Takayama Castle

Takayama Castle 高山城
Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
A drawing of the castle
Type	Mountaintop castle
Site history
Built	1588-1600
Built by	Kanamori Nagachika
In use	1588–1695
Demolished	1695
Garrison information
Occupants	Kanamori clan

Takayama Castle (高山城, Takayama-jō^?) is a castle located in the city of Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The castle was built on a mountain nearly 687 m (2,254 ft) in height and had many typical castle features, including a stone base, earthen walls and a surrounding moat. In spite of its defensive appearance, however, the castle was not built for battles. Its style is similar to Azuchi Castle, which was built by Oda Nobunaga.

During the Sengoku period, Mitsugi Yoritsuna (三木自綱) moved to Takayama to take control of Hida Province and built Matsukura Castle. Yoritsuna was in alliance with Sassa Narimasa in neighboring Etchū Province and was against Toyotomi Hideyoshi. To combat Yoritsuna, Hideyoshi ordered Kanamori Nagachika (who was then the ruler of Echizen Ōno Castle) to go to battle against Yoritsuna.

Nagachika originally began his battle against Yoritsuna using another castle; however, in 1588, he began construction of Takayama Castle. By 1600, the main and secondary castle keeps were completed, but it would be another three years before the third keep was completed. In addition to the construction of the castle, Nagachika also developed a castle town at the same time.

When the Kanamori clan moved to Dewa Province in 1692, they transferred control of the castle to the Maeda clan. Three years later, though, control of the castle was transferred to the Shogun.