Sone Castle, Japanese castle site in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Sone Castle is one of three Japanese castles bearing this name, the one located in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture; the other two stood in Owase, Mie Prefecture, and in Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture. The sources consulted do not describe the Ogaki site's layout, walls or remains.

Sone Castle is the name shared by several Japanese castles, including one in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, and another in Owase, Mie Prefecture. The Ogaki castle is the one identified here, in Gifu rather than Mie. The sources give no construction date or historical events for it, so its founding and later changes are not documented in the available material.

The name Sone Castle (曽根城) is shared by three separate Japanese castles, in Mino, Kii and Iyo provinces; the one at Ogaki in Gifu Prefecture is the Mino Sone Castle. The Japanese Wikipedia article lists all three under a single heading, which is why the name alone does not identify a single site.

The site sits on a hill, so wear sturdy shoes and set aside enough time to walk through the scattered ruins at a comfortable pace. The climb is not very steep, but the ground can be slippery after rain.

The remaining moat sections were designed not only to stop attackers but also to collect and store water for the people living inside the castle. This double purpose shows that the planners thought carefully about long-term survival, not just immediate defense.