Tachibana castle
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese castle
in Chikuzen Province
, in the north of Kyūshū
; it is located at the peak of Tachibana Mountain, extending in part into the Higashi-ku
in Fukuoka
. The castle is also known as Rikka-jō, Tachibanayama-jō, or Rikkasan-jō (立花山城, Tachibana mountain castle).
The castle was originally built in 1330, by Ōtomo Sadatoshi, Constable (shugo
) of Bungo province
, as a show of support to the Tachibana clan. Since it was in a tactically powerful location, looking down upon the port town of Hakata
, the castle was fought over throughout the Sengoku period by the Ōtomo
, Ōuchi, and Mōri clan
s.
In one of the more significant sieges, the Ōtomo clan lost the castle to the Mōri clan in 1569, who had become one of the most skilled and powerful clans in the field of naval warfare; their use of Western-style cannon granted them a large advantage in this battle. They abandoned it soon afterwards, however, following a defeat at Tatarahama
to an allied Ōtomo-Amago clan
force.
The castle was besieged once more, in 1586, this time by the Shimazu family
; the castle's lord at the time was Tachibana Muneshige
. The Shimazu called off the siege, however, when they learned of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
's intentions to invade Kyūshū
. The Tachibana forces were eventually forced to flee during that campaign, to Yanagawa castle; Tachibana castle fell to Hideyoshi, who entrusted it to Kobayakawa Takakage
.
A little over a decade later, at the beginning of the Edo period
, Tachibana was largely destroyed and dismantled, much of the stone going into the construction of Fukuoka Castle
. Today, remnants of the honmaru (central keep), the wells and waterworks survive.
Japanese castle
' were fortresses composed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century...
in Chikuzen Province
Chikuzen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today part of Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Chikugo Province. Chikuzen bordered Buzen, Bungo, Chikugo, and Hizen Provinces....
, in the north of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
; it is located at the peak of Tachibana Mountain, extending in part into the Higashi-ku
Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Japan. As of 2004, it has a population of 275,652 people and an area of 66.68 sq. km. Its name literally means "east ward".Kashii is in this ward. It is south of neighbouring Shingū, Fukuoka....
in Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
. The castle is also known as Rikka-jō, Tachibanayama-jō, or Rikkasan-jō (立花山城, Tachibana mountain castle).
The castle was originally built in 1330, by Ōtomo Sadatoshi, Constable (shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
) of Bungo province
Bungo Province
was a province of Japan in eastern Kyūshū in the area of Ōita Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Buzen Province. Bungo bordered Buzen, Hyūga, Higo, Chikugo, and Chikuzen Provinces.-History:...
, as a show of support to the Tachibana clan. Since it was in a tactically powerful location, looking down upon the port town of Hakata
Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is best known as the location of Fukuoka's main train station, Hakata Station.-Geography:...
, the castle was fought over throughout the Sengoku period by the Ōtomo
Otomo clan
The Ōtomo clan was a Japanese clan whose power stretched from the Kamakura period through the Sengoku period, spanning over 400 years. The clan's hereditary lands lay in Kyūshū....
, Ōuchi, and Mōri clan
Mori clan
The Mōri clan was a family of daimyō, descended from Ōe no Hiromoto and established themselves in Aki Province. Their name was derived from a shōen in Mōri, Aikō District, Sagami Province. The generation of Hiromoto began to name themselves Mōri.After the Jōkyū War, Mōri was appointed to the jitō...
s.
In one of the more significant sieges, the Ōtomo clan lost the castle to the Mōri clan in 1569, who had become one of the most skilled and powerful clans in the field of naval warfare; their use of Western-style cannon granted them a large advantage in this battle. They abandoned it soon afterwards, however, following a defeat at Tatarahama
Battle of Tatarahama (1569)
The 1569 battle of Tatarahama was part of the struggles between the Ōtomo and Mōri samurai clans during Japan's Sengoku period, for control of the island of Kyūshū....
to an allied Ōtomo-Amago clan
Amago clan
The , descended from the Emperor Uda by the Sasaki clan .Sasaki Takahisa in the 14th century, having lost his parents at the age of three years, he was brought up by a nun...
force.
The castle was besieged once more, in 1586, this time by the Shimazu family
Shimazu family
The were the daimyō of the Satsuma han, which spread over Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga provinces in Japan.The Shimazu were identified as one of the tozama or outsider daimyō clans in contrast with the fudai or insider clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan,The Shimazu were...
; the castle's lord at the time was Tachibana Muneshige
Tachibana Muneshige
, known in his youth as Senkumaru and alternatively called Tachibana Munetora , was a samurai during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and a Edo Period daimyo. He was the eldest biological son of Takahashi Shigetane, a retainer of Ōtomo clan...
. The Shimazu called off the siege, however, when they learned of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
's intentions to invade Kyūshū
Kyushu Campaign
The Kyūshū Campaign of 1586-1587 was part of the campaigns of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who sought to dominate Japan at the end of the Sengoku period...
. The Tachibana forces were eventually forced to flee during that campaign, to Yanagawa castle; Tachibana castle fell to Hideyoshi, who entrusted it to Kobayakawa Takakage
Kobayakawa Takakage
was a samurai retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku period, and the son of Mōri Motonari. Adopted by the head of the Kobayakawa clan, Takakage took his name, and succeeded his adoptive father to become head of the Kobayakawa clan following his death in 1545.As head of the Kobayakawa...
.
A little over a decade later, at the beginning of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, Tachibana was largely destroyed and dismantled, much of the stone going into the construction of Fukuoka Castle
Fukuoka Castle
Fukuoka Castle is a Japanese castle located in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. The castle is also known as Maizuru Castle or Seki Castle . Completed in the early Edo period for tozama daimyo Kuroda Nagamasa, it has been decreed a historic site by the Japanese government.-History:The castle lies in the...
. Today, remnants of the honmaru (central keep), the wells and waterworks survive.