Seki Castle (Hitachi)

Architecture, patrimoine et histoire · Préfecture d'Ibaraki

Seki Castle stands on a plateau in the western part of the Hitachi Plateau, in the south of present-day Chikusei, between the Kinugawa and Kokaigawa rivers. Originally surrounded by marshes to the east, south and west, notably the former Daihō marsh, it was a naturally strong position reinforced by earthen ramparts and moats. It is best known for its role in the wars between the Northern and Southern Courts: its lord, Seki Munesuke, a supporter of the Southern Court, sheltered the courtier and theorist Kitabatake Chikafusa here in 1341 after he was driven out of Oda Castle. Besieged by the Northern Court army led by Kō no Morofuyu, the fortress fell in 1343 (11th day of the 11th month of Kōei 2), one day before neighbouring Daihō Castle. The site was later taken over and remodelled by the Tagaya in the 15th century. Today largely occupied by houses and rice fields, it retains fragments of ramparts, moats, a cranked rampart allowing flanking fire and a hōkyōintō stupa associated with the grave of Seki Munesuke. It has been a National Historic Site since 1934.