Shibata Castle

Shibata Castle, located in Ōtemachi, Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture (formerly Shibata in Kambara District, Echigo Province), is also known as Ayame Castle (“Iris Castle”). It once served as the seat of the Shibata Domain.

This flatland castle utilized the Kaji River flowing along its north side as an outer moat. Centered around the Honmaru (main bailey), the castle had the Komaru to the north, the Ninomaru to the south, and the Sannomaru even further south. Today, much of the Honmaru, the entire Komaru, and parts of the Ninomaru are used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Only the southern stone walls and moat of the Honmaru, the Honmaru front gate (Yaguramon), and a corner turret in the Ninomaru remain. Shibata Castle is the only site in Niigata Prefecture where original structures still exist. In addition, a three-story turret and a two-story turret have been reconstructed.

The stone walls by the main gate of the Honmaru use a random-stone piling method, while most others are built with koshi-maki stone walls or earthen ramparts. A major earthquake in 1669 (Kanbun 9) caused parts of the walls to collapse; when repaired, the technique was changed to cut-stone jointing.

The origins of the castle are unclear, but it is said to have been built in the early Kamakura period by the Shibata clan, a branch of the Sasaki family, who had rendered distinguished service in the establishment of the shogunate. In 1581 (Tenshō 9), Shibata Shigeie rebelled against Uesugi Kagekatsu (the Shibata Shigeie Rebellion) but was defeated in 1587, leading to the clan’s destruction.

After the Uesugi clan was transferred to Aizu, in 1597 (Keichō 2) Mizoguchi Hidekatsu was granted a 60,000-koku domain and rebuilt Shibata Castle on the original site. The castle was completed in 1654 (Jōō 3) under the third lord, Mizoguchi Nobunao. Fires in 1668 (Kanbun 8) and 1719 (Kyōhō 4) damaged the castle, but it was rebuilt each time.

In recent years, restoration work using traditional construction methods has been carried out based on early Meiji-era photographs and historical records. In 2004 (Heisei 16), the three-story turret and the Tatsumi turret were reconstructed, with the Tatsumi turret opening to the public in July of the same year. On April 6, 2006, Shibata Castle was listed as No. 31 among the Japan’s Top 100 Castles.