# Ne Castle
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ne_Castle
> Source revision: 1326519507
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{{Infobox military installation
|name = Ne Castle
| nativename-a=根城
|partof =
|location = [Hachinohe](/source/Hachinohe%2C_Aomori), [Aomori Prefecture](/source/Aomori_Prefecture), [Japan](/source/Japan)
|image =根城復元主殿.JPG
|caption =Reconstructed palace structure of Ne Castle
| map_type = Japan Aomori Prefecture#Japan
| map_alt = Location in Japan
| map_relief = 1
| map_caption = Ne Castle
| map_size = 270px
|type =hirayama-style [Japanese castle](/source/Japanese_castle)
|coordinates = {{coord|40|30|22.83|N|141|27|34.6|E|display=inline|type:landmark_region:JP_scale:10000}}
|code =
|built = 1334
|builder = Nanbu clan
|materials =
|height =
|used =[Nanboku](/source/Nanboku-cho_period)-[Edo period](/source/Edo_period)
|demolished = 1627
|condition = Reconstructed
|ownership =
|open_to_public = yes
|controlledby =
|garrison =
|current_commander =
|commanders =
|occupants =
|battles =
|events =
|image2 =
|caption2 =
|footnotes = {{box|background=white|align=center|wide=yes|border size=3px|border color=brown|text align=center|[National Historic Site of Japan](/source/Monuments_of_Japan)}}
}}
{{nihongo|'''Ne Castle'''|根城|Ne jō}} is a [Muromachi period](/source/Muromachi_period) [Motte-and-bailey](/source/motte-and-bailey_castle)-style [Japanese castle](/source/Japanese_castle) located in what is now the city of [Hachinohe](/source/Hachinohe%2C_Aomori), [Aomori Prefecture](/source/Aomori_Prefecture), in the [Tōhoku region](/source/T%C5%8Dhoku_region) of far northern Japan. It has been protected by the central government as a [National Historic Site](/source/Historic_Sites_of_Japan) since 1941.[{{cite web|url=https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/204603|title=根城跡 |work=Cultural Heritage Online|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=Japanese|accessdate=25 December 2016}}] It was extensively reconstructed in 1994.["Ne Castle" J Castle - {{cite web |url=http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/149-Ne-Castle |title=Ne Castle Profile |accessdate=2016-05-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321000955/http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/149-Ne-Castle |archivedate=2016-03-21 }}]
==Situation==
Ne Castle consists of five motte-and-bailey [enclosures](/source/kuruwa) on a roughly L-shaped [river terrace](/source/river_terrace) on the south bank of the [Mabechi River](/source/Mabechi_River), approximately 500 meters long by 300 meters wide. As was typical for the time, the fortifications consisted primarily of wooden [palisade](/source/palisade)s and earthen [rampart](/source/rampart_(fortification))s, guarded by 20-meter wide dry moats. The area was divided into several enclosures, or baileys, with varying elevations. There was no [donjon](/source/donjon) in the [central bailey](/source/Inner_bailey), which was occupied by a large building, possibly in the [Shōin style](/source/Shoin), based on evidence of foundation posts, as the residence of the ruling [Nanbu clan](/source/Nanbu_clan). Other enclosures held the residences of important retainers, along with barracks, workshops and storerooms. Some of the buildings were constructed as [pit dwelling](/source/pit_dwelling)s indicating the survival of this ancient building style into the Muromachi period. One of the enclosures contained a [Buddhist temple](/source/Buddhism), Tōzen-ji, which served as the Nanbu [clan temple](/source/bodaiji).
== History ==
Ne Castle was constructed in 1334, during the early [Nanboku-chō period](/source/Nanboku-ch%C5%8D_period), by [Nanbu Moroyuki](/source/Nanbu_Moroyuki), a retainer of [Kitabatake Akiie](/source/Kitabatake_Akiie), the ''[kokushi](/source/kokushi_(officials))'' of [Mutsu Province](/source/Mutsu_Province) and was intended to be a center for the imperial government administration in the area. Nanbu Motoyuki was under allegiance to the [Southern Court](/source/Southern_Court); however, at the same time, another branch of the same Nanbu family ruled the nearby [Sannohe](/source/Sannohe%2C_Aomori) and [Morioka](/source/Morioka%2C_Iwate) areas under allegiance to the rival [Northern Court](/source/Northern_Court).[[https://web.archive.org/web/20141117152607/http://www1a.biglobe.ne.jp/nihonjokaku/ Japan Castle Foundation]]
== Current situation ==
The castle was largely [reconstructed](/source/Reconstruction_(architecture)) in 1994, with some emphasis on the inner [citadel](/source/citadel)[{{Cite web |url=http://castle.jpn.org/en/mutsu1/ne/ |title=Japan Castle |access-date=2016-05-20 |archive-date=2021-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803154543/http://castle.jpn.org/en/mutsu1/ne/ |url-status=dead }}] On the current site there are two gates, one for the lord and guests, the other a simpler gate for servants and workers. There are many reconstructed parts of the castle on site. Technically, Ne Castle was constructed before the main era of Japanese castle development, so while there are still gates, [bailey](/source/ward_(castle))s, and ''[yagura](/source/Yagura_(tower))'' watchtowers, there is no main keep. There is little stonework, and the walls are just wooden posts [palisade](/source/palisade)s on the outside, and simple slat wood walls in the central [compound](/source/Compound_(fortification)).