Miyoshi clan
The area around the castle is a strategic foothold to defend Kyoto, the capital of Japan at that time, from western threats. During the Ōnin War, this castle was used as a castle of the western alliance and became occupied by Iwanari Tomomichi, a daimyō of the Miyoshi clan, during the Sengoku period. The castle fell to Oda Nobunaga in 1568, and was given to Hosokawa Fujitaka, who occupied it until 1579.