Azuchi Castle (安土城, Azuchi-jō) was one of the primary castles of Oda Nobunaga located in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture. Azuchi Castle was built from 1576 to 1579 on Mount Azuchi on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa in Ōmi Province. Nobunaga intentionally built Azuchi Castle close enough to Kyoto that he could watch over and guard the approaches to the capital, but outside Kyoto so his fortress would be immune to the fires and conflicts that occasionally consumed the city. Azuchi Castle's location was also strategically advantageous in managing the communications and transportation routes between Nobunaga's greatest foes – the Uesugi to the north, the Takeda in the east, and the Mōri to the west. Azuchi Castle was demolished in 1582 by Akechi Mitsuhide after his assassination of Nobunaga in th