Usuki (Usuki-shi) is a city located on the east coast of Oita Prefecture,
Japan. It is famous for its Usuki Stone Buddhas, a national treasure, and its
soy sauce production. Recently it has become known for having the look and
feel of a Japanese castle town. It is part of Oita City's metropolitan area
through economics and thus has strong ties to Oita City.
Usuki Castle (Usuki-jō) is a Japanese castle in Usuki, Oita Prefecture, Japan.
Another name of this castle is Nyūjima Castle (Nyūjima-jō). This castle was
constructed by Otomo Sōrin in 1562 on the island Nyū-jima, in Usuki Bay as his
head castle. During the 1560s, Sōrin had the largest territory in Kyūshū.
However, after defeat at the Battle of Mimikawa in 1578, the power of Sōrin
and the Otomo clan rapidly declined. In 1586, this castle fell to Shimazu
Yoshihiro, a daimyō of Kagoshima, but was rescued by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
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Usuki Castle.
Usuki Castle is a castle located in the city of Usuki in Oita
Prefecture, Japan, whose ruins were designated as historical monuments
by Oita Prefecture.
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During the Sengoku period, the castle was a stronghold of the Ōtomo
clan.
- During the Edo period, it was the office of the Uji Domain.
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The location of Usuki Castle was once surrounded by the sea on three
sides, and the western side was only connected to the land at low
tide, making it easy to defend.
- The castle consists of a triple castle tower and 3 towers.
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After the abolition of the domain, some of the buildings in Uji Castle
were demolished, and the nearby sea area was reclaimed from the sea.
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The main part of Usuki Castle is now open to the public as a park.
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Usuki, Oita.
Usuki was an important point of exchange with Portuguese ships, a museum
called Sala de Usuki is located in the heart of the historic district.
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In 1600, the Liefde, a Dutch merchant ship led by the English
navigator William Adams, drifted off Usuki in Bungo Bay. The Dutch
crew was dying and was imprisoned and then transferred to Osaka Castle
by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu. William Adams won the trust of the latter
and was the first Westerner to be named samurai. This contact with the
West was decisive in the history of Japan since the weapons seized on
board the ship were reused during the battle of Sekigahara which saw
the advent of Tokugawa Ieyasu as shogun and the beginning of the Edo
era.
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See also
Sources
Location
