Obama Castle, Ancient castle ruins in Nihonmatsu, Japan.
Obama Castle is a castle ruin on a strategic hilltop in Nihonmatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, with stone walls and moats arranged across multiple terraced levels. The site extends across different elevations and shows the typical layout of a Japanese mountain fortress.
The castle was built in 1471 by Munemasa Ouchi and changed hands between Date Masamune and the Gamo clan during the territorial conflicts of the 1580s. These periods of shifting power shaped the site's history significantly.
The name Obama comes from the ancient Wakasa province, homeland of the Ouchi clan who built this mountain fortress. It reflects the builders' connection to their ancestral lands.
Visitors can reach the castle ruins from Nihonmatsu Station by bus to the Iwashiro Office stop, followed by a 10-minute walk to the site. Wearing good hiking shoes is advisable since the path slopes upward and the ground can be uneven.
Archaeological excavations in 1981 uncovered the foundations of seven wooden buildings within the main area of the medieval fortress. This discovery revealed how the castle was organized during its active period.
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