Castles of Nara
Tamon Castle
History of Tamon Castle
Tamon Castle was built by Matsunaga Hisahide between 1559 and the following year. Situated on Mt. Mikenji (present-day Horen-cho, Nara City), this hirayamajiro-style castle (a castle built on a low mountain in an area of plains) is estimated to have measured approximately 100 meters east to west and 100 meters north to south. Mt. Mikenji, which later became known as Mt. Tamon, was an ideal base from which to assert control over Yamato Province. For example, overlooking Todai-ji Temple and Kofuku-ji Temple below, it allowed Hisahide to control the Kyoto Kaido Highway that connected Kyoto and Nara. With purported features including a four-story turret, equivalent to what later became the castle tower, and an elongated turret set out like a tenement house, later called the Tamon Turret, the castle is considered to be a pioneer of early modern castle fortifications.
In 1567, Hisahide defeated the allied forces of the Miyoshi clan and Tsutsui Junkei in the Battle of Todai-ji Daibutsuden, and was granted control of Yamato Province by Oda Nobunaga the following year. Tamon Castle consequently assumed the role of a political center in addition to its existing role as a military stronghold. However, Hisahide later rebelled against Nobunaga, and Nobunaga gave control of Yamato to Tsutsui Junkei and ordered Tamon Castle to be demolished in 1576. The castle’s main building was relocated to Kyoto, and rocks from its wall were transported to Tsutsui Castle.
Today, Wakakusa Junior High School stands on the former site of the castle, with a stone monument at the entrance that reads “Site of Tamon Castle.”
Tamon Castle: Timeline of Key Events
- 1559
- Matsunaga Hisahide begins construction of Tamon Castle
- 1565
- Luis de Almeida (Portuguese surgeon, merchant and missionary) visits the castle
- 1567
- Hisahide wins the Battle of Todai-ji Daibutsuden
- 1573
- Hisahide rebels against Oda Nobunaga
- 1576
- Nobunaga orders the destruction of Tamon Castle
Tamon Castle Trivia
Tamon Castle’s lavish tea ceremony rooms
Tamon Castle is believed to have had a number of lavish features, including magnificent areas that served as the castellan’s residence and political base adorned with gold leaf paintings on the sliding screen doors, tea ceremony rooms, and a garden. As such, it was a building that overturned previous perceptions of what a castle should look like. The Jesuit missionary Luis de Almeida, who visited Tamon Castle in 1565, conveyed his impressions of the castle to people back in Europe. The castle is known to have had two tea pavilions or tea rooms, and records show that tea ceremonies were held in the castle. Hisahide possessed tea utensils that are considered to be masterpieces, and he seems to have been a cultured person who loved the tea ceremony.
No defense left unchecked
Tamon Castle is said to be the first castle in Japan to have a tiled roof. With a tiled roof, the castle would not catch fire even if it came under attack by fire arrows. Nara had a long tradition of expertise in building temples and shrines, so roofing experts from local temples were recruited to help construct this castle‘s tiled roof. The walls of the castle were also plastered to prevent penetration by gunfire. The tiled roofs and plastered walls of this well-protected early modern castle were only made possible owing to its location in Nara.
Highlights of Tamon Castle
Remains of earthworks, moats, and other features
A few traces of Tamon Castle’s earthworks can still be seen at Wakakusa Junior High School, which stands on the castle site, and the remains of a moat can be seen at the nearby Mausoleum of Emperor Shomu and other sites. Few other remains are left, presumably because of the thorough destruction that Oda Nobunaga inflicted on Tamon Castle.
Transition from rule by temples and shrines to rule by the warrior class
The location of Tamon Castle was originally known as Mt. Mikenji. When you stand on the former site of the castle, you can look down on Todai-ji Temple, Kofuku-ji Temple, and the city of Nara. After Hisahide built Tamon Castle, the warrior class began to take full control of the city of Nara, which had previously been ruled by temples and shrines. A visit to the site will give visitors a chance to reflect on the changes that took place here.
What Does Tamon Castle Mean to the Local Community?
Dissemination of information through a nearby community center
Many people visit the Site of Tamon Castle, and the local community is making various efforts to meet the needs of visitors. For example, the Wakakusa Community Center, located south of the castle site, serves as the base of activities of the Yamato Tamon Castle Study Group, a citizens’ group that has set up an exhibition corner about Tamon Castle and Hisahide Matsunaga to provide information on the castle. Also, in cooperation with Nara Municipal Buried Cultural Properties Research Centre, it sometimes holds public displays of artifacts excavated from Tamon Castle. These efforts are a result of the pride that the local community takes in Tamon Castle.
