Chikaji Castle was one of the medieval castle, built by samurai in the Middle Ages in Yono, Iga City. Even today, the high earthen mounds remain, and the stone monument is well maintained and easy to visit, allowing visitors to see what a typical castle looked like. However, although the stone monument says “birthplace of Hattori Hanzo,” the relationship between the Hattori Hanzo family, who served the Tokugawa Shogunate, and this castle site is not clear. The size of the castle is normal for a medieval castle house. According to “三重の中世城館”, the lord of the castle called himself Chikaji. In the chapter “柏原合戦 寄手敗走” of “伊乱記 Iranki,” which describes in detail the circumstances of the Tenshō Iga War, the name of a powerful family “Chikaji Kinbei in Yono” as one of the holdouts of the Kashibara Castle. This person is probably related to this castle. The castle is surrounded by earthen mounds to the east, north, and west, and the hillside behind the north is divided to make the castle independent. In other words, it is clear that the castle was designed to be defended on its northern side. In the “伊水温故 Isui-ungo”, this castle are referred to as “近地屋鋪Chikaji-yashiki”. It is explained that this was the “family estate” of the ancestor of “Todo Uneme Motonori,” a castle retainer of Iga-Ueno Castle in Iga of the Tsu domain. “藤堂采女家系譜” also mentions “Chikaji-yashiki” as a “residential land” in the place of Motonori’s generation. This Motonori was from the Yasuda clan, a powerful family in Kii Province, and is said to have succeeded the Hattori clan. He took the name Todo when he was taken into the service of the Todo clan of the Tsu domain. The Todo family of castle retainers took the name “采女Uname” from generation to generation.
