Ishiwaki Castle (石脇城 Ishiwaki-jō) was a small, flat mountain castle (平山城 hirayamajiro) about two kilometres northeast of Yaizu Station. Usually, we would pass a castle of this size, but there is a theory that Ishiwaki Castle was Hōjō Sōun's first castle.
Sōun (then known as Ise Shinkurō, 伊勢新九郎) is said to have first become lord of Kōkokuji Castle in the first year of the Chōkyō era (1487). However, according to the Suruga-ki (駿河記) written in the Edo period (1603-1868), Imagawa Yoshitada (今川義忠) sent Sōun to live in Ishiwaki during the Bunmei era (文明年間, 1469-1486). At that time, he was still an unknown man. According to conventional history, he started his life as a rōnin and lived to be 88 years old, but contemporary sources claim that he was from the prestigious Ise clan and died at age 64.
Ishiwaki Castle is surrounded by high mountains, one of them Mount Takakusa (高草山). It is interesting to note that the castle was built on a small hill despite the proximity of those mountains.
Aerial photographs taken from Geographical Survey Institute maps. The location of the enclosures is estimated.
Despite its small size, the castle consisted of three kuruwa (曲輪).
We took the bus from Yaizu Station. The bus stop is at the south exit (I waited at the north exit for a long time and missed one of the buses, which were even less frequent. However, I could spend some time at the footbath in front of the station).
Finally, we get on the bus and off in front of Higashi Mashizu Elementary School. Incidentally, Tanaka Castle was located at the compound of Nishi-Mashizu Elementary School. The area around Yaizu and Fujieda used to be under the jurisdiction of Mashizu County (益津郡).
This is the entrance to the road that leads up the hill. There does not appear to be any parking nearby, but a relatively large shoulder area is to the east of the entrance.
The boundary is unclear, but on the left is the third kuruwa and on the right is the second.
The stone wall is probably from recent days. The castle is relatively small but surrounded by cliffs and is in a very strategic location.
This is the second kuruwa.
The first kuruwa is on slightly higher ground at the back of this photo.
The first kuruwa now houses the Dainichi-dō (大日堂).
We found what appeared to be earthworks behind Dainichi-dō.
Date of visit: 17 February 2014
Sōun (then known as Ise Shinkurō, 伊勢新九郎) is said to have first become lord of Kōkokuji Castle in the first year of the Chōkyō era (1487). However, according to the Suruga-ki (駿河記) written in the Edo period (1603-1868), Imagawa Yoshitada (今川義忠) sent Sōun to live in Ishiwaki during the Bunmei era (文明年間, 1469-1486). At that time, he was still an unknown man. According to conventional history, he started his life as a rōnin and lived to be 88 years old, but contemporary sources claim that he was from the prestigious Ise clan and died at age 64.
Ishiwaki Castle is surrounded by high mountains, one of them Mount Takakusa (高草山). It is interesting to note that the castle was built on a small hill despite the proximity of those mountains.
Aerial photographs taken from Geographical Survey Institute maps. The location of the enclosures is estimated.
Despite its small size, the castle consisted of three kuruwa (曲輪).
We took the bus from Yaizu Station. The bus stop is at the south exit (I waited at the north exit for a long time and missed one of the buses, which were even less frequent. However, I could spend some time at the footbath in front of the station).
Finally, we get on the bus and off in front of Higashi Mashizu Elementary School. Incidentally, Tanaka Castle was located at the compound of Nishi-Mashizu Elementary School. The area around Yaizu and Fujieda used to be under the jurisdiction of Mashizu County (益津郡).
This is the entrance to the road that leads up the hill. There does not appear to be any parking nearby, but a relatively large shoulder area is to the east of the entrance.
The boundary is unclear, but on the left is the third kuruwa and on the right is the second.
The stone wall is probably from recent days. The castle is relatively small but surrounded by cliffs and is in a very strategic location.
This is the second kuruwa.
The first kuruwa is on slightly higher ground at the back of this photo.
The first kuruwa now houses the Dainichi-dō (大日堂).
We found what appeared to be earthworks behind Dainichi-dō.
Date of visit: 17 February 2014
Access:
- Address: 636 Ishiwakikami, Yaizu, Shizuoka 425-0015
- Access: a 30-minute walk from Yaizu Station on the JR Tōkaidō Main Line, or by bus, in front of Higashi-Masuzu Elementary School;
3 kilometres from Tomei Expressway Yaizu Interchange via Prefectural Route 150
- Next article in the series 'Walking the Japanese Castles': Hanazawa Castle
- Previous article in the series 'Walking the Japanese Castles': Tanaka Castle (Shizuoka)
