Kanō Castle



Kanō Castle (加納城) was a castle that was built during peace time in the 15th and 16th centuries, but only its ruins, including the base of the donjon and walls, remain in the present-day city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

History
The first construction of Kanō Castle began in 1445 by Saitō Toshinaga, who was a vassal of the Toki Clan. However, the castle was not completed until 1538. In 1601, when Gifu Castle was dismantled, Kanō Castle became the area's main castle and Gifu Castle's main citadel became Kanō Castle's own three-story Ni-no-maru.

In 1603, Okudaira Nobumasa moved into the castle and it became the Okudaira family's residence. Kanō Tenman-gū, which was built simultaneously with the castle, was a private place of worship for the family. Because it was located in a popular post town, Kanō-juku, it eventually became so that commoners could worship there, too.