Iwasaki Castle Nisshin

During the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, the castle lord, Niwa, who sided with Ieyasu, attempted to block the march of Hashiba's forces towards Okazaki from that direction, but 300 men fought against 7,000 and the castle fell. However, this time-wasting opportunity allowed Ieyasu's main force to catch up, which had an impact on the subsequent battle. The castle tower is a replica, but it gives off a more castle-like feel and is well worth seeing. There are also quite a few remains of the real thing, but the area around the main castle was not very large, so you can see everything in a relatively short amount of time. There is free parking, and you can also enter the observation tower in the replica castle tower and the historical museum for free.

It's a very well-maintained castle. It's free♪

If you go to Iwasaki Castle from the parking lot, you will see a promenade that takes you down to the dry moat, Suikinkutsu in Ninomaru Umade, and the ruins of earthworks and wells. From the other side, there is a large stone monument that says Iwasaki Castle in the background, and a few steps up the stairs, you will see a gate and castle tower, which is a cool structure. Once you pass through the gate, there is a square that allows you to attack as much as you like from all directions without exception. Although it is small, it is a nice castle full of fun elements 😊 Historically, according to the materials at the Iwasaki Castle Historical Memorial Museum, it is said that during the ``Battle of Komaki-Nagakute'' fought between Hashiba Hideyoshi (later Toyotomi Hideyoshi) and the combined forces of Oda Nobuo and Tokugawa Ieyasu, 16-year-old castle lord Niwa Ujishige fought bravely in the ``Battle of Iwasaki Castle'', which is said to be the castle that triggered the Tokugawa side's victory in the war. (Politically speaking, Nobuo was surrounded by Hideyoshi, so it is difficult to say which one won...) You can learn about the history of Iwasaki Castle and its surroundings at the Iwasaki Castle History Memorial Museum and inside Iwasaki Castle. At other places, there would be an entrance fee of about 500 yen each, but it's free 😳 What's more, the castle seal would cost over 300 yen at other castles, but in the case of Iwasaki Castle it was 200 yen. What a conscientious castle!

The castle ruins have been turned into a park, and there is a memorial hall and a restored castle tower, which are well worth seeing. The remains of the dry moat and turrets are still in good condition, so it was a fun place to look around.

I stopped by while on the Linimo Autumn Colors Walk. It's quite a magnificent castle and museum! That said, it was over 35 years ago... If it weren't for this opportunity, I probably would never have known about it.