Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle, Mountain fortress in Akitakata, Japan
Yoshida-Kōriyama is a sprawling medieval fortress on a forested peak near Akitakata in Japan. Over 270 terraces are linked by stone walls and spread from the base to the summit of the mountain.
The castle's origins are uncertain; it was built after the Gion Shrine (founded before 1325) within its grounds. Mōri Motonari took it in 1523 and expanded it across the whole mountain. In 1540–1541 his garrison of some 8,000 withstood a siege by 30,000 Amago troops. Mōri Terumoto moved to Hiroshima in 1591, and the castle was demolished under the 1615 one-castle-per-province order.
The mountain preserves several Mōri family cemeteries and temple remains from medieval times. Hikers today follow paths through these sites and see stone foundations within dense vegetation.
The climb to the summit takes about an hour along forest trails with uneven steps. Sturdy footwear and enough drinking water are necessary for the hike.
In the 1540–1541 siege, some 8,000 defenders held the castle, including farmers, women and children, against an Amako army said to number 30,000. The attackers withdrew the following January. The castle's full fortification is thought to have begun only in Mōri Motonari's later years, so the walls seen today postdate the siege.
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