Azuchi Castle

Azuchi castle 1st appeared in Samurai Warriors.

Samurai Warriors
In Samurai Warriors, this location is usually where characters confront Nobunaga in a final confrontation. Battles can be conducted around the castle premises or within its corridors. For most of the Oda related characters, the castle is captured by Mitsuhide after he fails to kill Nobunaga at Honnoji. The Akechi army then has to try to defend their newly gained castle from the pursuing Oda army. Failing to defend the castle usually leads to Mitsuhide's death. If he barricades it well, he can continue to attack Nobunaga at Yamazaki. In Oichi's story, however, she infiltrates the castle to try to convince her brother to make peace with Nagamasa. She finds Mitsuhide on the top floor, who announces his intentions to betray his lord. With this information, the young couple are able to rush to her brother's rescue at Honnoji. Alternatively, she can also end her brother's life here with Nagamasa. When Nobunaga raids his own castle from Mitsuhide, he can also ride the spear cannon to break down the closed gates. In another set of scenarios, the Takeda army can come here to invade Nobunaga's realm. Shingen marches from streets near the castle. Intent on stopping his enemies, Nobunaga tells Mitsuhide to burn down the city. Not wanting to put the residents at risk, Shingen or Yukimura can stop him. After their plan is foiled, Mitsuhide rushes to return to his lord to report the Takeda's strength. If Shingen reaches Nobunaga before the youth, he will taunt the enemy commander and convince Mitsuhide to join him. With their new ally, the Takeda guards his escape from the field. The castle is also the last stage for Okuni and Goemon's lower path scenario. The priestess, still infatuated with Keiji, learns that he is residing here and rushes to his side. Goemon, thinking that she was kidnapped, hurries to rescue her. During the western siege of Odawara Castle in Samurai Warriors 2, Kanbei appears with a group of engineers to speed the building of the makeshift castle. Kanestugu mentions that they previously built Azuchi Castle. An easter egg regarding Azuchi Castle can be found in the mercenary mode in the Xtreme Legends expansion, where the eastern Odawara part is renamed as Azuchi Castle.

Kessen
Azuchi Castle becomes one of Nobunaga's main bases in Kessen III. Upon the castle's completion, however, Kicho leaves Nobunaga's ranks. He proceeds on his conquests without her until the Incident at Honnoji when they reunite once more. From then on, Azuchi Castle presumably falls into Mitsuhide's possession; Nobunaga reclaims it after his rival's death.

History
Azuchi Castle (安土城, Azuchi-jō) was one of the primary castles of Oda Nobunaga. It was built from 1576 to 1579, on the shores of Lake Biwa, in Ōmi Province. Nobunaga intentionally built it close enough to Kyoto that he could watch over and guard the approaches to the capital, but, being outside the city, his fortress would be immune to the fires and conflicts that occasionally consumed the capital. This location was also quite strategically advantageous, in managing the communications and transportation routes between his greatest foes - the Uesugi clan to the north, Takeda clan in the east, and Mōri clan to the west[1].

Unlike earlier castles and fortresses, Azuchi was not intended to be solely a military structure, cold, dark, and foreboding. Nobunaga intended it as a lavish mansion, which would impress and intimidate his rivals, not only with its defenses, but with its lavish apartments and decorations, and flourishing town and religious life. The keep, called Tenshukaku, rather than being the center of the castle's defences, was a seven-story building containing audience halls, private chambers, offices, and a treasury, as though it were a royal palace. In addition to being one of the first Japanese castles with a tower keep, Azuchi was unique in that its uppermost story was octagonal. In addition, the facade of Azuchi, unlike the solid white or black of other castles, was colorfully decorated with tigers and dragons.

There were five main militaristic features of Azuchi Castle that differentiated it from earlier castle designs. Firstly, it was a massive structure, with the walls of the castle ranging from 18 feet to 21 feet in thickness. The second feature of Azuchi Castle is the predominant use of stone. The walls were constructed from huge granite stones fitted carefully together without the use of mortar. A third innovation of the Azuchi Castle was the high central tower, or donjon. The tower allowed for increased visibility for the use of guns against an opposing force. Builder’s plans for the castle show the donjon to be 138 feet tall, with seven levels. Fourthly, Azuchi Castle had irregularly formed inner citadels. These inner citadels gave defenders ample defensive positions against intruders. The location of Azuchi Castle was also a novel feature. Whereas most Japanese castles found the most advantegous position was at the base of mountain surrounded by dense vegetation (which would allow cover for an enemy), Azuchi Castle was built on a plain to give a wide view of an approaching enemy.

Nobunaga desired a full castle town, and built well-defended homes for his generals, a Jōdo-shu Buddhist temple called Jōgon-in, and a number of homes for commoners a short distance away on the shore of the lake. However, he had trouble convincing people to move into these homes at first. In the summer of 1577, he issued a municipal charter, guaranteeing residents immunity from taxes, building or transport levies, and moratoria, and forced all travelers on the Nakasendō highway to stop in the town overnight for lodging, thus bringing business to his town's innkeepers. By 1582, the town's inhabitants numbered roughly 5,000.

In addition to welcoming many of Nobunaga's powerful political guests, such as Tokugawa Ieyasu and Niwa Nagahide, Azuchi castle also hosted an event in 1579 which has come to be known as the Azuchi religious debate (安土宗論, Azuchi shūron), taking place between leaders of the Nichiren and Jōdo sects of Buddhism.

In the summer of 1582, just after Nobunaga's death at Honnōji, the castle was attacked by the forces of Akechi Mitsuhide, Nobunaga's betrayer. The castle was set aflame, though some accounts claim this might have been the work of looting townspeople, or of one of Nobunaga's sons. Mitsuhide, therefore, never managed to occupy the castle.

The Azuchi-Momoyama Period of Japanese history takes its name, in part, from this castle. All that remains of the castle today is the stone base. However, a reproduction of Azuchi, based on illustrations and historical descriptions, stands in Ise Sengoku Village, a samurai theme park near Ise. In addition, a full-scale replica of the top floors of the donjon is on display at the Nobunaga no Yakata Museum near the original castle ruins.