Sakamoto Castle, Castle ruins near Lake Biwa in Otsu, Japan.
Sakamoto Castle is a Japanese castle site in Otsu that sits on a peninsula on the western shore of Lake Biwa. The location displays artificial stone fortifications and a park with monuments, while the lake shapes the surroundings.
The fortress was built in 1571 under Oda Nobunaga's order to control the Western Omi Road toward Kyoto. It served as a strategic point in securing trade routes of that period.
The site carries the name of Akechi Mitsuhide, a significant samurai figure of that era. Visitors can trace this history through monuments and how the landscape relates to his story.
The site is reached from Hiezansakamoto Station on the JR Kosei Line and requires a walk to reach the castle grounds. The area is pedestrian-friendly, though some paths down toward the water can be steep.
When Lake Biwa's water level drops, the original stone walls of the honmaru emerge and become visible beneath the surface. This rare sight reveals how the castle once stood at the water's edge.
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