Takatsuki Castle, Japanese castle in Takatsuki, Japan
Takatsuki Castle is a former Japanese fortress in Takatsuki city in Osaka Prefecture. The site covered roughly 630 by 580 meters and consisted of several fortified courtyards with a three-story main tower at the center.
Near the end of the 10th century, around 990, Kondo Tadanori established the first fortification on this site. During the Sengoku period, the structure changed hands multiple times and was expanded into an important military stronghold.
The name Takatsuki connects to the story of early Christian mission in Japan, as the feudal lord Takayama Ukon openly practiced his faith here. The castle town became a place where European missionaries and local believers gathered, which was unusual for 16th-century Japan in this region.
The ruins sit roughly ten minutes on foot from Takatsuki-shi Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line. From JR Takatsuki Station, the walk takes about 15 minutes to reach the site.
In 1691, Dutch trader Engelbert Kaempfer noticed the white walls, which stood out clearly against the surrounding landscape. His records describe the pale facade as an unexpected sight on his journey through the region.
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