Miyako Castle, Medieval castle ruins in Miyakonojō, Japan
Miyako Castle is a yamajiro (mountain castle) site in Miyakonojō, Miyazaki Prefecture, built on a plateau jutting out over the Ōyodo River. Its layout of many baileys enclosed by large dry moats and water moats is a typical example of the southern Kyushu castle type. The honmaru now holds the Miyakonojō City History Museum, and the Nishijō bailey across the moat holds the Sano Shrine.
Hongō Yoshihisa, second head of the Hongō clan, built Miyako Castle in 1375; it became the clan's main stronghold. In 1379 it withstood the Mimihara battle against Imagawa Mitsunori's forces. In 1599 it was the base of the Ijūin clan during the Shōnai Rebellion, and it was abandoned in 1615 under the one-castle-per-province law.
The name Miyako derives from Miyako-jima, the island where the castle was built, and later gave its name to the surrounding district. The Hongō clan, a branch of the Shimazu, made it their main stronghold and relied on a network of outlying forts known as the Shōnai jūni tosō. Today the honmaru holds the Miyakonojō City History Museum, and the Sashino Shrine stands on the former Saijō bailey across the moat.
The castle grounds sit on a hilltop and are accessible on foot, but you should be ready for uneven terrain and steps. On-site information is minimal, so it helps to read about the site beforehand.
This site lacks the central tower found in many other Japanese castles and instead preserves its original hilltop fort layout. This makes it unusual compared to other medieval Japanese fortifications.
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