In the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, the Niwa clan, the castle lord who sided with Ieyasu, tried to stop the Hashiba army from marching toward Okazaki from all directions, and 300 men fought against 7,000 people and fell to the castle.
However, by buying time, Ieyasu's main force caught up with the castle, which influenced the battle that followed.
The castle tower is a mock tower, but it gives it a more castle-like feel and is quite worth seeing.
There are quite a few remains of the real castle, but since the area around the main castle building wasn't that big, you can look around it in a relatively short amount of time.
There is a free parking lot, and you can enter the mock castle tower observation tower and historical museum for 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 materials at the Iwasaki Castle Historical Memorial Museum, Niwa, a 16-year-old castle lord, fought in the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute, a battle between Hideyoshi Hashiba (later Hideyoshi Toyotomi) and the combined forces of Nobuo Oda and Ieyasu Tokugawa. Thanks to the ``Battle of Iwasaki Castle'' in which Shige fought so bravely, it is said that the castle was the catalyst for the Tokugawa side's victory in the battle. (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!
Komaki - Castle of Long Hand Battle!
It was kept by the Niwa family! It's small and you can watch it for free!
I stopped by during Linimo Autumn Walking.
A very nice castle and museum have been built.
However, over 35 years ago...
If I hadn't had this opportunity, I would have never known about it.
It is said that Nobunaga's father, Nobuhide, built it.
It was the first battlefield during the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, but it is said to have been abandoned during the Edo period.
There are about 20 parking spaces on the park side and 4 spaces on the castle tower side. If you use Google Maps to guide you to Iwasaki Castle, you will be taken to the castle tower side, so it is better to visit Iwasaki Castle Park parking lot.
Although it is a mock castle tower, it is very well made, and there is a toilet in the stone wall section.
Beyond that is the Historical Memorial Museum, which also has a castle-like atmosphere.
Unfortunately, I couldn't go to either of them as they were closed for New Year's.
In the main enclosure area, there are the remains of a well, the cornerstone of the corner turret, and the sarcophagus part of the tumulus that was uncovered when the memorial hall was built.
There is a turret ruins on top of the hill, and a large moat in the back.
The Ninomaru Garden is also quite beautiful, and when you sprinkle water on the Kansuke Well, you can hear the sound of a koto coming from underground.
There are still earthworks around the perimeter of the garden that you can walk around on.
Although it is a small castle ruin, there was a lot to enjoy.
