Tottori Castle
| Tottori castle | |
|---|---|
鳥取城 | |
| Tottori city, Inaba Province, Japan | |
 | |
| Type | Japanese castle |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Ikeda clan |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Site history | |
| Built | Year unknown |
| In use | Years unknown |
| Battles/wars | 1581 Siege of Tottori |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders | Nasu no Yoichi, Kajiwara Kagetoki, Kikkawa Tsuneie |
Tottori Castle (鳥取城, Tottori-jō) was the central castle of the Tottori han (fief) in feudal Japan. It was a yamashiro, or "mountain castle", built into the mountain itself, using natural obstacles and defenses to a greater extent than man-made walls. Little remains of the castle aside from parts of the stone wall and one gate, reinforced with iron and featuring spikes on the outside of the doors to help protect against attackers.
History
In the late 12th century, following the Genpei War, the new shōgun Minamoto no Yoritomo granted the Tottori han to Nasu no Yoichi, the hero of the battle of Yashima. He lost it soon afterwards to Kajiwara Kagetoki, a spy for Yoritomo, in a hunting competition.
Tottori is perhaps best known for its siege in 1581 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which lasted 200 days. The defenders, led by Kikkawa Tsuneie, were forced to surrender due to starvation, coming just short of resorting to cannibalism, according to some accounts. When they surrendered, Hideyoshi provided food for the garrison, but many survivors ate too quickly and died from overeating.
References
- Turnbull, Stephen (2000). The Samurai Sourcebook (Reprinted ed.). London: Cassell. ISBN 1854095234.
Literature
- Schmorleitz, Morton S. (1974). Castles in Japan. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co. ISBN 0-8048-1102-4.