Shōryūji Castle

{{Infobox military installation

| name = Shōryūji Castle
勝龍寺城

| partof =

| location = Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, Japan

| coordinates = {{Coord|34|55|5.21|N|135|42|2.49|E|region:JP-27|display=inline,title}}

| map_type = Japan Kyoto Prefecture#Japan

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| map_relief = 1

| image = ShoryujiCastle.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Shōryūji Castle


Aerial photograph of the Shōryūji Castle in 2025

| type = hilltop

| code =

| built = 19 September, 1339

| builder = Hosokawa Yoriharu

| materials = Dry moats, earthwork, earthen bridges, stone walls, wood

| height =

| used = 1339 - 1649

| demolished = 1649

| condition = Imitation stone walls and turrets reconstructed

| ownership = City of Nagaokakyō, Kyoto

| controlledby =

| garrison =

| commanders =

| occupants = Yokoyama clan, Akechi Mitsuhide

Hosokawa clan, Nagai clan ({{ILL|Nahai Clan|lt=Nagai Clan|ja|永井氏}}, etc.

| battles =

| events =

}}

{{nihongo|Shōryūji Castle|勝龍寺城|Shōryūji-jō}} is a castle in Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, Japan.

History

This castle was constructed in 1339 by Hosokawa Yoriharu, a major samurai commander under Ashikaga Takauji, the founder of the Ashikaga shogunate.

The area around the castle is a strategic foothold to defend Kyoto, the capital of Japan at that time, from western threats. During the Ōnin War, this castle was used as a castle of the western alliance and became occupied by Iwanari Tomomichi, a daimyō of the Miyoshi clan, during the Sengoku period. The castle fell to Oda Nobunaga in 1568, and was given to Hosokawa Fujitaka, who occupied it until 1579.

At the battle of Yamazaki between Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Akechi Mitsuhide, following Mitsuhide's killing of Nobunaga, this castle's garrison collapsed, forcing Mitsuhide to flee to his death.{{cite book|last1=Turnbull|first1=Stephen|title=Toyotomi Hideyoshi|url=https://archive.org/details/toyotomihideyosh00turn|url-access=limited|date=2010|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=Oxford|isbn=9781846039607|page=[https://archive.org/details/toyotomihideyosh00turn/page/n28 27]-29}}

Access

Gallery

Syouryuuj12.jpg|The yagura and a moat.

Syouryuuj17.jpg|fence and moat

Syouryuuj18.jpg|Replica turret and remains of tiger's mouth

Syouryuuj2.jpg|Parking lot at Shoryuji Castle Park

Syouryuuj21.jpg|Well ruins

Syouryuuj22.jpg|The estimated castle grounds of Shoryuji Castle

Syouryuuj4.jpg|Stone marker at Shoryuji Castle Park

Syouryuuj5.jpg|Excavated artifacts from Shoryuji Castle

Syouryuuj6.jpg|Excavated coins from Shoryuji Castle

Syouryuuj7.jpg|Excavated artifacts from Shoryuji Castle

Syouryuuj19.jpg|Earthen wall of Shōryūji Castle

References

{{reflist}}

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070513114634/http://www.nagaokakyo-kankou.jp/kankou/syoryu_kouen/index.html] Official Homepage of Nagaoka Tourist Bureau

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shoryuji Castle}}

Category:Castles in Kyoto Prefecture

Category:Former castles in Japan

Category:Ruined castles in Japan

Category:Miyoshi clan

Category:Akechi clan

{{japan-hist-stub}}