Kizu Castle, Medieval fortress in Kiyosu, Japan.
Kizu Castle is a medieval fortress in Kiyosu with three main baileys arranged in sequence on Mount Kase. These sections are connected through a network of terraced positions and earthen fortifications that follow the natural mountainside.
The fortress was built between 1394 and 1427 to control a key highway intersection. It guarded the vital route connecting Kyoto and Kamakura at a strategic crossroads.
The castle displays traditional Japanese defensive design with terraced fortifications built into the mountainside. You can see how the vertical trenches and earthen walls were arranged to use the natural slope for protection.
A local minibus from Kizu Station brings visitors close to the castle, then a walk uphill is needed to reach the grounds. The final twenty-minute climb on foot helps you understand how the terrain slopes and how the fortifications were positioned.
The fortifications are concentrated on the southern and western sides, facing where the Miyoshi forces threatened from. This uneven defense layout reveals who posed the greatest danger at that time.
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