Kobayakawa Takakage
Mihara Castle was built 1567 by Kobayakawa Takakage, the third son of the famous warlord Mōri Motonari who controlled most of Aki and Bingo Provinces. It was a large scale castle with 3 baileys, 32 sumi yagura (corner towers), and 14 mon (gates). It was built on the coast and connected two islands giving rise to the nickname "Ukishirō" or "floating castle." Kobayakawa Takakage moved from Niitakayama Castle (新高山城), a typical mountaintop castle, to this site to better manage the Mōri clan's naval forces and to help protect from Oda Nobunaga who was advancing from the east.