Kawate Castle

Kawate Castle, also known as Kawate-jō, was a significant military structure located in the present-day city of Gifu within Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Constructed in 1353 by the prominent builder Toki Yorinari, the fortress served as a strategic base of operations from the Nanboku-chō period through the Sengoku period. It effectively replaced the older Nagamori Castle and functioned as the primary residence for regional shugo, or military governors, who administered the area. The site holds historical importance as a central hub of local power before the rise of the famous warlord Saitō Dōsan, who eventually shifted his headquarters to the more formidable Inabayama Castle, later known as Gifu Castle.

The castle remained in active use until approximately 1530, at which point it was demolished. Following its destruction, the site did not immediately disappear from the landscape; substantial earthen mounds remained as remnants of the original fortifications for some time. However, these remaining structures were ultimately broken down and their materials repurposed to aid in the construction of Kanō Castle. Today, no physical structures of the original castle stand, and the location is marked only by a monument situated near a local high school. This marker serves as the primary indication of the site's former glory, commemorating a key chapter in the region's feudal history.

Although the castle itself is gone, its legacy persists through its classification as a historic site and its role in the lineage of Gifu's defensive architecture. The alternative Japanese writing for its name, 革手城, shares the same pronunciation as the standard characters. As a ruined castle that facilitated the transition of power in the region, Kawate Castle represents an essential link between early medieval governance and the turbulent warfare of the Sengoku era. Its complete dismantling to support new construction highlights the pragmatic reuse of resources common during Japan's period of constant military conflict.