Nishikawa Castle
| Nishikawa Castle | |
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| (西川城?) | |
| Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, Japan | |
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View of one corner of the main courtyard of Nishikawa Castle. Earthen ramparts visible. The trees are part of the chestnut orchard.
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 Nishikawa Castle
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| Coordinates | 34°50′21″N 137°27′23″E / 34.839238°N 137.456367°E |
| Type | Hill-on-Plains castle (平山城?) |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
yes |
| Condition | Main courtyard accessible; portions are either undeveloped forest or cultivated orchard. |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1532–1555 |
| Built by | Saigo Kiyokazu |
| In use | ca.1555–1661 |
Nishikawa Castle (西川城 Nishikawa-jō?) was a branch castle of the Saigo Clan in the Mikawa region during the Age of Warring States in Japan. The name Nishikawa means "west river" in Japanese.
There are no extant structures on the site of the castle, though alterations to the topography, such as earthen ramparts and a dry moat, are readily apparent and an explanatory signboard is posted by the trail leading up to the main courtyard. Nishikawa Castle site is located in Ishimaki-Nishikawa-cho, Toyohashi city, Aichi prefecture.
In 1526, the Mikawa-Saigo family suffered defeat when Yamanaka Castle was stormed by the forces of Matsudaira Kiyoyasu. After four generations of conflict between the Saigo and Matsudaira families, the Saigo were forced to surrender and give up control of northern Mikawa province; they became loyal vassals of the Matsudaira, their samurai forces ready to fight for their one-time enemy. Although a measure of stability was probably brought to the region, it was still something of a wilderness and at a crossroads for several feuding factions that would be the scene of important battles in the decades to come. A castle in the area would have been an outpost and rallying point to guard against incursions by the Oda, Takeda, or other clans. According to the Mikawa Chorography, a scolarly survey of the region written in 1740, Nishikawa Castle was built to confront the threat of the rival Makino clan, which occupied the adjoining region in what is now the town of Toyokawa.
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