunate). When the Miyoshi clan surpassed their master, the Hosokawa clan, and began to dominate the Kinai region, Hisahide also expanded his influence throughout Yamato. In order to replace his master, the Miyoshi clan, Hisahide devised various schemes, such as inciting conflict among the Miyoshi clan. When Miyoshi Nagayoshi died in 1564 (Eiroku 7), Hisahide rose to become the most powerful man in the Kinai region. Hisahide was once a vassal of Oda Nobunaga, but then rebelled, and in 1577 (Tensho 5), he was attacked by Nobunaga's large army and committed suicide, and Shigisan Castle fell. The current Kuhatsu Gohodo Hall of Chogosonshiji Temple on the mountainside of Mt. Shigisan is the site of the main citadel of Shigisan Castle, and there is a stone monument and guide board with a surveyed map of the site of Shigisan Castle. It is a 10 -minute bus ride from JR Kansai Main Line Oji Station or Kintetsu Ikoma Line Shigisanshita Station.

Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Information

Japanese:

奈良県生駒郡平群町にあった山城(やまじろ)。戦国時代の下克上(げこくじょう)の代表的な人物、松永久秀(ひさひで)の居城。1536年（天文5）、河内国守護職であった畠山氏の家臣木沢長政が信貴山城を築いたが、1542年（天文11）に長政は討ち死にし、城は廃れた。1559年（永禄2）から翌年にかけて、この城を大改修したのは松永久秀であった。標高433mの信貴山は河内国と大和国を結ぶ要衝の地で、山上に東西・南北とも500mを超す放射状連郭の城を築いた。久秀は足利幕府の三管領筆頭細川氏の重臣三好氏の家臣で、三好氏が主家の細川氏をしのいで畿内を支配するようになると、久秀も大和一円に勢力をのばした。主家の三好氏にとってかわるため、三好一族間に反目を引き起こすなど、久秀はさまざまな策謀をめぐらした。1564年（永禄7）に三好長慶(ながよし)が亡くなると、久秀は畿内随一の実力者にのしあがった。久秀は一時織田信長に臣従したが反旗を翻し、1577年（天正5）に信長の大軍に攻められ自害、信貴山城は落城した。現在の信貴山山腹の朝護孫子寺(ちょうごそんしじ)の空鉢御法堂(くうはつごほうどう)が信貴山城の本丸跡で、「信貴山城址」の石碑と実測図が描かれた案内板が設置されている。JR関西本線王子駅または近鉄生駒線信貴山下駅からバス10分。

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