Kinojo (Ki-no-jo) Ancient Mountain Castle

Kinojo, located on the summit of Mt. Kinojo (397 m) in Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, is a late seventh-century ancient mountain castle and the legendary stronghold of the demon Ura, a story considered the prototype of the Momotaro tale. The site, nationally designated in 1986, preserves about 2.8 km of stone-and-rammed-earth walls, water gates, and corner-tower foundations typical of Korean-style mountain castles. According to the Bitchu no Kuni Fudoki fragment and the Kibitsu-no-miya Engi, this was the seat of Ura, said to be of Paekche royal descent, who was subdued by Okibitsuhiko-no-Mikoto, the Imperial general recorded in the Kojiki as the son of Korei Tenno and one of the Shido Shogun. Excavations since 1978 have confirmed the castle as an actual fortification, and in 2006 the corner tower, west gate, and stone pavement were restored. Annual rituals continue at Kibitsu Shrine, the Bitchu ichinomiya.