Koromo Castle, Japanese mountain castle in Toyota, Japan
Koromo Castle is a Japanese castle on Dojiyama hill in Toyota, Japan, with stone foundations, a reconstructed two-story watchtower, and an original main gate facing the Yasaku River. The grounds now form part of the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art complex.
Naito Masamitsu ordered the fortification built in 1782 after taking control of the Koromo domain. It stood through the late Edo period until the Meiji Restoration brought an end to the feudal system in the latter half of the 19th century.
The main gate was built wide enough to let the large festival floats of the local spring celebration pass through. This link between military architecture and community life can still be read in the gate today.
The grounds are open and free to enter as part of the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art. A preserved section of the original moat runs alongside the site and gives a clear sense of how the fortification was once defended.
The tower was said to offer a view over seven different provinces, which earned the castle an alternative name, Shichishu-jo, meaning Castle of Seven Provinces. This made the hilltop one of the most valued lookout points in the region.
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