Ryozen Castle

Japanese: 霊山城 - りょうぜんじょう

A castle from the Northern and Southern Courts period located in Reizen-cho, Fukushima Prefecture (now Date City). It was built on Mount Reizen (825m, a nationally designated historic site and place of scenic beauty) at the eastern end of the former Date District of Mutsu Province. In January 1337, Kitabatake Akiie, the governor of Mutsu Province who had retreated from Taga Castle, the Mutsu provincial capital, entered the mountain accompanied by Prince Yoshiyoshi (later Emperor Go-Murakami), and used the temple buildings at the top of the mountain to create a castle. It became a base for the Southern Court and also served as the provincial capital. After 1337, battles continued intermittently between the Southern Court forces led by General Hirohashi Tsuneyasu and the Northern Court Ashikaga forces surrounding Reizen, but in 1347 the Ashikaga forces called for a large military force to attack the Southern Court forces, and Reizen Castle finally fell. In 1396, the forces of Nitta Yoshitaka and Nitta Sada barricaded themselves in Ryozen to face off against the forces of Kamakura kubo Ashikaga Ujimitsu and Uesugi Norisada, and a battle ensued. The remains of the castle stretch 450m east to west and 1km north to south. The flat area on the mountain where the Ryozen Castle Monument and Imperial Prince Yoshiyoshi Monument are located is said to have been the castle's base, and to the south of that is a flat area known as the remains of the Kokushikan residence, where foundation stone buildings have been identified. Further south, near Kokushi Pond, a level area has also been seen. Other remains include Nishimonomiiwa, Higashimonomiiwa, and Kabutoiwa. Ryozenji Temple is said to have been founded by Ennin in 859, and at its peak it had 3,600 monks. It is also said to have been the site of Kukai's barrier, and was a major training center for both Tendai and Shingon esoteric Buddhism. In 984, Sonkai, the head priest of Reizenji Temple, constructed the temple complex with the Thousand-Armed Kannon Hall at its center, and it is said that a number of buildings and pagodas, including the Yakushido, Amidado, Dainichido, and Seishido, stood there. The temple's influence subsequently declined, but in 1311 the monk Shokan rebuilt it, and it is said that the temple now has over 50 followers. In 1347, the temple complex was reduced to ashes when Reizen Castle was attacked by the Northern Court. In addition to the remains of the mountaintop temple complex, there are the Futatsuiwa ruins in Reizen Town, and the Terayashiki and Tojiyashiki ruins on the Tamano side of Soma City. Based on excavated artifacts, Reizenji Temple is believed to have been founded in the 10th century. → Reizen Shrine

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

福島県霊山町（現・伊達市）にあった南北朝期の城。旧陸奥国伊達(だて)郡の東端に位置する霊山（825m，国指定史跡および名勝）に築かれた。1337年１月，陸奥国府の多賀(たが)城から退いた陸奥国司北畠顕家(きたばたけあきいえ)が義良(のりよし)親王（後の後村上天皇）を奉じて入山，霊山寺の山頂伽藍を利用して城郭とした。南朝方の拠点となり，国府の機能も有した。1337年以降，広橋経泰を大将とした南朝方と霊山を囲む北朝足利方の間で戦闘は断続的に続いたが，1347年足利方は大規模な軍勢催促を行って南朝軍を攻撃，霊山城はついに陥落した。なお1396年には新田義隆・同貞方の軍勢が鎌倉公方足利氏満・上杉憲定の軍勢を迎え撃つため霊山に立てこもり，合戦になったという。城跡の遺構は東西約450m・南北約１kmに及ぶ。霊山城碑・義良親王碑がある山上平場が詰の城とされ，その南下に国司館(こくしかん)跡といわれる平坦地があり，礎石建物跡などが確認された。さらにその南に位置する国司池付近にも削平地がみられる。ほか西物見岩・東物見岩・甲(かぶと)岩などの遺構がある。霊山寺は859年円仁(えんにん)によって開かれたと伝え，盛時には3600坊の衆徒を擁したという。空海(くうかい)結界の地とも伝え，天台・真言両密教兼学の一大道場であったと伝える。984年霊山寺学頭尊海が千手観音堂を中心とする伽藍を建立，薬師堂・阿弥陀堂・大日堂・勢至堂などの堂塔が林立していたという。その後寺勢は衰えたが，1311年沙門正観が再興，衆徒50ヵ寺余を数えたといわれる。1347年北朝方の霊山城攻撃により伽藍は灰燼に帰したとされる。遺跡は山上伽藍跡のほか，霊山町の二つ岩(ふたついわ)遺跡，相馬(そうま)市玉野(たまの)側にある寺屋敷(てらやしき)遺跡・東寺屋敷遺跡などがある。出土遺物から霊山寺は10世紀代の創建とされている。→霊山神社

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