Izushi Castle, Medieval castle in Toyooka, Japan
Izushi is a castle in the city of Toyooka in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, rising from the lower slopes of Mount Ariko. The site displays several reconstructed wooden towers and gates distributed across terraced levels, supported by steep stone walls that climb the natural hillside.
Koide Yoshihide founded the site in 1604 as the center of a new domain, ending an earlier fortification on Ariko's summit. Three successive clan families administered the territory until the feudal system was abolished in 1871, after which the wooden buildings were dismantled and only the stone walls remained.
The climb to the castle grounds passes through more than thirty vermilion torii gates of the adjacent Inari shrine, winding uphill through the forest. The steps link the old fortification site with the religious location, creating a path that many locals walk during the spring cherry blossom season.
The grounds remain open year-round, and visitors can walk up the paved paths and stone steps leading to the reconstructed towers. Bring comfortable shoes, as the climb involves uneven terrain and can become slippery when wet.
The highest level of the site holds an Inari shrine rather than the main fortification, an arrangement that reflects the original defense plan linking the grounds to the mountain summit behind. The terraced structure allowed defenders to retreat across multiple levels if lower ramparts were breached.
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