Oda Nobunaga and Azuchi Castle

In short

A castle for ruling the country

Building of Azuchi Castle began in 1576, the year after Oda Nobunaga defeated Takeda Katsuyori at the Battle of Nagashino.

Azuchi Castle was a great castle that Nobunaga built on the shore of Lake Biwa as his base for unifying the country. It brought together the best of the culture of the time.

In 1579, three years after building began, the keep was finished and Nobunaga moved in.

The Honnoji Incident

Three years later, in 1582, Nobunaga was killed in the Honnoji Incident, and the castle passed to Akechi Mitsuhide.

Soon after Mitsuhide was defeated by Hashiba Hideyoshi, the keep and the main enclosure burned down.

The end of the Oda rule

Even so, Azuchi Castle stood for the Oda family’s rule. Under Hideyoshi’s protection, Nobunaga’s son Nobukatsu and his grandson Sanboshi entered the castle to show that they were Nobunaga’s heirs.

But in 1585, after the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, Nobukatsu gave in to Hideyoshi. The Oda rule came to an end, and Azuchi Castle was abandoned.

The castle site today

The site was named a Historic Site in 1926 and a Special Historic Site in 1952.

Since 1989, Shiga Prefecture has been digging and restoring the site to keep it for the future.

Think about it

• Q1Why would Nobunaga build his castle on the shore of Lake Biwa?
• Q2The castle was used for less than ten years. Why is it still studied today?
• Q3Is there a building in your country that tells the story of a ruler?

There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.