The cherry blossom viewing spot I will introduce this time is Oka Castle, which was said to be impregnable in Taketa City, Oita Prefecture. The stone walls are especially beautiful and fascinating. Let’s check it out.
Overview of Oka Castle
Oka Castle in Taketa City (竹田市), located in the southwest of Oita Prefecture, is surrounded by the Kuju Mountains, Mount Sobo, and Mount Aso. It’s next to Kumamoto Prefecture.
Also, Oka Castle is located 325m above sea level and has an area of approximately 1 million ㎡, which is equivalent to 22 Tokyo Domes.
History of Oka Castle
The year is 1185. The first shogun of Kamakura, Minamotono Yoritomo (源頼朝) attempts to kill his younger brother, Minamotono Yoshitsune( 源義経), due to a political dispute. It is said that Ogata Saburou Koreyoshi (緒方三郎惟吉), a powerful lord in Oita Prefecture, built Oka Castle to welcome Minamoto no Yoshitune to Oita Prefecture. However, Yoshitune was assassinated by Fujiwara Yasuhira (藤原泰衡) in 1189 on the orders of Yoritomo, and he never made it to Oka Castle. If Yoshitune had come to Oka Castle, would Japanese history have changed dramatically? Nobody knows.
The Housatsu War (豊薩合戦 Oita vs Kagoshima) broke out between 1586 and 1587. Shimazu Yoshihisa of Satsuma Domain attacked Oka Castle three times, but Shiga Chikatsugu of Bungo Domain defeated them all, making the castle famous throughout the country. At that time, Chikatsugu was only 18 years old.
Taki Rentaro
Rentaro Taki is one of Japan’s leading composers. He spent his childhood in Taketa City, and is said to have composed “Kojo no Tsuki” (荒城の月) inspired by his impressions of climbing and playing on the ruins of Oka Castle.
The stone wall of Oka Castle
The highlight of Oka Castle is undoubtedly its stone walls. The stones used are made from pyroclastic flows from the eruption of Mt. Aso that were cooled in the river, and the castle is built using a wide range of techniques. Standing tall in the Kuju mountain range, this rare castle can be enjoyed for its stone walls and cherry blossoms without the need for a castle tower. I hope you enjoy these photos. Thank you for reading my article. I hope we can see beautiful cherry blossoms again next year.
THANK YOU!
I’m a forever beginner English learner. I am trying to be better, but I haven’t made any major changes. Despite this, there is a lot I would like to tell you. Please read my story. Thank you.
HTJ has a YouTube page! Check it out