Vast mountain castle of the Rokaku clan on Mt. Kinugasa — the largest mountain fortress in the Kinai region, flourishing from the Muromachi through Sengoku periods. Construction began around 1335 and at its height the castle held hundreds of enclosures. In 1568, Rokaku Yoshikata abandoned the castle without a fight against Oda Nobunaga, triggering his takeover of Omi. Designated a national histori…

Construction of Kannonji Castle is believed to have begun around 1335, when the Rokkaku clan, governors (shugo) of Omi Province, began building a fortification on Mount Kinugasa (432 m). Throughout the Muromachi period the castle was expanded into the largest mountain castle in the Kinai region, eve…