Tottori Castle

Infobox Military Structure
name=Tottori castle
鳥取城
partof=
location=Tottori city, Inaba province, Japan
coordinates=


caption=A gate leading into the castle grounds.


caption2=
type=Japanese castle
code=
built="Year Unknown"
builder=
materials=
height=
used= "Years Unknown"
demolished=
condition=Ruins
ownership=
open_to_public=
controlledby=Ikeda clan
garrison=
current_commander=
commanders=Nasu no Yoichi, Kajiwara Kagetoki, Kikkawa Tsuneie
occupants=
battles=1581 Siege of Tottori
events=

nihongo|Tottori Castle|鳥取城|Tottori-jō was the central castle of the Tottori "han" (fief) in feudal Japan. It was a "yamashiro", or 'mountain-castle', built into the mountain itself, using natural obstacles and defenses to a greater extent than man-made walls. Currently, little remains of the castle aside from parts of the stone wall, and one gate, which is reinforced with iron, and features spikes on the outsides of the doors, to help against attackers.

In the late 12th century, following the Genpei War, the new Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo granted the Tottori "han" to Nasu no Yoichi, the hero of the battle of Yashima. He lost it soon afterwards to Kajiwara Kagetoki, a spy for Yoritomo, in a hunting competition.

Tottori is perhaps most well-known for its siege in 1581 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which lasted 200 days. Those inside, led by Kikkawa Tsuneie, eventually were forced to surrender due to starvation, coming just short, according to some accounts, of giving in to cannibalism.

References

*Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.

Literature

*cite book | title=Castles in Japan| last=Schmorleitz| first=Morton S.| date=1974| pages= | publisher=Charles E. Tuttle Co.| location=Tokyo| id=ISBN 0-8084-1102-4