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Inuyama Castle
(Owari Province／Aichi Prefecture)
Inuyama-jo was built in the 6th year of Tenmon era (1537) by Nobuyasu Oda, Nobunaga Oda's uncle. His son, Nobukiyo had a rivalry with Nobunaga, and his castle was captured in the 7th year of Eiroku era (1570) by Nobunaga. Nobunaga's foster brother Tsuneoki Ikeda was assigned to the lord of the castle.
After the Honnouji Incident, Owari fell into Nobunaga's child, Nobukatsu Oda's hands, but soon fell to Hideyoshi's vassal, Tsuneoki Ikeda. Later, after the Komaki-Nagakute battle, Nobukatsu and Hideyoshi made a truce and Inuyama-jo came back under Nobukatsu's rule.
During the Battle of Sekigahara, Toyotomi clan's vassal Sadakiyo Ishikawa became the lord of the castle. Sadakiyo who stood by the western forces was attacked by the eastern forces. His troops in the castle surrendered to the eastern forces without fighting and the castle fell into his enemy's hand.
After the Battle of Sekigahara, Tadayoshi Matsudaira's (4th son of Ieyasu Tokugawa) chief vassal Yoshitsugu Ogasawara became the lord of the castle. Tadayoshi died in the 12th year of Keicho era (1607), and Yoshinao Tokugawa (9th son of Ieyasu), the Nagoya feudal lord, appointed his vassal Chikayoshi Hiraiwa to be the new ruler. The childless Chikayoshi died in the 16th year of Keicho era (1611), and the Hiraiwa clan died with him.
After that, in the 3rd year of Genna era (1617) Yoshinao's vassal Masashige Naruse became the ruler. Naruse acted as the Inuyama lord of the castle as well as the senior retainer of the Owari feudal clan which lasted for generations afterwards, until it reached the late Tokugawa period. Most of the buildings were demolished by the Meiji Restoration, but the castle tower is left standing to date. In addition, the castle was owned by Naruse until 2004, but it is now owned by a foundation.
(2009/5/11 )
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