Akutagawa Castle

Japanese: 芥川城 - あくたがわじょう

A mountain castle located in Oaza Hara, Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture. During the Sengoku period, it was the base for the Miyoshi clan's advance into Kinai. Akutagawa Castle began as a fortress built by the Muromachi Shogunate's Kanrei Hosokawa Takakuni , who ordered his subordinate Nose Yorinori to build it as a defense against the forces of the west and the Hokusetsu samurai . After the Nose clan, it came under the control of Kanrei Hosokawa Harumoto. It is said that it became a fully-fledged mountain castle in 1553 (Tenbun 22), when Miyoshi Nagayoshi, who had advanced from Awa Tokushima, entered the castle with Hosokawa Harumoto at his side. Making clever use of the rugged terrain, the main citadel, outer citadel, and eastern enclosure were placed, and earthen bridges, earthworks , and stone walls were constructed to create a huge mountain castle. Nagayoshi later banished Harumoto and the castle became Nagayoshi's residence until he moved to Iimoriyama Castle in Kawachi ( Osaka Prefecture) in 1560 (Eiroku 3). Nagayoshi's son Yoshioki then became the lord of the castle, but he died in 1563 (Eiroku 6). In 1568 (Eiroku 11), Oda Nobunaga invaded Settsu and captured Akutagawa Castle, where Hosokawa Akimoto, Miyoshi Nagayasu and others were holed up. Wada Koremasa became the lord of the castle, but the following year he moved to Takatsuki Castle, and Akutagawa Castle was abandoned. Many ruins of earthworks, stone walls, moats and other structures remain. Take the bus from JR Tokaido Main Line Takatsuki Station to Tsukawaki bus stop and walk for 15 minutes. ◇It is also written as Akutagawayama Castle.

Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Information

Japanese:

大阪府高槻市大字原にあった山城(やまじろ)。戦国時代に三好氏の畿内進出の拠点となった城。芥川城は、室町幕府の管領細川高国(たかくに)が西国勢と北摂武士団への備えとして配下の能勢頼則(のせよりのり)に命じて築いた城砦に始まる。能勢氏の後、管領細川晴元(はるもと)の支配下に入った。本格的な山城となったのは、1553年（天文22）、阿波徳島から攻め上がってきた三好長慶(ながよし)が細川晴元を擁し入城したときといわれる。険しい地形を巧みに利用して本丸・出丸・東曲輪(くるわ)群を配し、土橋や土塁(どるい)・石垣を構築して巨大な山城とした。その後、長慶は晴元を追放、1560年（永禄3）に河内（大阪府）飯盛山城(いいもりやまじょう)に移るまで、長慶の居城となった。続いて長慶の子義興が城主になるが1563年（永禄6）に死去、1568年（永禄11）に織田信長が摂津へ侵攻し、細川昭元(あきもと)、三好長逸(ながやす)らが籠城する芥川城を落とした。和田惟政(これまさ)が城主となったが、翌年高槻城へ移り、芥川城は廃された。土塁や石垣、堀切などの遺跡がよく残っている。JR東海道本線高槻駅からバスで塚脇下車、徒歩15分。◇芥川山城(あくたがわさんじょう)とも記述される。

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