Ōno Castle (Echizen Province) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ōno Castle |
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| 大野城 | |
| Ōno, Fukui Prefecture, Japan | |
reconstructed donjon of Ōno Castle
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 Ōno Castle
Ōno Castle
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| Coordinates | 35°59′11.64″N 136°28′59.15″E / 35.9865667°N 136.4830972°E |
| Type | Japanese castle |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
yes |
| Condition | partly reconstructed |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1580 |
| Built by | Kanamori Nagachika |
| In use | Sengoku-Edo period |
| Demolished | 1871 |
Ōno Castle (大野城, Ōno-jō) was a Japanese castle located in the city of Ōno, Fukui Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It was built during the Sengoku period (a time of many wars in Japan). The castle was home to powerful lords called daimyō who ruled the Ōno area during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate (a military government).
Contents
Building Ōno Castle: A Stronghold's Design
Ōno Castle is found in the northeastern part of Echizen Province. It sits on a hill called Kameyama Hill, which stretches about 300 meters from east to west. This location was important because it was on the main road connecting Echizen with another province called Mino Province.
Castle Parts and Defenses
The most important part of the castle, called the inner bailey, was at the very top of the hill. It was protected by strong stone walls made from large, natural rocks. Other parts of the castle were built on lower levels. These areas were also protected by moats, which are deep ditches often filled with water.
History of Ōno Castle: From Wars to Peace
During the early Sengoku period (around the 15th and 16th centuries), the Ōno area was controlled by the Asakura clan. However, it was also a major base for a group called the Ikkō-ikki, who were warrior monks.
Building the Castle (1575-1580)
In 1575, a famous warlord named Oda Nobunaga defeated both the Asakura clan and the Ikkō-ikki. He then gave the Ōno area to his general, Kanamori Nagachika. Kanamori started building Ōno Castle, using the newest castle designs of the time. The castle was finished by 1580.
Changing Hands: Lords of Ōno
Kanamori Nagachika later moved to another area in 1586. After him, the castle was controlled by different lords chosen by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, another powerful leader.
After the Battle of Sekigahara, a major battle in 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu became the most powerful person in Japan. He gave the entire Echizen province to his second son, Yūki Hideyasu, in 1601. This area became known as Fukui Domain.
Ōno Domain is Formed
In 1624, Fukui Domain was divided. Yūki Hideyasu's third son, Matsudaira Naomasa, was given control of Ōno and the surrounding area. This became Ōno Domain. Over the years, several different lords from the Matsudaira family ruled Ōno.
The Doi Clan Takes Over
In 1682, the Doi clan, a different family, took control of Ōno Domain. They ruled Ōno for the next eight generations, until the Meiji restoration in the late 1800s.
Challenges and Reforms
Ōno Castle faced many financial problems throughout its history. In 1775, the castle burned down. Most of it was rebuilt by 1795, except for the main tower, called the donjon.
A later lord, Doi Toshitada (who lived from 1811 to 1869), made big changes to improve the domain's money problems. He also brought in new ideas and technology from the West, known as rangaku. Even though Ōno was a small domain, it became known for its modern army and its special school during the Bakumatsu period (the final years of the Edo period).
The End of the Castle
After the Meiji restoration in 1868, the old system of lords and castles ended. Ōno Castle was torn down. Some of its gates were saved and given to nearby Buddhist temples. The land where the castle stood was then used for government buildings.
Ōno Castle Today: A Glimpse into the Past
Today, you can still see some parts of the original stone walls of Ōno Castle. Also, parts of the old castle town, called jōkamachi, still exist. These areas have traditional samurai houses and merchant homes.
In 1968, a new building that looks like the old donjon (main tower) was built. This building now serves as a local history museum, where visitors can learn about the castle and the area's past. In 2017, Ōno Castle was recognized as one of the Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo Echizen Ōno para niños
- Ōno Castle (Chikuzen Province)
- Ōno Castle (Chita District, Owari Province)
