Japanese Castle guide in Japan castle Historical site Statue Introduction.

[Name]
Kiriyama Castle (Tage Castle)

[Description]
Kiriyama Castle (Tage Castle) was a mountain castle located in today’s Kamitage Misugi-
cho Tsu-shi, Mie. There was a Tage Palace, which spreaded out acrossfor 1 kilometer next to the castle, and the Kitagawa clan, the head of administrative of Ise usually spent time at the palace while he stayed at the castle in emergencies.

During Nanbokucho era, Akiyoshi Kitabatake had been in a war against the Hokucho force as a supporter for the Nancho force. He was concerned about countless numbers of flatland casltes being destroyed due to the war, and in 1342, decided to built Kiriyama Caslte on a mountain to take an defensive advantage on defense. After a short time, Azaka Castle was built as thea main fortrless.

Nobunaga Oda from Owari had invaded Ise, and a loyal servant to Nobunaga, Ichimasu
Takigawa was assigned to gorvern the land of Northan Ise in Sengoku era. In order to
protect the rest of the land of Ise from Nobunaga, the Kitabatake clan relocated their main fort to Okawachi Castle, which also hadwas defensive advantages in defending, and Masanari Kitabatake became in charge of Kiriyama Castle.

Tomonori Kitabatake and his son, Tomofusa, baricaded Okawachi Castle for 50 days under Nobunaga’s attack; however, they finally surrendered as accepting the offer to adapt Nobunaga’s second son, Nobukatsu. In 1575, Nobunaga made Tomofusa Kitabatake retired, and had Nobukatsu move to Tamaru Castle from Okawachi Castle.

The next year, Tage palace was attacked by the Oda clan, and both and Tomonori and
Tomofusa Kitabatake were killed. Shortly after, Kiriyama Castle was also attacked by the
Oda force including warriors like Hideyoshi Hashiba (Toyotomi), Nobutaka Kanbe (Oda),
and Morinobu Seki. Facing defeat, Masanari Kitabatake commited suicide killed himself,
there and ended the prosperity of the Kitayama clan.

Due to the series of battles, Kiriyama Castle was abandoned. Today’s Japanese
government has chosen the Kiriyama Castle ruin including neck ditches, earthworks, and citadel for one of the national historic sites. They haves also been working on excavating Tage Palace.

[Location]
Yachi Misugi-cho Tsu-shi, Mie 515-3421

[Map]